Koko Crater Railway Trail

Wow! Now this was an experience! This is not for the novice hiker! What I mean is, it is pretty much a steep uphill hike the whole way. I would not recommend kids under 12 for this one. The hike starts off gradually, but then it gets super hard!
The stairs are actually railroad ties. It is not evenly spaced and definitely not level. There is also a portion that is suspended above the ground (for you folks who are afraid of heights)! The good news is there is a trail on the side that goes around the suspended part.
Some portions are narrow, so if you need to take a break from the climb, you will definitely have to stand on the side to allow others to pass!
Once you reach the top, the hard work definitely pays off! The views are breathtaking! You can stand on top of some old structures to get amazing panoramic photos of the island! See my pics!!!
If you can handle it… try it out!

WARNING: Koko Crater is NOT for people out of shape. This climb is going to get you winded & you will work up a nice sweat. The climb itself can take from 45min to 1hr if you only take a few stops for catching your breath & drinking water. I would not recommend this climb for anyone afraid of heights, & I would not do this climb if the weather looks like it might rain.
Warning’s aside, this climb was pretty cool. It’s an old mine cart trail that heads straight up the side of the mountain. There are over a thousand steps & some portions are in better shape than others. A few rocks have been put in place to aide in stepping where the wood has been damaged.
Pack light, bring water, hat, sunglasses, & a camera because you’ll want to capture these views forever.
There are no trash cans so be ready to carry your garbage with you. The toughest part of the climb is towards the top, but don’t give up! Once you get to the end of the steps there is about another 5 minutes of climbing through a trail to get to the overlook spots. If you are climbing up for Sunset, be prepared with some sort of light for your descent as the trail is not lit at all. Cell phone flashlights will do the trick but make sure you have enough battery. The climb down was much easier, at least for me. Just watch your step as one slip can equal a very long & unforgiving fall.

Still coming down from the high of completing this hike.
I don’t really want to repeat what everyone else has already said, but the view from the top is just spectacular.
Yes, it’s steep at some points (OMG that bridge???) and some of the steps are really high so if you’re short like me, you’ll end up having to work that much harder, but the feeling of accomplishment and the sights make it all worth it.
One of the great things about this hike were the people encouraging others as we made our way up the steps. It made the strenuous journey a lot more pleasant.
I’m glad to have done it, and I wouldn’t mind doing it again… just not for a long while.
As a reminder, whether you’re going up or down the steps, you should be courteous to the other hikers. All of us want to have an enjoyable time.

A little intimidating if you read the reviews…
Just go for it! So worth the gorgeous view!
Walking up (and stopping to take photos of the person who I came with who jogged up) took me 29 minutes. There were some very steep stairs in certain areas. She made it to the top in 16 minutes. Wasn’t all that bad. IMO, going up is a lot easier than going down.
Drive to the lot and commit, you’ll be glad you did. Being water!

I’m gonna say something crazy.
This hike gets easier every time you climb it.
Yeah, that’s crazy. I remember the first time I climbed this stairway from hell, I thought I was going to die. My legs were SHAKING the whole way down. I totally crawled on all fours on the way down at the «bridge». I took breaks every 10 steps starting at half way up. My friend got nauseous and thought he was gonna throw up. I don’t even know how long it took us to finish this hike (up & down). We were a freaking mess.
Then I hiked it again few months later. It took us 19 minutes to get to the top, 15 minutes to get down. I went with 2 friends (fit & active) who’s never hiked Koko Crater and I only stopped when they wanted a break. We probably stopped maybe 5 times total on the way up? We pretty much ran all the way up & ran all the way down. What bridge?
So YES– if you’ve done this once and thought you miiiiiiight die, try it again. You’d surprise yourself! And feel so accomplished!
Am I annoying you yet?
Heeheeee sorry!
Few tips:
1. Plenty of parking! Remember to google map Koko Crater Railway, not Koko Head District Park. That will take you to the other side of the park (other side of the mountain).
2. Follow the other hikers towards the entrance. From the end of the parking lot (near the baseball field), you have to go up and to the left, not alongside the baseball field. Look for the cable with several running shoes hanging on it.
3. Drink lots of water, bring lots of water! Especially if you’re doing this hike in the middle of a hot day. No shade. Speaking of which, go in the morning but avoid the weekends. It can get SUPER crowded.
4. Avoid when it’s been raining— it can get slippery. (Then you can’t break your record time… hahahaha I’m so annoying)
5. There’s a «bridge». It’s not that scary since top of trees are blocking the height. If you stay on the right side of the railway, it feels a little more stable than the direct middle. You can avoid this bridge altogether by going through the forest on the right? I have no idea where this is though.
6. Bring a selfie stick to record your beautiful sweaty faces at the top with the jaw-​dropping view in the background!

