Hiking the Kuaokalā Trail on Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi
Distance: 2.6 miles / 4.2 km
The Kuaokalā Trail in the Waiʻanae Mountains on Oʻahu is easily one of the most beautiful, secluded trails on the island, due in large part to the trail’s accessibility.
By this, I mean that there are two separate trailheads that hikers can utilize to access the Kuaokalā Trail, both located high in the Waiʻanae Range.
This means that you can either choose to begin via the Space Force Tracking Station, located above Yokohama Bay, or on the Keālia Trail in Mokulēʻia on the North Shore of Oʻahu.
That being said, my personal preference always favors the Kuaokalā Trail via Keālia because of how annoying and tedious the process can be to access the trailhead from the West Side of Oʻahu, which includes getting a permit, the long drive on Farrington Highway, and dealing with the guided access process through the military base. On top of all this, I have even been rejected at the military gate with a valid permit because the Space Force 'forgot to put gas in their car' to escort my group to the public trailhead.
This is all to say that the Kuaokalā Trail via Keālia does not require a permit, but this doesn’t go without saying that hiking from Mokulēʻia adds an additional 3.3 miles (5.3 km) each way onto the hike.
However, I feel that the additional distance is worth the effort because the hiking from Keālia to Kuaokalā isn’t particularly difficult, and it is much more hassle-free!
Read My Separate Post: Keālia Trail
If you interested in hiking from the Kaʻena Point Tracking Station, access permits can be reserved using the link below. In addition, the distance above is only one way on Kuaokalā, regardless of which direction you choose to begin.
Book Here: Kuaokalā Permit
Kuaokalā Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Kuaokalā Trail is located at either the Kawaihāpai Airfield in Mokulēʻia, formerly known as Dillingham, or at the parking area past the Kaʻena Point Space Force Tracking Station above Yokohama Bay.
This obviously depends on which route you prefer to hike, but if you read the introduction above, you’ll understand why I prefer to begin at Kawaihāpai.
Google Maps Directions: Keālia Trailhead / Kuaokalā 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 Kuaokalā Trail
Since I always prefer to begin on Keālia, this is where the Kuaokalā Trail begins after completing the hike from the Keālia Shelter.
To learn more about how to access the Kuaokalā Trail from the Keālia Shelter, including all the different turns through the forest reserve, be sure to check out my separate post.
Read My Separate Post: Keālia Trail
With that in mind, don’t forget to pack a headlamp for the long hike if you’re beginning from Keālia at Kawaihāpai.
After leaving the Kuaokalā gate, the trail immediately begins to drop steeply, as it follows the fence line.
Then, at this section in the photo below, go right to stay on the easiest path.
As the trail nears the areas with some of the best viewpoints, it will continue to follow the Mākua Valley fence line through the Black Wattle-Slash Pine forest until the gate shown below.
At only 0.9 miles (1.4 km) from the first Kuaokalā Trailhead, this gate in the fence around Mākua Valley is a very common turnaround point because the majority of the best views are located here or before the gate.
That being said, the Kuaokalā Trail continues for another 1.5 miles (2.4 km) until the Space Force Tracking Station if you’re interested in completing the rest of the trail.
Past the gate in the photo above, the Kuaokalā Trail heads back into the forest for most of the remaining hike to the Kaʻena Tracking Station.
At this area, stay to the right, as the next stretch of the Kuaokalā Trail is follows a dirt road.
Kuaokalā Campsite 1
Along with the day-use permits, there are a number of different campsites along the Kuaokalā Trail that can be reserved for overnight use.
In my experience, Kuaokalā camping permits are considerably easier to come by compared to Peacock Flats, located further in the forest reserve.
That being said, if you are interested in camping here at one of the other Kuaokalā sites, it’s definitely most practical to drive up from Yokohama Bay over doing the hike from Keālia. You’ll save an immense amount of time and effort, and a 4WD vehicle is not needed to drive up, park at the trailhead, and do the short hike to your campsite.
Book Here: Kuaokalā Camping Permits
After the road section, the Kuaokalā Trail turns right to begin hiking a real trail again for the remainder of the hike to the tracking station.
Kaʻena Point Space Force Tracking Station
This is the only publicly accessible part of the Space Force Tracking Station, with the public parking area located just past the access road shown in the photo below.
If you are interested in seeing the Kuaokalā Trail in the opposite direction from my preferred trailhead via Keālia, I encourage you to check out my separate post on the Waiʻanae Summit Trail (WST), written from west to east.
Read My Separate Post: Waiʻanae Summit Trail (WST)
Native Plants on the Kuaokalā Trail
While the majority of the Kuaokalā Trail is dominated by non-native/ invasive species, like Slash Pine, Kuaokalā is, by far, the best trail on Oʻahu to see ʻIliahi aloʻe growing throughout.
In addition, other natives like ʻŌhiʻa lehua, ʻIlima, ʻUhaloa, Palaʻā, Alaheʻe, and ʻĀkia can be found on the Kuaokalā Trail, to truly name only 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.
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