If you are looking for amazing views, a good workout, on the West side of Oahu, the Maili Pillboxes…read moremay be the hike for you! My girlfriend and I knew we needed to get at least one hike on our trip, and this one was close to our resort (15ish minutes for Ko Olina) and all I have to say is bring sunscreen and good walking shoes. The trail itself isn't long and pretty easy to navigate up the hill but it's pretty rocky at points. I slipped a few times going up and down but it was no biggie. The views once you get up there though is super worth it. The best part about this hike (aside from the views) is that it wasn't busy at all. We came around 8am and there was only a handful of people on the trail. Definitely recommend coming early to beat the heat or at sunset to catch the sun setting over the Pacific Ocean. There's plenty of street parking available and the trail entrance is easy to find. If you are in the area and want a little bit of a challenging hike with great views, this is the spot.

I never grow tired of the amazing ocean and mountain views from this short hike…read more Have hiked both sunset and sunrise hikes enjoyed both. Although not a long hike, if you are not use to uneven rocky uphill the first section may be alittle rough for you both going up and down. We use poles, especially useful going down. The trail has very little shade so best done in morning or late afternoon. We usually only go to the first 3 pillboxes, which all have beautiful views. The art in the first one is fairly uncovered. Unfortunately the second one's art has been mostly covered by graffiti. I don't get why anyone would deface it. It is late February and the mountain has lush tall green grass lining the trail. Summertime is completely different being on the dryer side of island. The wind has been quit strong so instead of hanging on top of pillbox we spent sometime inside looking out the openings taking it all in. Back to the views, I never, never grow tired of them. Absolutely stunning!!!!

Let's get a few facts and opinions out of the way from the start:…read more- There are better hikes on this island, much better (Olomana Ridge comes to mind) - The start of this hike is arid, ugly, and brutally hot with little shade - There are lots of buildings (and a road, that you ain't allowed to drive on) on the summit Now that you know all these things, this is the highest point on Oahu and a worthy objective! If you're a peakbagger-type, this high point is an absolute must and is very easy compared to the high points of Kauai, Maui, and Moloka'i. If you can stay cool, this is a pretty easy hike, in my opinion. The route-finding is very straight-forward and there's only a little bit of scrambling. About staying cool: I would bring a few gallons of water. Drink as much as you can while you're still at your car, then soak your shirt and a headband in it. This'll help for the mostly treeless first part and it'll be long-dry by the time you reach the cooler, moist upper parts of the mountain. Another options is to start hiking up before sunrise but, if you're on vacation, you're probably not to interested in that. Yes, the summit is covered in military buildings but the views are still fantastic. I highly recommend doing a 360-degree walk around the perimeter fence. Another advantage of this hike is that it's not insanely popular. It's possible you might only see one or two other parties on the whole mountain.

This hike is not for the weak and definitely not for beginners. Mt. Ka'ala is known as the highest…read morepoint on the island of Oahu but the trip and the end result is well worth your efforts. The whole trip can take about 6-7hrs, up and back. Item I highly recommend you bring with you: -Electrolyte WATER (***I took a whole gallon with me***) -Small snacks ( Nuts, fruit bars, protein/granola bars, musubi, manapua, etc) -Sunscreen (7 hrs in the sun will get you. My face was sunburnt after.) -Hiking spikes (It was slippery even though it wasn't raining.) -Gloves ( You'll be climbing lots of rope!! Your hands will get raw.) -Hiking Bag/Backpack -Wear long sleeves and leggings (The water wicking type to stay cool and protected from the sun and bugs.) -Hat -Sunglasses -Selfie stick -Satellite radio ( I had one just in case but we all had cellular connection the whole trip. ) -Cellphone & rechargeable battery -Bug spray -Good Attitude ( This hike was hard but it wasn't impossible.) I came here with a group of hikers, now my new found friends, and we all pitched in on a giant UHAUL 16-seater van so that we wouldn't have to take our personal vehicles. We did this because the parking lot for this hike is well known for break-ins, so we made sure that nothing was left in the van when we began our hike. From the start, it's all incline and it kept getting more and more steep the further you went in. Majority of the trail is covered by trees and brush so there was plenty of shade. The closer you got to the top, the better the view got and it was pretty fulfilling to feel so high up. Once you reach the Mt. Ka'ala sign and the forest conservation, you get to experience the Hawaiian rain forest where you're required to stay on the wood/metal path laid out to minimize human damage to the environment. You'll know you've reached the top when you see a fenced in building owned by the government. There's a path along the fence line that'll bring you to the final view. Once there, you'll finally be able to take break, sit down, breathe in the cold air and enjoy the amazing view from the clouds as they pass you by. Goodluck, stay safe and happy hiking!

Open to the public only a few days a year (when the military isn't having live ammo exercises), we…read morewere lucky to hike it on 4th of July. We came up Kunia Road and entered Schofield Barracks. You tell them you wanna hike Kole Kole trail. Then you pull over and get a permit. Your car must be fully legal and bring ID for everyone. They take your photo. Then we drove back into the base a while to the trail head. Nice parking and safe from thieves and vandals. The first 0.4 miles is extremely easy, like easier and shorter than Diamond Head. You get to a bench viewing area that is absolutely gorgeous. Unique views of West side. If you continue on to the left of the bench is a trail partially obscured by tall scratchy California grass. The trail is still easy for awhile, we took the left fork which is more gradual. Then you start ascending the side cliff which gets progressively more challenging, loose gravel, rock climbing but there are ropes to help you. Glad I brought spikes for the way down. Should have brought my gloves and worn long pants as I got lots of scratches on my legs from plants. We went to the top a little past where the junction is. You can see North Shore, West side, and all the way to Diamond Head. Approximately 2.5 miles total. Not too dangerous and mostly shaded until the ridge part. Sae many other side trails would love to explore.

