Kuliouou Ridge Trail, located in Honolulu, is a 4-mile hike with a 1,624ft elevation gain. This hike provides a steady incline with many switchbacks before peaking at the spine of the Ko'olau Ridge, and takes about 3-4 hours to complete depending on your pace.
Remnants of the Ko’olau volcano, which erupted more than 2.5 million years ago, make up the Ko’olau ("windward" in Hawaiian) mountain range. After thousands of years of dormancy, the Ko’olau volcano erupted several more times over the past 500,000 years, creating some of Oahu’s most well-known landmarks. These landmarks later became known as the Honolulu Volcanic Series. The series includes: Diamond Head, Koko Head, Tantalus, Koko Crater, Punchbowl Crater and liapa‘akai.
Getting There
Follow AllTrails directions to the Kuliouou Ridge trailhead. Street parking is located in a residential neighborhood (Kalaau Place) and fills up quickly. Be prepared to walk up an inclined road before even reaching the trailhead. The trail signs are easily visible at the end of the road and the start of the trail.
Our Hiking Adventure
The Kuliouou Ridge Trail offers various terrains, making the trail feel like four different hikes in one. The tall pine trees and pine straw coverings in a portion of the hike reminded me of our time living in North Carolina. As we ascended to the top, each opening in the trees provided a beautiful lookout of the ocean.
When you reach the colorful picnic table, your final ascent begins. Locals say it is good luck to run to the summit, back down to the picnic table, and back to the top. This would be one heck of a workout!
The final ascent to the top of the summit challenged us with several portions of steep stairs....just keep climbing! Once at the top, we were rewarded with a strong breeze and views of Kailua/Lanikai, Hawaii Kai, Waimanalo, Rabbit Island, and Koko Head Crater.
After enjoying a snack and relaxing at the peak, we headed back down.
I opted to go on this Hawaii hiking adventure with some friends, as I was unsure if the hike would be too challenging for our 6-year-old, and... let's face it, sometimes hiking adventures are more enjoyable with girlfriends!
This hike would be best for older children with some hiking experience, as it is a longer hike with several steep portions. I recommend good hiking shoes, plenty of water and snacks, and allow for a full day adventure!
Link to my Kavu yellow sling bag here.
My favorite Solomon Hiking Shoes linked here.
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