Hiking the Crouching Lion Trail on Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi
Distance (Roundtrip): 0.6 miles / 1.0 km
At only 0.3 miles (0.5 km) each way, the Crouching Lion Trail is, without a doubt, one of the best sunrise hikes on Oʻahu!
By this, I mean that the short but steep trail leads to one of the most beautiful panoramic east-facing viewpoints on the island, making the Crouching Lion Trail one of the best effort-to-reward trails when hiked for sunrise!
In any case, the turquoise-blue waters of Kahana Bay can truly be enjoyed at first light and throughout much of the day. Therefore, I truly don’t think it makes much of a difference when you decide to hike up Crouching Lion, as the viewpoints are always stunning, so long as the weather is clear!
On a different note, the Crouching Lion Trail is not as straightforward as one might think, given all the different routes that begin at the trailhead and continue throughout the hike.
For this reason, I highly recommend reading about all the different routes on Crouching Lion below, which can be especially good to know if you plan to hike the Crouching Lion Trail in the dark prior to sunrise.
Crouching Lion Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Crouching Lion Trailhead is located in a small dirt lot on the right-hand side of Kamehameha Highway, just before Kahana Bay Beach Park when coming from Kāneʻohe, or on the left after the beach park when coming from the North Shore.
That being said, consider the Crouching Lion Trailhead to be a high-crime area for petty theft, meaning you should never leave visible bags or anything valuable in your car.
Google Maps Directions: Crouching Lion Trailhead
My Hawaiʻi Hiking Checklist
Osprey 3L Water Bladder - The Osprey 3L water bladder is the most universal hiking and backpacking water bladder on the market, and it’s my go-to because of the slide-off seal that allows it to be quickly filled from the top. Additionally, individual parts are easily replaceable, such as the bite valve.
Blister / Heel Protectors - I swear by these cheap, amazing heel protectors to prevent blisters for nearly every kind of hiking and backpacking that I do!
Black Diamond Headlamp - Personally, I recommend the Black Diamond Storm because it is one of the brightest, lightest, and longest-lasting headlamps on the market—and trust me, the weight-to-battery-life ratio really does matter!
Hiking / Trail Running Shoes - Depending on the type of trail, I prefer to use either the Keen Targhee for longer, more rugged hiking or the HOKA Zinal Trail-Running Shoe for lighter, less intense trails. In either case, both have been amazing to me for many years across countless environments, and both can be found in men’s and women’s sizes. - (Men’s Keen / Women’s Keen) (Men’s HOKA / Women’s HOKA)
Waterproof Rain Shell - You never know when it may rain, and I’ve learned over the years that a rain shell is far better than a rain jacket. By this, I mean that it’s best to have something that the water will roll right off of, which is why I recommend the Patagonia Torrentshell 3L available in both men’s and women’s sizes.
High SPF Sunscreen - Packing high-SPF sunscreen is a must for long days outside!
Hiking the Crouching Lion Trail
To begin hiking on the main Crouching Lion Trail, walk in the Kāneʻohe direction toward the second sign on the right-hand side of the road.
Puʻu Manamana Trailhead
This is the first trailhead, and it’s best known for being the fastest route up the Puʻu Manamana-Kahekili Ridge Loop, which you can learn more about later in my separate article.
That being said, both routes connect at the top, creating a 0.6-mile (1.0 km) loop between the trailheads/ ridges that ascend up the mountain.
However, if you want to hike to the most popular Crouching Lion viewpoint, which is also the best viewpoint to catch sunrise, walk to the second trailhead shown below.
Read My Separate Post: Puʻu Manamana-Kahekili Ridge Loop Trail
Crouching Lion Trailhead
This second trailhead is the Crouching Lion Trailhead, and it’s likely the route that most hikers are interested in for the shorter Crouching Lion Trail, as opposed to the much longer and more involved hike up Puʻu Manamana.
Know that if the east side of Oʻahu has been receiving a lot of rain, these lower elevations on the Crouching Lion Trail can be very muddy and slippery.
Not long after beginning the hike, the Crouching Lion Trail begins climbing, which will continue for nearly the entire length of the trail to the main viewpoint above Kahana Bay.
These middle sections of the ridge are always fairly eroded, which can make it particularly challenging when it’s muddy.
After the short but steep 250-ft. (76 m) ascent, the Crouching Lion Trail levels out at this flat clearing above Kaʻaʻawa to the east and Kahana Bay to the north.