We tried this trail this past Sunday as it was open to the public. Keep checking thier FB page for…read moredates and times the trail will be open. https://www.facebook.com/usaghawaii/ First thing, it had been raining that morning, so we knew there was a possibility we wouldn't be going up and down the notches. The thing about Kolekole trail is that if it had been raining, it dries up pretty quick. It's like the trail just absorbs all the rain. The hike up was fairly easy and clear however very gusty. We made our way up the summit only to feel the gusts even more. And that then was the end of the trail for us. Always practice safety first. There is always another day. The views were spectacular so it wasn't a total loss.

Common for cars to get broken into here. Be careful!! View…read morewas nice, but we were already cautious with all the broken glasses in the floor.... Wouldn't recommend this trail because our car got broken into...

Access restricted...but that didn't stop my friend and I . The hike is fairly hard and you'll…read moredefinitely break a sweat as it is very steep. Since access has been restricted, the trail is no longer maintained so plants are growing in the way and there are a lot of loose pebbles. Midway through the trail, you have to go across but there is no real place for footing so you're leaning on the wall scrambling across. That was probably the hardest and most scary part! Adrenaline rushing like crazy, woo. But the view is SO WORTH IT! It was a rewarding view for such a difficult hike. It'll take you twice as or even longer to get down. My friend and I had to sit and inch our way down because it was that steep! We had a laugh at the start of the trail which starts on the side of a highway because before there is a sign that says no trespassing. A cop car drove past and the cop inside the car waved as we were about to enter an access restricted trail to a car in Hawaii. Completely different from the NYC vibe!

This trail was absolutely beautiful in one of my favorite areas of Oahu. It had numerous shady…read moreareas which is a bonus. My favorite part was driving into Space Force Station and having amazing views while driving. You will have to obtain a pass through DLNR and show a valid ID at the gate as well as wait for an escort along the top of the mountain road. I had no issues with wait times. Keep hiking!

Hiked this trail for the first time, it is located past Makaha. You turn in at the Space force sign…read morestopping at the guard shack. Must have identification for all hikers, car registration, safety doc. for car and print out of day pass permit acquired from trails.ehawaii.gov. Carry copy with you and one on dash of car. Once cleared you will drive up hill to gate where you will be escorted by Military Security to another gate to trailhead. The trail starts through very tall thick grass opening up to pine needle covered trail. In this section the trail can be a little narrow with a cliff drop off on one side. There are many gorgeous ocean and Mountain View's throughout most of the hike. The trail comes out on a dirt roads that can be steep as you climb higher. The trail becomes a single track again with area of loose dirt, steep areas and narrow with drop offs. You come up on rock formations that are shaped by erosion. This is a great area for pictures. Do not take your dog, there are signs by a gate warning you there may be hunting dogs and do not leave trail because there are snares to catch feral goats and pigs. We enjoyed this beautiful interesting hike. I'd start early as this hike can be warm in some areas.

All pavement hike! Easy some parts and gets challenging with inclines. Great for biking! And a good…read morecardio workout mostly sunny, shaded at the beginning. Not too crowded!

Great enclosed trial for walking running and biking. The trail started flat and then, comes…read morechallenging hills. The trial is wide and well paved.

This is a beautiful and easy walk. I would not call this a hike, but I do recommend tennis shoes…read more There are 2 trails to choose from. We chose the one along the water. Something that children 3 and up could do. It's not stroller or wheelchair accessible, so everyone has to walk. The views are gorgeous! It's humid, so bring water and lather up in sunscreen before you go. There is NO shade, so just be aware. I took a sun hat, but due to the winds I did not end up being able to wear it. A baseball cap works just fine. It's about an hour from Waikiki, but well worth the drive.

This is probably one of my least favorite hikes on Oahu…read more If you're coming from the north shore side, you're basically "hiking" along a coastal trail path. There are cool tide pools and cliffs along the way, but it's just a flat walk. Then you get into the nature preserve and there are cool native flora and fauna which is awesome but not much else to see. If we're being honest, the pillbox isn't worth the 2.5 mile trek out and 2.5 mile trek back, unless you're there for sunset. There are far better hikes in the area if you want something more challenging. This would be a great family friendly hike though.

I love that this beach is accessible right as you're driving through the highway! How beautiful! My…read morefriends and I took a scenic drive to see the sunset and we ended pit stop here. We drove all the way from Wahiawa all the way to Makaha. It was about a 1 hour and 30 minute sunset drive to see all the beaches. I enjoyed every minute!

A Hawai'i beach.. it's great! ;)…read more Exploring the west side of the Island, I pulled off the side of the road to this beach. Plenty of beach with views. Some tree shaded parking, to boot. And about 30-40 off the road parking spots. This spot is seemingly popular with tourists and locals alike. Not crowded, but I did visit on a windy Sunday in November. One note: it was windy and I had to leave after an hour or so because the sand was whipping around and made it sadly not the best experience. Overall, a beach well worth the visit on the West side if you're looking for an approachable, easy beach.