I love this hike! I've done it twice in under 20 mins. Most people take a lot longer. I just like the challenge. Whether it takes you an hour to get up or whatever it's definitely worth doing one time. The views at the top are beautiful. Go early around 630 AM to beat the sun shining on the trail on your way up. Parking is free and there's plenty of it. It will seem like there's a lot of people but at the top there never seems to be that many. It's intense though. Almost straight up. Bring water. Take your time. It's a big accomplishment!

Definitely one of the most difficult, legal hikes on Oahu. It is a 1.4 mile out and back with approx a 900 ft elevation gain in .7 miles. A real ball buster for sure. Don't be fooled by the folks that do it more than once at a time, they live here and have been doing it for years. The climb up is worth it, so don't give up. Many will encourage you along the way too which is nice. The steepest climb is about halfways up to almost the summit.

Iconic hike in Hawaii. A lot of people wear sandals, some even go barefoot. I'd recommend hiking shoes just to be safe. It's definitely a workout, be sure to have water on hand. Worth the hike for the beautiful views at the top. 10/10 recommend at least once when you visit Hawaii, preferably in the morning before it gets too hot out.

It's definitely a difficult hike so be prepared. You walk and climb up an abandoned railway track all the way to the top. There's a section in between where the land under the tracks has eroded but you can still walk over the tracks or take a small bypass on the side. There's absolutely no shade so bring a hat and definitely bring enough water to last you. Once you get to the top, continue the hike to a small abandoned post for bird eye views. Personally we preferred the Diamond Head hike to this one since it felt better maintained and nicer views but this is still a good hike if you're looking to do something a bit different and more difficult.

This is straight up stair master. Very good steep step workout for your vacation. Bring water and snacks. Need good shoes and attire to make it to the top. It gets really hot in the afternoon. The whole hike took 1.15 mins. You could do it much faster. Catch a sunset, the view is soooo worth it.

What an amazing hike. Some of the best views of the island when you get to the top. If you don't make it to the top... there are still some great views of the front side of the island. If you do not like hikes or get vertigo, I would not recommend this hike.

Short but grueling hike. No shade, no flat areas to catch your breath. Just a 1000+ stair climb straight up the side of a crater to a breathtaking panorama view of the southeast corner of Oahu. We did it in the afternoon and it was amazing. But if you're a morning person, I'd highly recommend doing the climb early enough to catch the sunrise from the top!

The hike is about 1 hour and once you reach the summit the view is spectacular and overlooking waikiki beach

So tranquil. Walking down to the beach area is not easy and should be done with caution. You have to walk down rocks as there's no real path. The water can hit hard but is good for a quick dip and if you want great pics with decent sand it's worth the stop.

Definitely a challenging walk up, the higher you go the steeper it gets. Definitely recommend proper hydration the day before and while on the climb up.

Keep going, you can do it! A great climb up the trail. Bring water, enjoy ascending this trail and take in the views once you've conquered it. It will be worth it..... Believe me :) There are spots to rest along the way to give your legs and lungs a breather as you climb.

The Park opens 7am to 10pm everyday. It's a nice park with typical park bathrooms. Note: As you drive in, the bathrooms are before the parking area you'll use for the hike. Take lots of water! It takes us about 45 minutes to hike up to the top of Koko Head Trail. Can't tell you how many times we've seen people trying to hike without water... Big mistake! We always bring a snack too. Fig bars, nuts, granola etc... You won't be sorry! Figure 45 minutes up, 45 looking around at the top, and 45 back down. You should have additional water & snacks in your car waiting you when you're done! Plan at least 2.5 hours

Beautiful scenery. The water has many depths and colors to it. Sometimes you can see a priest's seal which is pretty cool. We first went there on a trolley and loved it so much we did a repeat tour with some friends.

