Epic Travel → North America → Hawaii → Oahu → Moanalua Valley to Haiku Stairs

♦ Intrepid Top Pick!

Location: Southeast Oahu, Hawaii

Distance: 10 miles roundtrip to the top of the Haiku stairs

Elevation Gain: 2500 feet

Time Required: 6 – 8 hours

Red Tape/Notes: Directions to the trailhead and a detailed description of the route can be found in the guidebook Oahu Revealed by Andrew Doughty (a wonderful guidebook in general); we echo their sentiments regarding starting early to increase your chances of clear skies at the top.

What’s Nearby?: Kaneohe Bay Sunken Island, Chinaman’s Hat, Olomana Ridge, Hanauma Bay

We can’t say enough good things about this hike. It’s relatively un-crowded (both times we’ve been out this way we’ve only seen a handful of people doing the hike, over the entire 10 mile distance), finding the start of the ridge section is something of a scavenger hunt, and the hike is absolutely beautiful. The hike starts out in the Moanalua Valley, which is lush and rainforest-y, and has some interesting ruins from early settlers there. You’ll then cross over a series of neat bridges, make a bunch of dry stream crossings, and start ascending the steep ridgeline which has some neat groves of trees to hike through and picturesque gnarled roots. As you climb higher on the ridgeline, the vegetation will change to grass and low shrubs, and you’ll find ropes placed at some of the steeper climbs. These are really only necessary if its been raining, leading to slick and muddy conditions, but they’re nice all the same. Nearing the summit, you’ll the see the radio tower (a top secret installation built during World War II to transmit radio signals to Navy ships in the Pacific) that marks the culmination of the Haiku Stairs (which were built to access the tower), and you continue hiking up over the summit, then head left to reach it, where you’ll have a nice view of the top of the stairs. I won’t recommend going on the stairs, since this would be trespassing.

However, nearby there’s what we call “Better Than the Haiku Stairs” – there’s no indication that these are off-limits, although that may only be because not enough people find them. I’m not going to tell you exactly where they are, but I think you’ll see them if you look. We think they’re better than the Haiku Stairs because they’re harder to get to and a much better kept secret, as is apparent from the overgrown and rather decrepit state of the stairs, which makes them so much more picturesque. Adding this to your trip probably adds another mile, although it will probably take longer than a typical mile due to the state of the “trail”.

Epic Travel → North America → Hawaii → Oahu → Moanalua Valley to Haiku Stairs