A scary steep hike to get to the top of koko mountain. It would take at least an hour for you to get up there but we brought our kids so we took our time. But the view on top was indescribable.

Did this hike today starting at about 9am, I work out quite a bit but since I have runners knee I decided to kt tape both my knees. I am so thankful I did that because the climb up and down
Was really steel at some points. It took about 50mins for us to get up there and the views at the very top were gorgeous. We only brought one Powerade for the both of us to share… that was a mistake! The rails got very hot on the way down. I wish we would of gotten there earlier perhaps 6 or 7am. Be carefully going back down, that’s the most dangerous part I think, especially over the bridge, I saw one man slip and really hurt his back and leg when his leg slipped through. Go slow!!!

This is not a hike… this is the stairs from hell! But once you get to the top, the view is AMAZING but really the feeling of defeat is overwhelming. Seriously, look down at all those stairs, beat your chest and yell «hell yah! I conquered that bitch!» Ooooor quietly say it to yourself and thank your friends for their support and encouragement to get you to the top. Lol I’m not a fitness guru, but I do work out regularly. Regardless, I struggled up with these stairs. Caffeine deprived, no breakfast, heat, and the never ending stairs are not a good combo.
Do yourself a favor and be sure to eat a meal before your trek up-you’ll need the blood sugar and energy, pack light snacks and definitely bring water! I recommend going early before the sun scalds you and if you have any joint issues, take a Motrin beforehand. Trek on!

Leave your ego at home.
If I can do it, so can you. Don’t listen to the naysayers. Yes, it is intense. Yes, you will sweat — A LOT. Yes, your leg will feel like noodles afterwards. But you will be immensely rewarded at the 360 degree view at the top. Trust me on this.
The first time I did Kokohead, I amateurishly chose to do it at noon. Bad move. It gets insanely hot! There is absolutely no shade on the straight trail up. I recommend coming as early as your body will allow you to wake up and make the drive over to Kokohead. I usually start making my way up the mountain around 545−6am. The sunrise here is amazing.
This isn’t so much of a hike, but a really great workout. Approximately 1100 steps upwards, the incline gets a little steep towards the end. The first third of it is a little more gradual. Towards the middle, you will reach a «bridge». I’m afraid of heights and can never seem to walk over it. Luckily for people like me (and maybe you), there’s a way around it on the right side. Climb up those rocks and make your way around the trees and back up to the railway trail and you’re good to go!
It may seem a little daunting at first, but the views at the top are worth it, even if only to see once in a lifetime. Bring a lot of water, maybe a snack to rejuvenate yourself at the top, a towel to wipe off all that sweat dripping down your forehead, and a camera to capture your moment of glory at the top.
Going down may be a little hard on the ankles and knees — take your time. If you hear footsteps fast approaching behind you, kindly step to the side to let them pass. Trash bins are at the bottom — let’s keep it clean for others to enjoy, too.
And last, but not least… DON’T QUIT!
ENJOY!

A definite must hike in hawaii! The sunst is beautiful, bring a jacket as u will definitely get cold up top when the sun is setting. Be careful on certain steps as there is a section where u can slip and fall throught he steps, u can generally see everyone being extra careful on this portion of the climb.
The girlfriend and I did the hike one way up in probably less than 45 mins, you will need lots of water if you are doing this in the middle of the day under the beaming sun.
Parking is easy, which is huge for hiking in hawaii.

