Diamond Head (Lēʻahi) Summit Trail Hiking Guide
Lēʻahi is the crater everyone sees from Waikīkī, and the summit trail is one of the most heavily visited destinations in the state. It is short, switchbacking and crowded, built in 1908 as part of Oʻahu's coastal defenses, and it ends among concrete bunkers with the whole south shore laid out below. Visitors from out of state cannot just show up: entry and parking are booked online in timed slots.
Permit: Non-residents must book online at gostateparks.hawaii.gov/diamondhead (up to 30 days ahead) and pay $5 per person to enter (credit card only; ages 3 and under free) plus $10 per vehicle to park in the crater. Hawaiʻi residents with a state ID or driver's license enter and park free without a reservation; their out-of-state guests still need tickets.
Short, Steep and Paved at First
State Parks puts the hike at 0.8 mile each way, 1.6 miles round trip, climbing 560 feet from the parking lot on the crater floor. AllTrails maps it a little shorter, 1.5 miles with about 465 feet of gain. The first 0.2 mile is a concrete walkway; after that the surface is natural tuff on tight switchbacks up the inside of the crater wall. Near the top come steep staircases and a lighted 225-foot tunnel, and the last tenth of a mile is all stairs.
Reservations and What They Cost
Anyone without a Hawaiʻi ID needs a reservation bought in advance at gostateparks.hawaii.gov/diamondhead; walk-up visitors without one are turned away. Entry is $5 per person, paid by credit card, and children 3 and under are free. Parking inside the crater adds $10 per vehicle. Slots open 30 days ahead and the popular morning times sell out. Arrive within the first 30 minutes of your window, and if you parked, drive out by the end of it. Refunds are allowed up to three days before your date, but not for rain.
Hours and the Locked Gates
The monument is open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily and closed on Christmas and New Year's Day. The last reservation is 4 p.m., with entry allowed until 4:30. By 6 p.m. everyone must be back out through the access tunnel to the outside of the crater; after that the Department of Defense secures the park and anyone left inside is trespassing. State Parks suggests allowing 1.5 to 2 hours, while its reservation FAQ says most people finish in 60 to 90 minutes.
Bunkers, Batteries and a Lighthouse
The crater itself formed about 300,000 years ago in a single explosive eruption whose ash cemented into the tuff you walk on. The trail came much later, in 1908, and the Fire Control Station at the summit was finished in 1911 to direct artillery from batteries in Waikīkī and at Fort Ruger. From the top you look down on the 1917 navigational lighthouse and along the coast from Koko Head to Waiʻanae. In winter, watch the water for humpback whales.
Sun, Crowds and the No-Pets Rule
The slopes inside Lēʻahi are hot and dry with little shade, and State Parks asks hikers to bring water, a hat and sunscreen and to wear real walking shoes. More than 3,000 people a day come through, so expect to share the stairs. No pets are allowed anywhere in the monument except service animals, and bikes are banned on the trail. When tropical storms closed state parks in 2026, booked visitors were refunded automatically, minus service charges.
Hiking tips for Diamond Head (Lēʻahi) Summit Trail
- Book the earliest slot you can; mornings are cooler and sell out first.
- Carry a credit card; the park's entry fee is card only.
- Bring water from home or fill up below; the summit has no shade.
- If you park in the crater, plan to leave before your parking window ends.
- Leave the dog at your lodging; pets are not allowed past the gate.
Nearby trails to explore
- Koko Crater Tramway
- Makapuʻu Point Lighthouse Trail
- Mānoa Falls Trail
Hike this trail with TrailMates
Diamond Head is more fun with someone to split the parking fee and the stairs. Use TrailMates to find Honolulu hikers booking a Lēʻahi slot. Download the TrailMates app to connect.