Waʻahila Ridge State Recreation Area image

Waʻahila Ridge State Recreation Area

Tourist attraction State park

Forested park along a ridge featuring hiking trails, picnic tables & scenic views of nearby valleys. People often mention hike, views, trail, great, beautiful, hiking, picnic, muddy, water, Great,


Address

1600 Ruth Pl, Honolulu, HI 96816, United States

Website

dlnr.hawaii.gov

Contact

+1 808-587-0300

Rating on Google Maps

4.70 (386 reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Wednesday: 7 am to 6:45 pm
  • Thursday: 7 am to 6:45 pm
  • Friday: 7 am to 6:45 pm
  • Saturday: 7 am to 6:45 pm
  • Sunday: 7 am to 6:45 pm
  • Monday: 7 am to 6:45 pm
  • Tuesday: 7 am to 6:45 pm

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: hike (22) views (14) trail (11) great (9) beautiful (7) hiking (7) picnic (7) muddy (7) water (7) Great (7)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 5/5 Andy A. 1 year ago on Google • 1189 reviews
    It is a beautiful hiking area but I would say depends how far you want to go up. The base area has a parking lot and picnic tables, very family friendly. But once you start the hike I’d say it is more for advanced hikers. Mainly because it cab be muddy and there are even parts where you use a rope to climb a slippery area. Definitely recommend just depends on what kind hike you are searching for
    8 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Evelyn Ku'uAloha N. 2 years ago on Google
    One of my favorite places to hike. Pretty dry today but no tropical breezes. Attempted to continue all the way to Mt Olympus but it rained and too muddy to go all the way to the top. Just pure beauty from the beginning to end. Leave only footprints take only memories❤
    5 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Righthero P. 1 year ago on Google • 170 reviews
    This state park has a beautiful scenic view and a great place to have a picnic or to camp. It also has a trail that has a bit of everything from hiking through Pine trees to strawberry guava trees, climbing over rocks, dry and muddy paths, etc. Depending on your pace the hike could take up to 5-6 hours round trip. The terrains were a bit challenging and really muddy in certain areas as to be expected with the altitude. The hike to the top is definitely a journey where you'll see all kinds of trees, plants/flowers (some of which are almost completely covered in moss or fungus), and of course scenic views. When you get closer to the top, the path tends to be more windy with passing showers, so be mindful of that and plan ahead. With various terrains and scenery going once is not enough because it's breath taking. Also if you are hiking at the time of year where you see red fruit on the trees, those are waiawi or strawberry guava, in other words edible. I do recommend bring plenty of water as it is a bit of a workout. It tends to be muddy second half of the trail and even muddier if it rained the day of or day before. It could also gets pretty windy towards the second half depending on the day. A good pair of hiking boots/shoes is highly recommended, along with gloves, and spikes.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Dirk Harris (. 1 year ago on Google • 78 reviews
    Absolute wonder if a place to stop in from time to time. Not a huge selection of trails, but beautiful views on the ridge trail. Besides, a Pine forest on Oahu? Of course you are now interested. TheBus can be caught nearly anywhere on the island and takes you within feet of the recreation entrance. Some might not be up for the walk in, however, I doubt you are walking the trail if that's the case. I'm physically challenged due to bodily damage, but the walk in is cool, shady, and not too steep. I hope everyone gets the chance to enjoy this as much as I do.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Lindsey I. 2 years ago on Google
    Wa'ahila Ridge hike is at the top of St Louis Heights Nearby neighborhoods - Kaimuki and Mānoa make for great places to get a bite afterwards To get to the hike is almost as hard as the hike itself 😆 you have to drive up St Louis Heights which makes for quite a few switchbacks up the mountain. There is also hawaii bus service that goes up most of the way. Once you get to the park , it's about a 10 minute walk into the trailhead. There are many interest points along the way, beautiful pine tree forest, view of the entire green Mānoa Valley, electric wires into Palolo valley and nature's rock formations
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Joe D. 2 years ago on Google
    Great ridge to hike up to Mt Olympus. Challenging and steep, but panoramic views all along the way
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Shtira D. 2 years ago on Google
    I had so much fun doing this hike. It was super slippery and when i made it to the peak of Mt. Olympus it was too cloudy to see but it was still amazing. Please be super careful after rain.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Jeremy C. 6 months ago on Google • 247 reviews
    A special place for me. A place to pray, meditate, and reflect. It has not changed much in the past 30+ years.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Kaydee G. 7 months ago on Google • 200 reviews
    Nice parking area, there are a lot of great views. Mountain bikers and hikers are able to safely use this as a meetup spot. Families and groups were using some of the picnic tables and covered areas. Unfortunately there was a guy trying to catch chickens for fighting. He even has his kids helping.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Ludwig F. 1 year ago on Google • 75 reviews
    We started our hike at the Wa'ahila Ridge area and had a great seven hours in the rainforest. Spectacular views, impressive trails. Challenging routes, some of the trails were hardly marked or maintained, which added to the experience. Plan your hike in advance, bring an offline map on your phone, and have enough water and food with you -- ideally headlamps, too. We didn't make it out of the trails before dark and were happy to have lights with us.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Vince 3 years ago on Google
    Super short ride from town if you wanna do a quick hike or just chill at one of the picnic tables and take in the breathtaking views. There’s also an extreme mountain biking trail that you can ride all the way down.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Francesco C. 8 months ago on Google
    Fun ridge hike with a nice small flat on the top to enjoy the view on both sides. Recommended
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Kirk C. 1 year ago on Google
    Beautiful and challenging hike. We went on a warm dry day, unfortunately we only made it halfway due to others in the group unable to go further and it was getting late in the day. Definitely plan on the full hike next time I visit the island.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 The Katie Show B. 2 years ago on Google
    Great hike with amazing views! Enough challenges through inclines and slippery sections to make it interesting but not too crazy. I wrote a detailed hiking guide on my website if you want more information on what to expect (website link on my photos)
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 NICO J. 2 years ago on Google
    OSIYO!!!! A great HIKE. It's more for medium to advance. Especially when going all the way to Olympus. The cool breeze brings a russling of the trees, the sound of birds everywhere. I was up there on a dry day, but boots helped. Sneakers would be okay 👍 as long as there were no showers at the higher elevations. Great workout and gorgeous views. It was nice to meditate and take it all in. Note: There are some parts where it gets steep up and down the trail. So, if someone has mobility issues or concerns, please take a different approach or hike. With that said, stay safe and enjoy. WADO!!!!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Jeff D. 2 years ago on Google
    An oasis of peace in busy Honolulu.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Judith B. 6 months ago on Google • 145 reviews
    Hidden gem of beautiful pine forest and views. Some picnic areas available, although a bit run down. Great hiking trail.