Koko Crater Railway Trail is an abandoned railway station that the military used to deliver equipment to the top of the crater. Over the years, this thing has gotten pretty beat up. The railway is missing a lot of wooden boards that support hiking along the trail.
So I’m going to split the trail into thirds. The first third is pretty easy. Most of the wooden boards are still intact, and the slope isn’t that steep. The second third starts around the railway where there is a cliff underneath. There is a rocky trail to the right that I highly recommend. After the small trail, the incline gets a bit steeper. The last third is probably the most brutal. Even more boards are missing, and the slope gets very steep. So much to the point, that some people opt to crawl to the top. You’ll see many people stopping off to the side to rest around here. Once you reach the top of the railway, there’s just a liittttle bit more trail left to follow.
People claim it’s a 360 view, but there’s a big bush in the middle of two viewpoints, so I would really call it two 270 degree views. You can do a panoramic when you get to the top, but part of it will get a big chunk of bush. At one viewpoint, it overlooks Hawaii-​Kai. The other viewpoint is a more natural view that overlooks the decline of the mountain, and the ocean.
It can be a pretty dangerous hike if you’re not careful or physically fit, as many of the wooden boards are missing, and there are a lot of really loose rocks around the area that you can lose your footing on.
If you’re not physically fit, I wouldn’t recommend it. It isn’t worth the time invested if you’re slow. There are a lot of better viewpoints in O’ahu that require significantly less effort, or even any effort at all (drive up viewpoints).

I can’t believe that I haven’t written a review for this place until now. Koko Crater Railway Trail is a «ultimate stair master» workout on steroids. There is approximate 1028 steps or around 1028 feet to get to the top only to be treated to a breath taking view of Hawaii Kai. The average time it takes to the top is around 30 minutes. Here are my recommendations for the hike:
1) Bring lots of water. Even though this is a short workout, it can get hot during the day. The mountain is blocking the approaching winds from the East.
2) Come early or late afternoon to avoid the heat.
3) Be considerate and step off to the side for those who want to pass.
4) If you are afraid of heights and do not want to cross the wooden bridge, use the trail off to the right to bypass this path.
5) When coming down try going down backwards or alternating sideways. This puts less strain on your knees and helps improve your footwork.
Note: Koko Head gun range is close by so you may hear guns firing.

Another favorite ‘hike’ but be forewarned about the 1000+ stairs!
Bring water, a camera and sunscreen or if you go on a stormy day like we did, good shoes because it gets a bit slippery going up on the track part.
Need to go back soon! :)

Amazing hike in Oahu! This trial is so special in that you are walking on abandoned tram track.
When you are down at the bottom, it looks intimidating how steep the trail is, and you are right. The first ¼ of the trail is gradual but it becomes very steep with huge steps. For a small person, each step is is about the height to my knee so it took me a lot of effort to ‘climb’ up the stairs. There is one part where the space under the tracks are empty, so you either walk very carefully on the track, or go around the track on the hill. I chose to go around because the track does not look too sturdy and it would be a 10 feet fall to the rocks beneath.
Once you reach the top where the track ends, you could go even higher by walking up the hills to an abandoned building. We climbed up the roof of the building, and it was breathtaking. You can see the entire ocean and mountain ridges in the nearby area, it was breezy up top which is perfect after the tiring hike!
Make sure to go down slowly because the steps are huge and uneven in height, and going down stairs are bad for your knees anyway… I would totally do it again without a doubt! One of the best hike I have ever done!

If you are looking for a major workout + great views this is the hike for you.
This is a old tram line that runs straight up the side of an extinct volcano. It’s a popular spot and you see quite a variety of people heading up. Not everyone makes it (3 in our group of 9 turned around half way).
TIP: you must bring lots of water and wear sunscreen.
This is a strenuous climb over uneven washed out railroad ties with uneven spacing. It can take 30 min (fit young guy running up and down) to 2 – 3 hours if you take your time and stop along the way to rest and catch your breath.
The views are great even if you only go part way.

