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Kaʻau Crater Trail
4.7 ★★★★★ 442 Google reviews · Running trail in Honolulu, Hawaii · Open 24 hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Natural surface
- Loop distance
- 1 mi
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Open 24 hours
Confirmed from Kaʻau Crater Trail's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Steep jungle trail circling around a crater & past 3 waterfalls, with views of Honolulu & the ocean.
What runners say about Kaʻau Crater Trail
“Three beautiful waterfalls plus you literally climb up the third one using ropes all long the edges.”
“The trail is clearly marked and at no point did I ever feel lost.”
One of the best hikes, if you're up for a challenge. First, get there early or parking will be an issue. There are only a couple slots on the side of the road near a trailhead and it's a residential area, so you may have to walk up a large hill if you can't find parking.
Overall I would say this is a difficult hike and very muddy but if you take your time and have experience it should be enjoyable. It took us around 4 hours all around and we got to the peak of the crater. You can go to the first waterfall and go back down if you want (there are 3 in total).
Google maps leads you directly to the trailhead. There are probably 6 parking spots available. I only saw 4 other people on the trail on a Saturday, so parking wasn’t an issue.
It’s a cool hike, probably in my top 5 for long hikes on Oahu, after Mau’umae Ridge right next to it, Moanalua Ridge, and Mount Ka’ala. good views south to Diamond Head, and glimpses north to Kaneohe and Kailua, but the views didn’t match the other hikes I mentioned.
Trail conditions & character
“The trail roughly consists of three waterfalls, the large crater, and you end up on the spine of the mountain looking onto both sides of the island.”
“There are only a couple slots on the side of the road near a trailhead and it's a residential area, so you may have to walk up a large hill if you can't find parking.”
“Overall I would say this is a difficult hike and very muddy but if you take your time and have experience it should be enjoyable.”
“Parking is very limited at the TH, so i ended up down the road a bit.”
“Really is a ‘hard’ level trail, requires some route finding, cautious footing, upper and lower body strength, mental fortitude.”
“As others say, you follow the pipe up and that means you’re going counterclockwise after the first half-mile or so, before you get on the loop.”
“I believe you not wheelchair chair accessible.”
Plan your run at Kaʻau Crater Trail
The practical stuff
- AccessOpen 24 hours — no gate to beat, so a 5am or a 10pm run both work
- SurfaceNatural surface — easiest on the joints and the most fun, but expect roots, rocks and mud after rain
- Loop distance1 mi back to where you parked
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
- Stroller / wheelchairReported as smooth and step-free enough for a running stroller or a chair.
- Websitenoahlangphotography.com
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | Open 24 hours |
| Tuesday | Open 24 hours |
| Wednesday | Open 24 hours |
| Thursday | Open 24 hours |
| Friday | Open 24 hours |
| Saturday | Open 24 hours |
| Sunday | Open 24 hours |
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