Koko Crater Trail, better known as "Koko Head Stairs," is one of Oahu's most popular trails amongst residents and visitors. If you are looking for a great leg workout, this 1.8-mile hiking adventure is for you! This hike will challenge your endurance, strength, and mental toughness and reward you with some spectacular panoramic views of the East Honolulu shoreline.
Picture stairs, stairs, and then more stairs! The Koko Crater Trail consists of over 1,000 step-like railroad ties along the west side of the crater that ascend all the way to the top of Koko Crater. These old railroad ties were previously used to haul cargo supplies up to a military pillbox bunker during World War II. Today, these ties are used as hiking stairs to reach the crater Ridgeline and abandoned pillbox.
Getting There
The Koko Crater trailhead is simple to find, and there is plenty of parking in the Koko Head District Park parking lot. After parking, you will head towards a dirt path at the front of the parking lot. Simply walk up the dirt path, and past the baseball field. There will be one more dirty path off to the right leading up to the stairs. Although this trail is easy to locate, the climb to the top is no walk in the park!
Our Hiking Adventure
My husband and I had been saving the Koko Head Stairs for a day when we could hike without our kids. Although are children are capable of climbing to the top, we felt this trail may be a little tedious and redundant for their liking, and let us be honest; it was nice to enjoy a hiking date without some of the whining that comes along when hiking with kids!
Although we had a late start to the trail due to school drop off times, we lucked out with some breezier weather. This trail can get extremely hot, as there is no shade the entire way up and down.
The trail begins at a mild incline, and the first 100 steps or so were not too bad. We took our time climbing and enjoying the views of Hanauma Bay and the Port Lock Peninsula as we went up.
As we continued on, that leg burn hit us really quick! There are over 1,000 steps, and it honestly felt like so much more. A majority of the steps are longer apart, and approximately 7-8" tall. Throughout the trail you will find cinder blocks between steps to fill in some of the larger gaps. I so greatly appreciated those amazing hikers who generously carried cement blocks up the trail for us short-legged folks climbing the trail. Measuring in at a solid 5'2 with short legs, there were several portions of the trail that I had to get creative with my steps to climb efficiently.
As we continued on the trail, we reached a small section of the railroad ties that act more as a bridge due to the 20-30-foot drop below. Although this section is more level and not challenging to cross; it may be intimidating if you have a fear of heights. Be sure to take your time and watch your footing. There is a bypass to this "bridge" portion to the right side if you wish to take this route instead.
After crossing the bridge-like section, we continued to climb, and our breaks quickly became more frequent as we ascended. Be sure to take rest breaks on the side of the steps when possible to allow others to pass up and down.
Once we approached the final 20-30 steps, we picked up our pace and pushed towards the top as we were both ready to be done climbing! Woohoo...we made it to the top! It took us 25 minutes to reach the top and I would say we took a good amount of rest breaks along the way. I would recommend allowing anywhere from 20 minutes to 1 hour to climb to the top, depending on your fitness level.
The trail was fairly crowded with hikers of various ages, athletic abilities, and footwear. I highly recommend good hiking shoes with grip as the dry, loose dirt is very slippery, and we witnessed several hikers lose their footing and slip along the trail when descending.
We relaxed and explored at the top for 20-30 minutes before heading back down. If you're not in a rush, allow yourself to relax and take in the views before starting your descent, after all, you earned it! There is no better feeling than the accomplishment felt after conquering the Koko Head Stairs. Be sure to explore both sides at the top and enjoy panoramic views from Diamond Head to Makapu'u Point.
After snapping some photos and giving our legs a little break, we began our descent. The climb back down the stairs is undoubtedly easier than climbing up. Be sure to take your time and watch your footing, as your legs will be fatigued. As previously mentioned, the dry dirt and loose rocks could be slippery, and good hiking shoes are recommended.
Recommendations:
- If possible, hike early morning or early evening as there is no shade and the sun is hot on this side of the island.
- Bring plenty of water, sunscreen, a hat.
-Wear good hiking shoes or shoes with good grip as the dry and loose dirt is slippery.
- Allow for 1-3 hours to complete the hike depending on how much time you want to spend a the top.
Other things to do in the area:
Hanauma Bay is located right down the road from Koko Crater Trail. If you start your day early enough, you could hike the trail and then head to the bay to enjoy the rest of your day snorkeling in some of Oahu's clearest waters.
Halona Blowhole can be viewed by parking at the Halona Blowhole Parking lot and walking over to the railing fence. The spouting water is quite the site to see!
Cockroach Cove aka Eternity Beach or Halona Beach Cove is a small beach area that sits to the right side below the Halona Blowhole. The waters at this tiny beach may be rough, so be sure to pay attention to the tides before hopping in!
Makapu'u Lookout is located up the road next to the Makapu'u Lighthouse Point Trail. This lookout provides amazing views overlooking the Makapu'u Peninsula. This lookout is a great spot to whale watch in the winter months.
For other great hiking trails on Oahu, check out our post "Top Hiking Trails in Hawaii" (coming soon).
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