It’s almost a mile long. It’s strenuous. And it unveils some of the best views of Honolulu, Oahu. In other words, there is a lot to love and loathe about the Koko Crater Stairs hike.
Last updated: March 7, 2025
Koko Crater Stairs Trail
- Distance: 1.6-mile, round-trip trail
- Elevation gain: 920 – 930 feet
- Difficulty: Challenging
- Time: 1.5 – 2 hours (it can be longer for occasional hikers)
Why to Hike the Koko Crater Stairs?
Memorable and beautiful as it can get, the Koko Crater Stairs are considered a hidden gem on Oahu. Or at least the hike gravitates toward the lower end of the popularity spectrum. The reasons behind it are almost as many as the wooden steps on the Koko Crater railroad trail.
We’ll get to them one by one at a later stage. As for now, let’s try to locate the Koko Crater Stairs trailhead. An endeavor that can be even harder than the hike itself.
How to Get to the Koko Crater Stairs?
We circled along Kalanianaole Highway between Hanauma Bay and the Halona Blowhole Lookout a few times. Google map was taking us to a point where a dirt road veered to the right off the highway and led to a shooting range.
The unpaved road continued farther up. Doubting that it would lead us to the Koko Crater Stairs, we returned, drove back to the Hanauma Bay entrance, and asked a park’s employee about the correct direction.
When we entered “Koko Crater Stairs” into the Google search bar, the app assumed that we were looking for the Koko Crater Stairs (Summit) and directed us accordingly. We followed the map’s directions blindly until we nearly gave up on the hike altogether.
After much clearer instructions from one local, then another a few minutes later (we refused to trust Google at this point), we finally made it to the Koko Head District Park parking lot. It wasn’t an early morning any longer, but as a repayment for all that time lost, the park granted us an empty parking spot right away.
Hiking the Koko Crater Stairs
From the parking lot, follow a short path (about 300 feet) until you reach the bottom of the old railroad tracks. At 0.8-mile, one way, the Koko Crater Stairs Trail was one of the shortest and hardest hikes we did on Oahu.
The trail is exactly what you may picture, a long staircase that runs up a mountainside until it reaches a pillbox, or what is left of a military bunker built during World War II. The trail is straightforward. There are zero chances to get lost or hike in the wrong direction.
The downside, the always uphill running Koko Crater Trail is strenuous. Locals use it to prepare for marathons. The hike feels easy at the beginning. But before you know it, the elevation increases and you feel it in every part of your legs.
On the bright side, the higher you climb, the better the views get. At the top of the Koko Crater Stairs, you get a bird’s-eye view of the immense Pacific that changes its colors from dark blue to emerald, turquoise waters of Hanauma Bay, densely-inhabited hills of Aina Haina, and Diamond Head, a volcanic tuff cone with sweeping vistas of Honolulu to its left. Peer a little bit farther into the ocean, and you’ll discern green tops of Molokai, Lana’i, and, on a clear day, western peaks of Maui.
A View Like a Painting… or Map
A spacious observation deck is built at the top to the main Koko Head staircase. Another, smaller overlook is perched a little higher up, followed by a short flight of stairs.
Looking down at the shoreline of the South Coast of Oahu from the top of the Koko Head Stairs felt like peering at a gigantic map. You are at the center. A profusion of thin lines aka highways run in both directions. Thinner strings sprout from the main routes at certain intervals just to hide under the dense canopy of trees or amid stately mountains shortly after.
Places to Visit near the Koko Head Stairs Trail
Diamond Head
The Koko Head Summit reveals some of the iconic places of Oahu. Straight ahead, facing the crater, sits another extinct volcano, Diamond Head. The ancient volcanic crater is one of the most popular hiking places on Oahu. Compared to it, the Koko Head Stairs feels secluded and, to a certain extent, almost overlooked.
Yet it doesn’t mean that the Koko Crater Stairs Trail doesn’t get busy. It’s far from the truth, especially as the day gets closer to an end, the sun finally has mercy on the shadeless mountainside, and the sky is ready to put on a colorful display.
TIP: Hit the Koko Head Stairs Trail or the Diamond Head Crater Trail early in the morning to increase your chances of more serene experiences. On top of that, reservations are required for parking and entry at Diamond Head State Monument for non-residents. Residents should also obtain reservations during the peak season.
Hanauma Bay
Hanauma Bay State Park, a superior snorkeling destination of the South Shore of Oahu, is also on display from the top of the Koko Crater Stairs. The sandy cove with tortoise waters looks so close. And indeed, it’s only 2.5 miles away via Anapalau Street, Lunalilo Home Road, and Kalanianaole Highway (Hwy 72).
TIP: Similar to Diamond Head, Hanauma Bay State Park requires a prior reservation. You can book your time slot online up to two days in advance.
Koko Crater Botanical Garden
To the south of the Koko Crater Stairs, are scattered a number of oceanfront sites and the Koko Crater Botanical Garden. The garden emerged inside the erupted volcano’s caldera and became home to an expansive collection of tropical plants.
Let me spell the bean here. Sitting off the tourist radar, the Koko Crater Botanical Garden is not nearly as crowded as its sibling on the outside of the volcano, the Koko Crater Stairs.
The Best Time to Hike the Koko Crater Stairs
The Koko Head Stairs offers breathtaking views and incredible training grounds all day long, all year round. Sunrise and sunset add a special lure to the area. Early mornings are the best time to hike the Koko Crater Stairs if you prefer some privacy on the trail. Golden hours and sunsets normally gather more hikers than any other time of the day.
TIP: If you can, skip the mid-day hours when the shade-free trail is exposed to the sun. Otherwise, bring along a lot of water and prepare for a longer hike with plenty of breaks to catch your breath.