Crouching Lion-Puʻu Manamana Connector Junction
It is here at the junction just past the clearing that hikers either have the option to go left toward the main Crouching Lion viewpoint or right to hike toward the Lion’s Head/ Puʻu Manamana Trail.
Warning
It’s important to stress the dangers of the trail from this point on, as numerous hikers have taken fatal falls because of the steep and dramatic cliffs that parallel the Crouching Lion-Puʻu Manamana Trail.
That being said, I only say this to encourage safe decision-making, but also to recommend stopping here if someone in your party is not comfortable proceeding.
I chose to go left toward the main Crouching Lion viewpoint.
This final scramble up to the top is one of the steepest parts on the entire Crouching Lion Trail.
Crouching Lion Viewpoint
Finally, after just 0.3 miles (0.5 km), the Crouching Lion Trail reaches the most popular viewpoint of anywhere on the short Crouching Lion Loop.
It is here that you can see beautiful panoramic views of Kahana Bay, Kaʻaʻawa, Puʻu Piei across the bay, Poamoho toward the heart of the Koʻolau Mountains, and up Punaluʻu toward Oʻahu’s North Shore!
Crouching Lion-Puʻu Manamana Connector Junction
Once back at the Crouching Lion-Puʻu Manamana Connector junction, you can either go right to hike back down the fastest and easiest route to the trailhead or continue straight to hike up to the Lion’s Head.
From there, the Connector Trail continues past the Lion’s Head until it meets Puʻu Manamana Ridge, at which point you either have the option to hike back down to the first trailhead, effectively completing the full Crouching Lion Loop, or turn back at this junction.
Crouching Lion-Puʻu Manamana Connector Trail
This is the Connector Trail, which is only about 0.1 miles (0.2 km) to reach the Puʻu Manamana side of the hike.
Crouching Lion’s Head-Bypass Junction
At this split, you can either go left to hike up to the top of Lion’s Head or right to bypass it altogether.
That being said, Lion’s Head is a very exposed portion of the Crouching Lion Loop, meaning the Bypass is much easier and safer in comparison.
Crouching Lion Head
This is the top of the Lion’s Head, and while it may seem deceiving as to why it’s called Crouching Lion, the shape of a 'Crouching Lion' can’t be seen from anywhere on the hike.
In fact, the Crouching Lion can only be seen from Kaʻaʻawa down below, which is why I encourage you to look up at the mountain if you’re driving to the trailhead from Kāneʻohe.
Second Crouching Lion’s Head-Bypass Junction
Past the Crouching Lion, the Bypass and Lion’s Head trails meet and continue on toward the Puʻu Manamana-Crouching Lion junction shortly ahead.
Hopefully, this memorial shows how real the consequences of a fall can be.
Seriously, be careful!
Puʻu Manamana-Crouching Lion Conncector Junction
After 0.1 miles (0.2 km), the Puʻu Manamana-Crouching Lion Connector Trail meets the ridge that continues higher up Puʻu Manamana and the trail back down to the highway.
This is the route that completes the short 0.5-mile (0.8 km) Crouching Lion Loop, but know that the alternative Puʻu Manamana Ridge back down is slightly more difficult than the Crouching Lion Trail because of one steep section that must be climbed down.
What is the Puʻu Manamana Trail?
Distance: 5.3 miles / 8.5 km
In short, the Crouching Lion Loop Trail is really only the footstep for the much longer Puʻu Manamana-Kahekili Ridge Loop Trail.
What this means is that the longer 5.3-mile (8.5 km) loop can either begin here on the Crouching Lion side or on the Kahekili Ridge side, located in the more residential part of Kaʻaʻawa.
That being said, don’t let the moderately short 5.3-mile distance influence your perception about how hard the trail is, as Puʻu Manamana is not a beginner hike.
By this, I mean that if you were only prepared to hike Crouching Lion, don’t proceed up the ridge. You are not prepared for the longer Puʻu Manamana Loop. Additionally, Puʻu Manamana features numerous high-exposure class 3/ 4 climbs, where a mistake is simply not an option.
I say all this to say, Puʻu Manamana is steeper, it’s more exposed, and the consequences of falling are much greater than Crouching Lion or the pillbox hike up Kahekili Ridge.
If you would like to learn more about the full Puʻu Manamana-Kahekili Ridge Loop, I encourage you to read about the full trail in my separate article linked below.