The park has everything there you can think. From baseball field to basketball courts, tennis courts, restrooms, and playground. When you go further up, they have the stairs for the hike. That's what I did. It is a very physical hike. Bring plenty of water a walking stick if you can and a hat or long sleeve. It's extremely hot and not shaded at all. The best thing is that you can pace yourself and take breaks on the way up and walk around the area that doesn't have anything underneath it for a safer hike. I took about 6 breaks going up and none coming down it took plenty of pictures up top and ate lunch up there. The hike took me about an hour in half to finish up.I hope this helps you out and have a great day

Absolutely amazing views! straight up a railroad track my watch ⌚recorded 1024 ft of gain in less than a mile 😱. And halfway up there is an exposed Gap under the railroad ties that's elevated pretty high off the ground it is by passable to the right going up but pretty exciting if you look down as you're walking on the railroad ties. But you're rewarded with epic 360° views! Beautiful enough my friend proposed to his girlfriend at the top💖

What an impressive (even if short) hike up the stairs this is, with rewarding views! You gotta leave before sunrise. Bring lots of water. It is only about 1km to hike up, but more than 1000 steep stairs along the train tracks make it challenging to climb. As a pretty fit person it took me around 20 minutes to reach the top.

Gear hike. Not for beginners. It's an old railroad track, not real steps. Each step is about twice as big than your average step on a staircase and there are over a 1000. The incline is steep. The are no handhold or guidelines. There are no bathrooms. The views at the top are amazing. Therecare some old platforms you can sit on and watch the sunrise or sunset. Coming down is an adventure as it's very steep and again no guiderails.

This hike was SO worth the burning quads we had the next day! Grateful for bathrooms in the park before we parked the car as well as ample parking. There were some men there building stairs along the side of the trail where there's a bridge so you can safely pass the rail bridge on a dirt trail to the right finished by some *new* wood stairs leading back to the rail ties. Everyone on the trail was so nice, encouraging, and accommodating - moving over or pausing for others to pass by. HIGHLY recommend this trail! The views from the top were breathtaking. Make sure you go ALL the way to the top (follow the dirt/rock trail after you reach the summit of the rail ties).

Awesome! Absolutely worth to go. It's a heavy cardio training so NOT for kiddos. Teenagers can do if in really good shape. Stunning views from the top. Free parking. Easy to find a spot cause it's a park.

Challenging rewarding hike. It’s all stairs so bring water and pace yourself. The view is worth it from the top. There’s one section that’s a gap with nothing underneath it but there a detour you can take if your scared. Took us about 1.5 hours total including about 30 minutes resting at the top. Comping town is esqueleto as tiring because it’s very steep and our legs were shaking.

Great leg workout. I would not recommend it for anyone with limited mobility or who would be at risk of easily slipping. Read as: don't bring your 60 year old parents. Fantastic views of the top. If you look east, you also see a couple of the other islands in the distance.

Best place to do sunrise hike whuch is 1000ft above the sea level and and now they are rebuilding the log all the way to top so it is more stady and better than before.

Super fun and amazing history to explore! Absolutely loved the climb and the hike down the crater!

Great hike. Steep, but take your time and bring water.

This was not on my vacation itinerary but we drove past it and after I saw it I had to do it. I woke up early and went by myself around 6:30am. It took me a good 45 minutes with plenty of water breaks to get to the top. Overcoming the mental and physical challenge to get to the top was one of the most rewarding and satisfying feelings for me. The view at the top is amazing. Go early because the sun rises behind the crater, if early enough you can hike up in the shade.

This was a pretty intense hike but the views at the top are priceless. I would recommend going early in the morning because you will sweat on this one. Also bring a good amount of water and good hiking shoes.

An absolutely punishing hike with some sketchy areas - but the amazing views are definitely worth it. It got extremely busy later in the morning, so get here as early as possible to avoid getting stuck behind large crowds. Very doable if you take it slow and mentally prepare yourself! Watch your knees on the way down!

If you’re not used to doing 1000+ steps on a stair master, this WILL kick your behind. Wear something you don’t mind getting dirty, and bring lots of water. Pace yourself and take as many breaks as needed- it can get steeper in the higher parts so beware of that! It is also a good idea to go in the morning so the sun is a little more forgiving.