Running trails in Honolulu, HI
Honolulu has 26 trails in the directory — 3 paved and 15 on crushed gravel or dirt, 9 loops that return to the trailhead, 5 with a stated distance, 8 shaded, and 9 open 24 hours. 21 of them post opening hours, so you can check the gate before an early start. They're ranked here by rating weighted by review volume, across 50,670 Google reviews. Filter by surface, loop, distance, shade or lighting to get to the run you're actually planning — no made-up difficulty score, just the facts you'd check before driving out.
Diamond Head Crater Trailhead
4.7 ★★★★★ 8,227 reviews
Extinct volcano is a popular hiking destination with a rugged trail leading to panoramic views.
Koko Head District Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 8,062 reviews
Sprawling collection of sports fields, gardens, picnic areas & stairs climbing a volcanic crater.
Ala Moana Regional Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 7,163 reviews
This 100-acre park with a man-made beach offers usually calm surf, plus tennis courts & a pavilion.
Kapiʻolani Regional Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 5,478 reviews
A public, oceanfront park with volcano views, a beach, volleyball, picnicking & canoeing.
Mānoa Falls Trail
4.7 ★★★★★ 5,336 reviews
This picturesque rainforest trail leading to Mānoa Falls has appeared in several movies.
Tantalus Lookout - Puu Ualakaa State Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 3,521 reviews
Scenic lookout featuring striking views of the Diamond Head volcano cone & the Waikiki skyline.
Koko Crater Railway Trailhead
4.9 ★★★★★ 2,262 reviews
Steep hike up an abandoned railroad track on Koko Crater, with dramatic ocean & city views.
Honolulu Watershed Forest Reserve
4.7 ★★★★★ 2,239 reviews
Tropical rainforest featuring hiking trails & access to the famous Manoa Falls waterfall.
Sans Souci State Recreational Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,943 reviews
Popular stretch of sandy beach with a waterfront walking path & palm-lined lawn for picnicking.
Round Top Forest Reserve
4.8 ★★★★★ 1,173 reviews
Scenic mountaintop offering panoramic views of Diamond Head, the coast and the city.
Koko Crater Stairs (Summit)
4.9 ★★★★★ 896 reviews
Steep but popular track of 1000+ steps up an old railway line to scenic summit vistas.
Ala Wai Community Park
4.2 ★★★★☆ 707 reviews
Green space along the Ala Wai canal boasting a jogging path, basketball court & field for sports.
Wiliwilinui Ridge Trail
4.8 ★★★★★ 606 reviews
Steep reserve trail along a ridge through koa and guava forest & lush native vegetation.
Kuli‘ou‘ou Ridge Trailhead
4.8 ★★★★★ 585 reviews
Hiking trail following a ridge through guava & koa forest leading to a panoramic view at the summit.
Waʻahila Ridge State Recreation Area
4.7 ★★★★★ 444 reviews
Forested park along a ridge featuring hiking trails, picnic tables & scenic views of nearby valleys.
Kaʻau Crater Trail
4.7 ★★★★★ 442 reviews
Steep jungle trail circling around a crater & past 3 waterfalls, with views of Honolulu & the ocean.
Puʻu ʻUalakaʻa State Wayside
4.8 ★★★★★ 316 reviews
A 1,048-ft. hill with impressive views, picnic tables & restrooms, just a short hike from the road.
ʻAihualama Trail
4.7 ★★★★★ 248 reviews
This short waterfall trail connects to the Pauoa Flats Trail & the Manoa Falls Trail.
Kaʻiwi Shoreline Trail
4.6 ★★★★★ 191 reviews
Hiking trail along the Kaiwi coastline offering scenic views and access to tide pools.
Waʻahila Ridge Trail
4.7 ★★★★★ 180 reviews
Relaxing park featuring kid-friendly hikes, picnic tables and panoramic views, plus a large pine forest.
Makiki Arboretum Trail
4.6 ★★★★★ 156 reviews
Hiking area known for its varied trails and wildlife, including a waterfall.
Makiki Valley Trail
4.5 ★★★★★ 139 reviews
Hiking area featuring tropical vegetation, mosquitoes, and scenic views.
Mauʻumae Ridge Trail (Puʻu Lanipō)
4.7 ★★★★★ 129 reviews
Challenging trail that goes up and down along a ridge, rewarding hikers with valley and mountain views.
Kalawahine Trail
4.7 ★★★★★ 119 reviews
Hiking area in a jungle setting with scenic views, good for kids.
Trailhead for Kolowalu and Puʻu Pia Trails
4.6 ★★★★★ 85 reviews
Serene, hilly trail with uneven paths through tropical terrain with abundant birdlife & views.
No trails match those filters.
How to pick a trail in Honolulu
- Match the surface to your legs. Honolulu gives you a choice: 13 natural surface, 5 mixed, 3 paved, and 2 crushed gravel. Asphalt and concrete are fast, predictable and runnable year-round but the least forgiving; crushed limestone and dirt take the sting out of high mileage; boardwalk is flat and scenic but slick in the wet. If your shins or knees are complaining, the fix that actually works is varying the surface you run on rather than chasing one "best" one. More natural surface trails →
- Loop or out-and-back? 9 trails here are loops, so you finish back at the car with no backtracking — the easiest way to run a set distance without thinking about it. On an out-and-back you turn round at half your target distance, which makes any trail fit any run. The longest stated distance in Honolulu is Makiki Valley Trail at 2 mi.
- Check the hours before a 6am run. 9 trails in Honolulu are open 24 hours — the rest can sit inside a park that gates at dusk and doesn't unlock until well after sunrise. 21 of the 26 listings carry posted opening hours — worth a look before you set an alarm. 4 are lit, which is what you want for winter evenings.
- Long run? Check water and restrooms first. 24 have trailhead parking, 15 have restrooms, and 2 have a water fountain in Honolulu. Anything over an hour and those stop being nice-to-haves — and in summer, shade counts double.
- The small things that decide it. 8 shaded, 2 with mile markers, 4 that runners describe as quiet, 5 dog-friendly, and 5 smooth and wide enough for a stroller or a wheelchair. Busy or quiet isn't a good-or-bad thing here: a busy path is the safer choice for a solo run at dawn, a quiet one is better for intervals.
More on all of this in the trail-running guides.
Browse Honolulu trails by type
- Natural surface trails
- Mixed trails
- Paved trails
- Crushed gravel trails
- Loop trails
- Shaded trails
- Lit for early & night runs
- Flat & fast
- Hilly trails
- Scenic trails
- Trails with restrooms
- Trails with water fountains
- Trailhead parking
- Trails with mile markers
- Quiet, uncrowded trails
- Dog-friendly
- Stroller & wheelchair-accessible
Running trails near Honolulu
Worth the short drive — the closest towns with trails in the directory.