Hiking the Oneʻawa Hills Trail (Kapaʻa Quarry) via the Friendship Garden on Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi
Distance: 2.5 miles / 4.0 km
The Oneʻawa Hills Trail, also called the Kapaʻa Quarry Trail, on the east side of Oʻahu, is a little-known day hike that begins in the Friendship Garden in Kāneʻohe and climbs to a beautiful, east-facing summit above the H-3 Freeway.
Now, while the Oneʻawa Hills Trail isn’t particularly long, it can be confusing if this is your first time hiking in the Friendship Garden, as there are a number of unmarked junctions that link all the interconnecting trails through this community space.
That is to say, there is one best route through the Friendship Garden at the base of the ridge, which is the shortest possible route to the top of the hike.
Friendship Garden Trailhead Parking
Read the warning notice below.
In summary, legal parking is very limited at the trailhead on Kokokahi Place, as all cars must be entirely off the asphalt to avoid obstructing the road in any way. If not, HPD may leave a ticket, which is not uncommon outside of the Friendship Garden.
That said, I recommend hiking the Oneʻawa Hills Trail early in the morning on a weekday to avoid having to park farther from the trailhead.
Google Maps Directions: Friendship Garden 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 Oneʻawa Hills Trail
Friendship Garden
The Friendship Garden is system of privately-owned trails on the lower elevations of the Oneawa Hills. The garden is definitely the most confusing part about the Kapaʻa Quarry hike, but as long as you remember to always go left when presented with a split, then you will hike through the garden to the ridge on the shortest possible trail (photos below).
As a side note, all paths that head uphill will eventually lead to Kāwaʻewaʻe Ridge (The Oneawa Hills), but they just add more distance than what’s posted above.
First Split
This is the first left in order to hike to the ridge on the fastest route, and it’s also the start of the lower loop that you can see in the map above.
Second Split
The following two photos is the second left turn that looks like it’s rounding a switchback. It’s also where the trail leaves the lower loop in the map above.
Third Split
This is the third and final left split to reach Kāwaʻewaʻe Ridge.
Once on the ridge, you can either go left to check out the view facing Kāneʻohe Bay or right to continue on the Oneawa Hills Trail (Kāwaʻewaʻe Ridge).
Oneawa Hills
Shortly after leaving the Friendship Garden, the trail will start heading up a steep hill. Wear good shoes because the rocks can be loose.
Go around to the left of the fence.
The trail will go up and down a few more hills that should be very self-explanatory in order to reach the popular Kapaʻa Quarry viewpoint.
At this split, the viewpoint will be off to the left. The route up the back way of Oneawa is in the section below. This is the trail that comes up on the right of this split.
Oneʻawa Hills Trail (Back Way)
Distance (Roundtrip): 2.4 miles / 3.9 km
This section is truly just for informational purposes because I absolutely discourage you from hiking up the back way. It’s significantly more difficult, more overgrown, and more confusing. Unless you have some desire to make an easy hike hard, then stay away.
This is the trail as if you had come up from the path on the right split in the photo above. The route I’m familiar with begins in back of the Hawaiʻi State Veterans Cemetery, but there may be others that begin off of random side streets.
In the back of the cemetery, turn left up this path leading toward the Oneawa Hills.
After the water tank, continue around the back side until you reach the section of Ironwood trees in the following photo. It’s definitely not an easy clear path, but if you want a challenge, I guess why not.
At this section in the Ironwood trees, stay directly on the middle of the ridge heading uphill. This is the best rule of thumb to hike to the Kapaʻa Quarry viewpoint from this direction.
The trail will come down this sort of switchback section before continuing further.
The further toward the viewpoint that you hike, the easier that this trail gets.
This is the same split from the photo above.
Native Plants on the Oneʻawa Hills Trail
Since the Friendship Garden and Oneawa Hills are a relatively low elevation area, native plants are few and far between. The only two that I noticed were ʻUhaloa and Hau.
If you’d like to learn more about these and other native plants from around Hawaiʻi, check out my separate post entirely about native Hawaiian plants.
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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