  • 5/5 Sean Y. 3 months ago on Google • 51 reviews New
    Definitely a challenging hike but worth it. There are several peaks that allow for great views along the way. Trail gets pretty narrow in certain places and some light bouldering is required. Don't recommend for dogs or kids. Make sure to bring lots of water, takes about 4-5 hours.

  • 5/5 Lindsey P. 3 months ago on Google • 35 reviews New
    It was raining and muddy so we didn’t do as much hiking, but there was a restroom and what we hiked of the trail was fun

  • 5/5 Payal S. 2 years ago on Google
    amazing hike! we came with 3 people and 100oz of water. made it one peak short of my olympus, but had a wonderful & challenging time. wish we had brought more snacks

  • 5/5 Cory B. 2 years ago on Google
    Tons of trail options. Easy parking.

  • 5/5 Robert N. 4 years ago on Google
    Great hike, but you better be physically fit. If you're not, you won't make it far. This trail is tough, not rock climbing with ropes tough, but your legs will be burning if you're of average fitness. Great views and a great workout.

  • 5/5 JD G. 3 years ago on Google
    What a beautiful place. Hiking, great views, biking. Don't miss it

  • 1/5 Brett S. 7 months ago on Google • 10 reviews
    Please note the DRY AREA and No Open Fires sign at entrance to the park. There are no longer fire pits or ash receptacles in the park. See attached picture of a late afternoon grill fire that is being tended by a small child and subsequent dumping of hot coals on the ground near dry fuel on the ground just after sunset. The water spigot is next to the grill so why not dump there and use the water to extinguish the coals before leaving the park with unattended hot coals on a windy night?

  • 5/5 Stanislav P. 3 years ago on Google
    One of the best scenic views of Honolulu. Pretty easy hike, just a bit muddy during the winter

  • 5/5 Irina R. 3 years ago on Google
    Mountain getaway 10 min drive away from the city, beautiful easy trail, great views and amenities such as bathrooms, picnic tables and water fountain.

  • 4/5 Mai T. 2 years ago on Google
    High elevation. Crisp, cool, pine tree air. Muddy almost all of the time. Great area to picnic.


Call +1 808-587-0300 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Pets
    • ✓️ Dogs allowed
  • Activities
    • ✓️ Hiking
  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible car park
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible entrance

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