Read My Separate Post: Puʻu Manamana-Kahekili Ridge Loop Trail
Puʻu Manamana Ridge (Crouching Lion Loop)
This is the return loop back down Puʻu Manamana Ridge, which begins at the first trailhead shown previously in this article.
This is the beginning of the steep section that inevitably makes the Puʻu Manamana Ridge side more challenging than the Crouching Lion Trail.
On a different note, consider these hiking/ trail-running shoes for shorter Hawaiʻi adventures, like the Crouching Lion Trail, as they work great and are a personal favorite of mine on trails that aren’t overgrown!
This short connection at the beginning of the trail is what truly makes the difference regarding whether you’ll hike up the Crouching Lion or Puʻu Manamana side of the loop.
That being said, go left here to return to the Puʻu Manamana Trailhead.
Native Plants on the Crouching Lion Trail
The Crouching Lion Trail is a fairly low-elevation hike by Hawaiʻi standards, which typically means few, if any, native Hawaiian plants.
However, there are a surprising number that hikers can expect to see on the short Crouching Lion Loop, including Hala, ʻUhaloa, ʻŌhiʻa lehua, Hau, ʻŪlei, ʻIlima, ʻAlaʻala wai nui, Kaunaʻoa, and ʻĀkia, to truly only name a few.
If you would like to learn more about these and many other native Hawaiian plants from across the islands, I encourage you to check out my separate post linked below.
Read My Separate Post: Native Hawaiian Plant Guide
More Oʻahu Adventures
If you’re interested in reading about some more amazing Oʻahu adventures, check out my separate posts below!
Best Hotels & Restaurants in Waikīkī
If you’re trying to decided where to stay on Oʻahu, check out my top 10 list for the best resorts and restaurants in Waikīkī.
I break down what makes one hotel a better choice over another, so that you can find the best fit for your stay on the island.
Read My Separate Post: Best Waikīkī Hotels & Restaurants
Waikīkī
HNL Airport-Hotel Shuttle
Prices on ride-share apps like Uber/ Lyft cannot beat the price of booking your hotel shuttle prior to arrival. I say this because there are additional fees for ride-share airport pick-ups at Honolulu Airport (HNL), which is why I recommend booking your transportation in advance using the options below.
Additionally, the last option below will go as far as the Ko ʻOlina Resorts on the West Side and Turtle Bay on Oʻahu’s North Shore!
Best Way to Book Rental Cars!
I travel quite a bit, and I know firsthand that finding a good rental car deal can be a challenge, but that’s why I recommend comparing all of your options with Discover Cars.
In short, Discover Cars is a well-known, reputable business that allows you to search for the best deal across companies, and they have the best full-refund cancellation policy I’ve ever seen, valid up to 72, or sometimes even 48, hours prior to your reservation!
Book Here: Discover Cars
Oʻahu
Visiting Other Islands
If you are visiting Oʻahu or heading to another island, check out some of my personal recommendations for Oʻahu, Maui, Kauaʻi, Molokai, Lānaʻi, and Hawaiʻi Island (Big Island) in these separate posts.
If you’re trying to decide which island is right for your visit, check out my overview about each island in the post below.
Read My Separate Post: What is the Best Hawaiian Island to Visit?
What is the Best Time of Year to Visit Hawaiʻi?
The weather in Hawaiʻi can often appear to be warm and beautiful throughout the year, but in my experience, there is a lot more to consider when planning what time of year to visit the islands, such as what island you are considering, what sides of each island do you plan to stay, what activities are you most interested in, the wildlife, and countless other nuanced variables that can all impact the type of trip you can expect to have.
For these reasons, I highly recommend reading through my separate article to not only understand my thoughts regarding the best time of year to come to Hawaiʻi but also what you need to consider based on the time of year that you plan to visit.
Read My Separate Post: What is the Best Time of Year to Visit Hawaiʻi?
10 Best Tours & Excursions on Oʻahu
There are a lot of different tour options to choose from on Oʻahu, but to make it easier to decide, I made a list of my favorite tours because some things simply are better with a local guide!
Read My Separate Post: Best Tours on Oʻahu
Oʻahu
Safety
All hikes in Hawaiʻi should not be compared to trails outside of the islands, and hikers should exercise due caution on every adventure, given that many are extremely dangerous.
By this, I mean that Hawaiʻi is known for hot, humid weather, steep, dramatic, and unstable cliffs, and flash floods, which can occur without warning. Therefore, it is important that you check the local forecast, understand the physical condition of your entire group, and pack sufficient food and water before attempting any adventure.
Disclaimer
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