Olomana Trail is a 4.4 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Kailua, Oahu, Hawaii that features a great forest setting and is only recommended for very experienced adventurers. The trail is primarily used for hiking and is accessible year-round.
Please note: There is no parking area at the trailhead - the map shown here will direct you to street parking and you can walk to the trailhead from there. Users have reported that there are towing operations in the area. It is not clear where the legal parking is, so park at your own risk. Located in Kailua, on the windward side of Oahu, Olomana Trail (three peaks) is a strenuous hike with amazing views if you can make it to the top. The trail can be accessed from the intersection of Maunawili Road and Auloa Road off of Pali Highway. The first peak, Mount Olomana, is about 1.5 miles up with steep drop-offs on both sides and takes about an hour and a half to get to. Toward the top there are some rock climbing elements. The top of the first peak offers 360 degree views. It is steep on the downhill slope towards the second peak. The next peak isn't as challenging but still has an excellent view. The last peak should only be tried by experienced hikers in good shape and requires ropes all the way up. To return to your car you must go back the same way you came. This a favorite hike in Oahu, however can be very challenging with all of the up/down.
Parking is free. There is no parking structure, just park alongside the road before the bridge. Be aware of car break-in possibilities. There are no "facilities" on the trail. The walk from the parking area to the trailhead is about 1/4 mi. There will be a sign on the left.
Park outside of the golf course on the side of the road. This trail gets very steep near the top and you will have to climb up some rock walls, so be prepared.
Aloha! Fun hike! Can be muddy but you don’t need microspikes for this one. First and second peaks are about the same difficulty. Third peak gets more sketchy. At minimum please wear proper hiking footwear though. Bring plenty of water for this one. Feel free to reach out to me on Instagram @mike.karas or my email mikekarasphotography@gmail.com for info or other questions. I’ve done most of the hikes on the island before. Also please pack out your trash! Too many litterbugs on the island sadly. Mahalo!
Wow! Definitely muddy for the first mile or so (and then the last). This hike was a challenge, but it was absolutely amazing and exhilarating. Climbing up the rocks was pretty scary and going down one time I was terrified but I made it. I made it up the first peak and halfway to the second. My friend made it up the second.
Best hiking trail I’ve ever done. The views on all three peaks were amazing. The second and third peak I don’t consider easy by any means but it can be done with some upper body strength and endurance. You can get the best 360 degree view from the first peak and even that is a workout on its own. Highly recommend having a lot of drinking water and some sturdy hiking shoes.
This trail is crazy! Three peaks: the first two have some challenging steep spots that you need to climb 5-10ft vertical to get over. Best views from the first peak. Third peak is the crazy one. There’s an almost vertical maybe 50ft cliff after the second peak going towards the third. It has a repelling rope setup over it. I used the repel rope to walk down in the fashion of a repel. In retrospect, I don’t recommend that method since you’d probably fall if you lost the rope. I’d recommend climbing down like a climbing wall but with the rope hanging between your arms in front of you, so you only use it as a backup if you start to fall. There’s one more hard part on the way up the third peak. It’s about 15ft of nearly vertical with ropes setup to help. The chilling part is that there are 1000ft cliffs on both sides of the maybe 5ft ridge you’re climbing over. Overall, I think the hike to the third peak can be done safely without additional equipment. Don’t go at night. Don’t go if there’s a chance of rain. Don’t hurry, stay calm, move slow, rest until you’re feeling fresh for the hard parts. And, my opinion, climb the cliffs with the ropes at hand but not actively holding you, so you can fallback to them if something goes wrong. Craziest and probably best hike I’ve ever done!
Intense hike with mud, boars, butterflies, climbing, and stunning views. I’ve gone to the 2nd peak but haven’t tried the 3rd yet. I need an experienced person to do the 3rd peak. The view from the 1st is the best though. I did this solo and had a great time.
It is a very nice hike with excellent views. It took me about 3 hours to get through 3 peaks and get back to the trail head. My Garmin GPS showed a shorter distance of 3.35 miles for the roundtrip from the trailhead to peak 3. I think anyone with minimal rock climbing experience in the gym or outside should have little trouble getting to all 3 peaks. I agree with other reviews that hikers uncomfortable with the heights should not go beyond peak 2. There are some exposed places between peak 2 and 3. On the bright side there are always good handholds and footholds.
Excellent hike! First 1/2 gently winds through the trees with light mud and numerous roots. The next 1/4 is largely uphill but nothing difficult. The last 1/4 will make an inexperienced hiker feel uncomfortable requiring some rock climbing with ropes to assist. The view is worth it! Took 1:20 going up and 1:00 coming down.
First piece was very muddy but it gets better, definitely a challenging hike, bring enough water, if you’re afraid of heights don’t go beyond the first peak