Best Legal Hiking Trails on Ohau, Hawaii

Oahu has a ton of hiking trails to choose from but how do you choose the best one for you? My husband and I actually did the Diamond Head Crater Hike, Pillbox Hike and Koko Crater Trail all during our one week trip in Hawaii (check out my full one week itinerary!). All three hikes were very different and had their pros and cons.

Diamond Head Crater Hike (Kapahulu, Honolulu, HI 96815)

• Closed on Wednesday but open all other days of the week. (Holiday hours may differ)
• Gates open from 6:00 am – 4:00 pm
• Gates close at 6:00 pm
• Entrance fee for non-Hawaii residents is $5 per person (children 3 and under entrance is free)
• Entrance fee is free for Hawaii residents
• Parking fee varies per vehicle capacity (1-7 passenger vehicle is $25)

Pros

• Trail is easy to follow
• No extreme slopes to go up
• Has several lookout spots to take a break and enjoy the views

Cons

• Very crowded since it is the most popular hike on Oahu
• Isn’t very challenging for those who hike regularly
• No shade, so it can get very hot in the middle of the day
• Parking is limited near the top of the trailhead (There are some parking lots available near Diamond Head Bark park but CHECK the parking signs before parking!)

Pillbox Hike (265 Kaelepulu Dr, Kailua, HI 96734)

• Open all days of the week
• No entrance fee
• No parking fee (more about parking below)

Pros

• No entrance or parking fee required
• Less crowded than the other two hikes
• Great views of Lanikai beach and the ocean
• Trail was more challenging than Diamond Head Crater hike (can also be a con)

Cons

• Parking near the trail on weekdays is not allowed (I highly recommend parking near Kailua Beach and walk 15 minutes to the trail)
• Some portions of the trail are intense (mostly dirt causing you to slip easily, one part was a steep incline of rocks)
• No shade

Koko Crater Trail (Honolulu, HI 96825)

• Open all days of the week (maybe closed due to maintenance, please check before going!)
• No entrance fee
• No parking fee (plenty of parking)

Pros

• No entrance or parking fee required
• There is a huge parking lot
• Great exercise

Cons

• No shade during the afternoon (highly recommend doing this hike earlier in the day)
• It’s a steep incline of stairs (roughly over 1,000 steps)
• Crowded but not as bad as Diamond Head Crater Hike

Don’t forget to bring plenty of water and load up on sunscreen! My favorite hike out the three was the Pillbox Hike. If you have done any of these, which one was your favorite? Have you done any other hikes on Oahu?