Koko Crater Tramway Hiking Guide
The Koko Crater Tramway is a staircase with no landings: a line of old railway ties running straight up the side of Kohelepelepe above Hawaiʻi Kai. It is a city-run trail in Koko Head District Park, free to climb, and a daily workout for a lot of east Honolulu. What it lacks in distance it makes up in grade, sun and the walk back down.
A Military Rail Line Turned Workout
During World War II the military built a radar station on the crater rim and a tram line to haul people and supplies up to it. The installation was decommissioned and handed to the City and County of Honolulu in 1966, and the track became a hiking route. Volunteers with the Kokonut Koalition maintain the ties today. The city describes it as an over 1,000-step tramway; AllTrails maps the round trip at 1.7 miles with about 1,070 feet of gain.
How the Climb Goes
The ties start at a manageable angle and steepen as you go, so pace the lower half. Partway up, the track crosses an old trestle, where the city has posted warning signs; take it slowly in both directions. The final pitch is the steepest. At the top, a viewing structure the city installed in 2023 replaced the rusted military platform. Coming down is harder on the knees than going up; face the slope on the steepest ties if that feels steadier.
Stay Out of the Bunkers
The summit is honeycombed with old tunnels, vents and shafts. The city sealed many of them in 2021, but on July 5, 2025 an eight-year-old fell an estimated 20 to 40 feet through a bunker opening and was critically injured. The tramway closed briefly and reopened on July 10, 2025 with barriers and caution tape around the remaining access points. The rule from Parks and Recreation is simple: stay on the tramway and the platform, and keep out of every tunnel.
Heat, Timing and Rain
Koko Crater sits on the dry leeward corner of the island, and the National Weather Service notes that Hawaiʻi's warmest months are August and September. There is no shade from bottom to top, so go at first light or late afternoon and carry more water than seems reasonable. The heaviest rain falls between October and April; wet ties get slick, and the dirt alongside them turns to mud, so a dry morning is worth waiting for.
Parking and Dogs
Hikers park in the Koko Head District Park lot, and there is no fee or reservation that we could find on any city page. Dogs are a different story: city park rules only allow leashed dogs in parks the department has designated, and Koko Head District Park is not on the city's 2026 list of on-leash parks. Leave pets at home.
Hiking tips for Koko Crater Tramway
- Start at sunrise; the tramway has no shade at any point.
- Pace the lower ties; the grade keeps getting steeper toward the rim.
- Do not climb into tunnels or shafts at the summit, however inviting.
- Skip it right after heavy rain, when the ties and the dirt beside them are slick.
- Leave dogs at home; Koko Head District Park is not a designated on-leash park.
Nearby trails to explore
- Makapuʻu Point Lighthouse Trail
- Kuliʻouʻou Ridge Trail
- Diamond Head (Lēʻahi) Summit Trail
Hike this trail with TrailMates
The tramway goes faster with someone counting ties beside you. Use TrailMates to find Honolulu hikers heading to Koko Crater. Download the TrailMates app to connect.