So this is maybe a day or two after I finished this sojourn. Yesterday, I attested to some sore legs and glutes and to kick sand in my own face, went to a step class the next day.
But this hike was unlike any other Hawaiian hike I’ve had here. This time it was like what Paula Abdul sang about, «Straight up». 1024 steps in total is what a fellow climber told me, 1024 steps up a railroad track to some of the most gorgeous views of the island. Each step is not just a normal step, some of the steps are 2 – 3 feet long, and the higher you go, the steeper the steps go as well. Midway, there’s about 20 feet of track that has no ground to it and all you see are tree tops underneath. The daring ran up and down it, some climbed like a baby, some went down on their butts. The lame, myself including, chose the hidden trail to the side. I like feet on the ground. Not to say it was totally easy either, you have to climb a few rocks.
Rainy days will make some of the dirt parts of the steps slick so be careful. There’s no shade, all sun so pack plenty of water, lather the sunscreen and wear a hat. I was able to get up and down in about 2 hours with a lot of rests in between. But man once you hit the top, it’s just purely majestic. 360 degree view of heavenly green earth and the pacifying ocean. Beyond beautiful.
Saw people of all ages doing this climb. Pretty hard on the knees going down.

I never normally do non-​food reviews but this trail was probably my best memory from my trip to Oahu.
The trail starts at the baseball ground car park and sweeps around to the beginning of the stairs. All very easy so far. I made the mistake of going a bit too fast on this early part. If you’ve never done it before –SAVE ENERGY. I was doing one step-​per-​second and that’s too fast if you’re a rookie.
After about ten minutes you reach a bridge which has slats in it and no ground underneath. This is actually easier going up (where you can just lean forward and sprint) than going down (I got low down on it and did an ass shuffle across — but more experienced people run it).
Up another 5 minutes and then the incline starts getting very steep. VERY steep. If you’ve gone too hard at the bottom, this is where you start getting a little dizzy. Pack a banana and some water. I had water alone and regretted it. Plus the air starts getting a little thinner which makes it harder.
By this point you’re doing 10 – 15 steps, then taking a break. Head between knees. It’s really that hard if it’s your first time.
I made it to the top in 48 minutes which seemed to me about the average. Although one girl at the top said she just beat her record by going under 20 min for the first time. Insane fitness.
Ultimately, this is not a trail for someone who doesn’t regularly exercise. It sounds mean to say it, but you really do need a baseline fitness level to safely get to the top. I work out 2 – 3 times a week and it was really tough for me. There’s no one there to help you. Apparently the air ambulance gets called about once a week to rescue people who have either fallen or collapsed halfway up and can’t get down.
But the views at the top, once you’ve caught your breath, are incredible!
Going down is hard on the knees, but not at all difficult fitness-​wise. You need to concentrate on your footing tho (hence the need to eat some sugar to prevent a sugar low and dizziness).
If you’re confident in your fitness this is an absolute must-​do for any holiday to Oahu. Buses go from Waikiki beach to a stop about a 20 minute walk from the baseball field.

I have once completed the annual stair climb in Downtown Los Angeles (US Bank building — 75 floors). No big deal. How hard could this be?
Well folks. Let it be known that this trail is super steep. And! It gets steeper as you get higher!
I wouldn’t say that I’m in stellar shape… But I work out occasionally. This kicked my butt. I had to take a ton of breaks to get my heart rate under control. What made it worse: there were people running up and down this thing, multiple times! So that’s what shame feels like.
Once you make it to the top, you just want to stay there forever. #1 to soak in the beauty. #2 to soak in your accomplishment. I definitely would recommend starting the hike early so you aren’t dealing with the heat on top of the hike itself.
Yes, it was challenging and yes here were moments when I asked myself why we were doing this. But! It was so worth it.
Bring water. Bring your camera.

They said hike… I said okay…
First off, I was promised food food food by the end of this hike.
Second off, I would see insanely breathtaking views, hence picturesque opportunity.
Third off, I’ll have firm glutes and thighs… oh, and being sore too!
You’ll see me sweating, panting, and whining the whole way. All was worth it. Trust!
I hope you give this endless stairs «hike» a try. Cheers!

That which does not kill us, makes us stronger. Nietzche.
That which does not make us stronger, kills us. Markus N.

Un «must» si vous êtes à Oahu. La montée est assez difficile mais le résultat en vaut vraiment la peine. La vue en haut est magnifique. À noter qu’il faut être très prudent lors de la monté et la descente car les marchs peuvent être glissantes. Il y a aussi un tronçon qui peut être assez délicat à traverser. Prévoyez plusieurs pauses. Finalement, il faut bien surveiller les enfants quand on est au sommet car il n’y a aucune clôture de sécurité. Enjoy!