Hawaii Hiking Guide — Best Trails Every Island (2026)

Hawaii has more bang-for-your-buck hikes than anywhere else in the U.S. Twenty minutes of effort can put you on a viewpoint that looks like the desktop wallpaper. Two hours puts you on Lord-of-the-Rings ridges most photographers never reach. Here's the locals' honest guide, ranked by effort + view + crowds. ## Top 5 hikes in Hawaii (overall) ### 1. Kalalau Trail (Kauaʻi) — 11 miles one way **The most epic hike in the Hawaiian islands.** Walks the Nā Pali Coast — green cliffs, hidden valleys, beach campsites. Requires multi-day camping permit, no easy parking. **For experienced hikers only.** Day-hike to Hanakapiʻai Beach (first 2 miles) is also great + doesn't need permits. ### 2. Diamond Head Crater (Oʻahu) — 1.6 miles Best easy hike with a spectacular view. 560-foot climb to the rim of an extinct volcanic crater overlooking Waikīkī. **Reservation required**. ~$5. Go at 6:30am for empty trail + sunrise. ### 3. Lanikai Pillbox Trail (Oʻahu) — 1.5 miles round trip Two old WWII bunkers ("pillboxes") on a ridge overlooking the bluest beach in Hawaii. **30-min steep climb. Worth every step.** Free. ### 4. Mānoa Falls (Oʻahu) — 1.6 miles round trip Jungle hike to a 150-foot waterfall. Lush, often muddy. 30 minutes each way. $5 parking. Family-friendly. ### 5. Pololū Valley Lookout + descent (Big Island) — 0.5 miles Free lookout (gorgeous view alone). Hike down 15 min to the black sand beach if you've got grip. Most visitors skip the descent. ## By island ### Oʻahu (best hike density in Hawaii) - **Diamond Head** — easy, busy, iconic - **Lanikai Pillbox** — moderate, busy, best view - **Makapuʻu Lighthouse Trail** — easy paved, whale watching Nov-Apr - **Mānoa Falls** — easy, muddy, jungle - **Koko Head Stairs** — hard (1,048 railroad-tie stairs straight up). 360° view. - **Crouching Lion** — moderate, lava rock ridge - **Lulumahu Falls** — moderate, hidden waterfall ### Maui - **Iao Valley Needle Trail** — easy paved, 0.6 mi, lush valley - **Pipiwai Trail (Hāna)** — 4 mi, bamboo forest + 400ft waterfall - **Sliding Sands Trail (Haleakalā)** — desert moonscape, 6-12 mi depending - **Wai'anapanapa State Park** — easy coast hike, black sand - **Twin Falls (Hāna)** — easy, swimmable ### Big Island - **Pololū Valley descent** — moderate, black sand beach payoff - **Akaka Falls** — paved 0.4 mi loop, 442ft waterfall - **Kīlauea Iki Trail** — 4 mi loop, walks across a lava lake from 1959 eruption - **Mauna Loa Summit Trail** — 19 mi (multi-day, expert only) - **Pu'u 'Ō'ō Lookout (Volcanoes NP)** — easy - **Captain Cook Monument** — 4 mi, hot, hard climb back. Best Big Island snorkeling at the bottom. ### Kauaʻi - **Kalalau Trail** — multi-day epic - **Awa'awapuhi Trail (Kōkeʻe)** — 6 mi, cliff-edge view - **Pihea Trail to Alakaʻi Swamp** — 8 mi, swamp boardwalk - **Sleeping Giant** — moderate, 3 mi, ridge view - **Wailua Falls Lookout** — drive-up, no hike needed ## Safety + etiquette - **Always check Hawaii Trails app** (trails.hawaii.gov) for closures. Trails close after heavy rain for safety. - **Flash floods kill** — don't hike valley trails during rain. - **Wear water shoes or hiking boots.** Flip-flops kill ankles on lava. - **Bring 2x water you think you need.** Hawaii sun is brutal. - **Leave No Trace.** Pack out everything. - **Stay on the trail.** Hawaii has endangered native species. Side-trail erosion is a real ecological problem. ## Trail permits - **Kalalau Trail** — required, book through Hawaii state parks 90+ days ahead - **Diamond Head** — reservation through Hawaii state parks - **Hanauma Bay** (technically a snorkel site but counts as a hike to get in) — reservation - **Mānoa Falls** — no permit, just $5 parking ## See current outdoor events + hiking groups - [Big Island Things to Do →](/blog/big-island-things-to-do-2026) - [Kauaʻi Things to Do →](/blog/kauai-things-to-do-2026) - [Best Sunset Spots in Waikīkī →](/blog/best-sunset-spots-waikiki-2026) - [Browse all Hawaii events →](/events)