Wiliwilinui Ridge Trail Hiking Guide
Wiliwilinui Ridge is reached through a gated subdivision, which keeps the crowds down, and rewards a long climb with a Koʻolau summit view over both sides of the island. The first half is a dirt road; the second is a steep ridge trail of plastic steps and rutted clay. Getting in means checking in with a security guard, so start early.
Permit: No fee, but you must check in with the security guard on Laukahi Street in the Waiʻalae Iki subdivision before driving to the trailhead parking. Hikers report the guard records your plate and hands out a limited number of free day passes, returned on the way out.
Getting Through the Gate
From Kalanianaʻole Highway, turn mauka on Laukahi Street and stop at the security guard station. Nā Ala Hele's directions say to check in there, continue to the end of Laukahi, turn left on Okoʻa Street and park in the hiker area before the cable gate. Hikers report the guard issues a limited number of free laminated parking passes each day and records your plate, so a weekend start well after sunrise can mean being turned away. The state credits the Wiliwilinui Community Association for allowing access and asks hikers to stay on the designated route.
Road First, Then the Ridge
Nā Ala Hele lists the access road and ridge trail at 2.3 miles and 1,275 feet, but that does not cover the whole walk from the car; AllTrails maps the full out-and-back at 4.9 miles with about 1,470 feet of gain. A paved lane leads past a water tank onto a dirt road that climbs the ridge under a power line for about 1.5 miles to a turnaround with a bench, bike rack and boot-cleaning station. The trail proper starts on the left and climbs steeply on plastic steps to the summit knob.
Footing in Wet Weather
The upper trail alternates plastic stairs with deeply rutted clay, and the state flags dangerous footing and cliffs near the top. Rain on the Koʻolau crest turns those ruts into slides, and winter storms between October and April bring the worst of it. The summit is a small knob above the windward drop; stay on top of it rather than wandering along the crest. If the summit is socked in, the views from the road section are still worth the walk.
A Ridge With History
Hikers and foresters used this ridge as the Waiʻalae Trail in the early 1920s. Territorial Forestry workers planted the Cook pines along it in February 1927, and the Civilian Conservation Corps cut a road partway up in 1941. In 1942 the Army built Battery Lewis S. Kirkpatrick nearby with twin 8-inch guns taken from the carriers Lexington and Saratoga. Hawaiian Electric built the present road in the late 1940s, and in 1995 trail advocates and Nā Ala Hele negotiated legal access through the subdivision.
Dogs, Bikes and Hunters
Dogs must stay on a leash, though you may meet loose hunting dogs working the slopes. Mountain bikes may use the dirt road but must stop at the turnaround. The state lists the area as sensitive native habitat, so brush weed seeds off your boots at the station and stay on the trail. There is no fee.
Hiking tips for Wiliwilinui Ridge Trail
- Arrive early on weekends so you get a guard pass before they run out.
- Drive straight to the trailhead the way the guard directs; don't wander the subdivision.
- Save energy for the last mile of steep steps above the road.
- Turn back from the summit if the ruts are running with water.
- Return your pass to the guard on the way out.
Nearby trails to explore
- Kuliʻouʻou Ridge Trail
- Koko Crater Tramway
- Diamond Head (Lēʻahi) Summit Trail
Hike this trail with TrailMates
A carpool means one pass and one parking spot at Wiliwilinui. Use TrailMates to find Honolulu hikers heading up Wiliwilinui Ridge. Download the TrailMates app to connect.