What to Do in Hawaii: Hike the Kamanaiki Ridge Trail on Oahu

Imagine starting a hike by walking up a steep set of concrete stairs past a home where Buddhist monks live. Such is so with the Kamanaiki Ridge Trail in Hawaii on the island of Oahu.

I have hiked Kamanaiki many times, sometimes with the Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club and sometimes on my own. It is not the longest trail on Oahu nor is it the hardest (or easiest). Instead, it's what one might categorize as a "tweener." The challenge level of this hike is medium.

How To Get There

If you drive, assuming a launch point from downtown Honolulu, get onto H-1 eastbound via Punchbowl Street onramp. Proceed along H-1 for about two miles; then exit on Likelike Hwy (exit 20A). Proceed along Likelike for 1.5 miles and then take a soft right onto Nalanieha Street (right before a pedestrian overpass). Reach a stop light at Kalihi Street. Turn left there and then almost immediately turn right onto Manaiki Place. Note that parking is limited there so you may have to find parking on Kalihi Street.

If traveling by bus, board the #2 route (School Street) and exit at School and Likelike Hwy. Transfer onto route #7 (Kalihi Uka) and exit at the stop right before Manaiki Place and Nalanieha Street.

Trail Description

The trailhead is at the end of Manaiki Place, a steep residential street. As noted in the introduction, proceed up the concrete staircase. My experience says that the residents of the house you will pass are friendly. Respect their privacy and home by hiking by quietly upon arrival and departure from the trail. Here, we call this hiking with aloha.

Past the house, the trail continues steeply to the ridgeline via more concrete steps. Count how many there are. I've done this in the past but I can't recall now how many there are (my memory says there's a lot of them). The stairs end at a water tank.

Climb to the right of the water tank as the trail continues steeply.

You will reach an open section with an overlook into the small valley on the right. Plan on hearing the crows of numerous roosters from the houses below.

Scramble steeply over a rocky section then continue climbing.