Home to the state capital, Honolulu, Oahu is by far the most popular Hawaiian island. There are over 9 million visitors each year!! Many tourists go to Oahu for the world-class beaches, resorts, to golf, or pay their respects at the site of Pearl Harbor. But for the more adventurous travelers, Oahu has no shortage of hikes and places to explore. There is a reason why so many movies and TV shows are shot here. The landscape is truly amazing and endless. From the lush green mountains to the crystal-clear Hawaiian ocean, Oahu is a dream location for all adventure seekers. We wish we could have explored the entire island, but unfortunately, that would probably take years. Instead, we spent a week seeing as much as we could and have put together a list of our 4 favorite hikes

Makara Falls Trail
This was our favorite hike in Oahu. It is located in the town of Kaawa and is a short drive from the popular surfing spots on the North Shore. We learned about this trail from our local kayak guide the day before. This is a great trail for the casual hiker looking for something a little more adventurous. Although the hike is only a short 1.1 miles round trip, it takes you down a narrow stream and involves a few tricky climbs. The first two take you up a 20-30 foot two-tiered waterfall. There are a few ropes there from previous hikers to help you make the climb up. Though the rock can get a little slippery, with the help of the rope it isn’t too hard to get up. You may get a little wet though! Once you get up the small waterfalls, you’re nearly there. The last difficult part involves navigating on the steep bank of the stream. Because it gets so muddy, you need to be very careful to avoid slipping down the side. We took our time with this part, walked a little bit farther, and finally heard the sound of the waterfall. The stream eventually opens to a large rocky area with a large waterfall at the end, known as Makaua Falls.

Kuliouou Ridge Trail
This is a close second on our list of favorite hikes. At over 5 miles round trip, this was our longest hike of the week. The difficult climb to the top was well worth it. The hike is fairly simple. The first 2 miles take you through the forest on a nicely kept path. The last half mile is when it gets tough. It starts with an extremely steep climb, that would be near impossible if it wasn’t for the network of roots hikers can use to climb up like stairs. After making it up the roots, you’ll arrive at the bottom of a steep set of man-made stairs. The stairs start just above the tree line, so this part must be done in direct sunlight. Although the stairs are extremely difficult to climb up, you’ll forget about the struggle as soon as you make it to the top. It is beautiful up there! You can see almost the entire eastern side of Oahu. It is truly amazing to see the island from way up there, especially the beaches. The view inspired us to have our first beach day of the week. We decided to pick the one that looked the best from the top of the mountain. We ended up choosing Lanikai Beach, the second most popular beach on Oahu.

Manoa Falls
The second waterfall hike we did during our week in Oahu. This is a much more touristy hike than the Makaua hike. The Manoa Falls Trail has been a filming location for the tv shows Lost and Hawaii 5.0, as well as a spot for the movies, Jurassic Park, and Hunger Games. Once you do this hike, you’ll realize why this is such a popular spot. At only 2.2 miles round trip, it can be done by just about anyone. The trail path is nicely kept, and not very steep. We walked at a casual pace and made it up in less than 30 minutes. The trail takes you through a lush green tropical forest. Throughout the hike, you will listen to the sound of birds chirping and water flowing. It creates a very peaceful environment. There is even a portion of the trail that takes you through a bamboo forest. At the end of the hike, you’ll find Manoa falls. It’s not as tall as Makaua Falls, but it’s still a great sight and a rewarding finish for the hike.

Ehukai Pillbox
The final hike on our list took us up a steep mile-long path to a WW2 pillbox. We aren’t sure exactly how many are on the island, but we know there are at least three. These small, enclosed cement military bunkers were built during the war to be used as elevated viewpoints to spot incoming ships and fighter jets. Although there is a great view from the top, this is not the most popular pillbox hike on Oahu, but we decided to go with this one so we could fly our drone. Ehukai Pillbox is located on the North Shore of Hawaii. The trailhead starts across the street from Sunset Beach, a popular spot for surfers. The hike is a straightforward trek, steep at some points, but overall, it was an easy hike. After a 1-mile climb, you’ll arrive at the location of the pillbox. From the top, you’ll get a great view of the North Shore beaches. The best part about this hike… it’s only a mile down and you can reward yourself by relaxing on the beach once you’re finished.