Kaala Hiking Trail

Great hike! It took me about 4 hours of actual movement to complete, about 5 1/2 including lunch and picture stops of which there were many.I used about 3 1/2 litres of water, so ensure you bring enough for yourself.Unfortunately, due to the elevation the peak is often packed with clouds but there are still plenty of good views to be had.Overall Mt. Kaala is an excellent choice that will provide a good workout and great views!

Challenging climb; test of fortitude for our third attempt (twice before the rain and wind rolled through 2/3 of the way up and we turned around). Bog at the top is way cool.

This hike is rated major. The inclines are long and difficult. Can not be scared of heights.

THE BEST HIKE ON OAHU.The Hike:It is a very nice and demanding hike. This is for more advanced hikers or physically fit people.Time:•Takes 6 hours for a able person 7 for slower people.8 or more for very slow people.• I did 3.5 up, 2.5 down and a 30min break at the top.•take a 30min break to enjoy the topBe prepared for:•verticality and leg work.•hard on knees.•take water and snacks.•good shoes.4 parts to the Hike:•first is concrete. It is about 1 mile and is a slight incline. Easy• second is getting in to the brush. This is around a mile. Easy•third is the climb. This is the hardest part and is the longest part. It is a little more than a mile.•fourth is the top. it levels out and is the easiest part of the hike. It is 1/4 a mile.Parking:•you follow google maps to a parking lot.•Make sure to take out any valuable items as it is a HIGH CRIME AREA.

Not a super technical hike but very difficult since its all uphill. It would be easier if I werent out of shape

Weird entrance. Seems to be a road that is restricted to motorized vehicles. Makes it easier. It will soon end then the better ideal hike begins.

Great trail. Loved finding the crashed plane.

Pretty tough trail. Starting off a concrete incline walk for a mile then dry light elevation through the woods. After that its a steep incline of moist soil mud with lots of tree roots. Once you get to the fence. Its another good steep incline with soft foundation. Followed by lots of rope climbing or crawling on all 4s up until you get to the slab steps. Once here, youve made it. The veiwpoibt is behind the big golf ball (air traffic radar) took us about 6 hours round trip. Was it worth it? Maybe not but its just another hike to check off thats high on the list. Highest point on Oahu2/20/20 we didn’t go to Ka’ala this time but we exit off the 3 poles. This time we came from Keawe to no name peak to the 3 poles and down. Pretty much counter clockwise once we hit the 3 poles. Very steep thin ridges. A lot of rock climbing and rock scrambling. We did a lot of team pull ups and rock assisting. Fun, challenging, mental strength.3/14/20. Kaala falls was a fun journey following the stream up. But dripping waterfalls all the way. We decided to do a loop once we finished the falls with enough people scrambling around. We got through the bushes and made it back on the main trail. Spikes are always an extra help in kaala.

Challenging uphill hike. Rewarding views. I found the beginning walk up, on the road,, to the trailhead, the most taxing.

This is one of the best hikes Oahu has to offer. Trail is on the medium to high difficulty in some points but takes you to the highest point on Oahu. Has some of the prettiest vistas the island offers. Not kid or pet friendly and make sure to pack water and sunscreen because depending on your skill level this can take 4-6 hours round trip.

Be safe its a beautiful hike and view, alot history in this valley and just be careful of your personal things when leaving your vehicle to hike.

The first “advanced” hike I’ve done that lives up to its title. It is easy to follow (marked by purple ribbons) but physically strenuous. Definitely NOT kid-friendly (past the first 20 minutes or so). Also note: This hike will take 3-4 hours ONE WAY. If you begin the hike at 1pm you will not finish before sunset, if your goal is to get to the top, even if you take a grueling pace. That said, you can get a lot out of this hike without doing the whole thing. It’s worth the effort if what you want is to get your heart rate up, feel your legs burn, and get some great views. Be weary if you have bad knees though: the way down is tough. And be sure to take everything out of your car: Many decrepit encampments at the base and locals told us the area is bad for theft.

It is a great hike, but be prepared we are quite sporty and young and we struggled with this hike.So the first half is fine and very nice to look at you will walk throuh the jungle and through a Macadamia forrest. Very pretty.But as soon as you reach the foot of the mountain things get way more serious. There are small paths leading up the steep mountainside, sometimes there are ropes to help you get up there. But this is all just training for what comes at the end. We made it up until you have to climb on giant boulders only with the help of a rope. 1 meter to the right there is a drop of about 60 meters minumum.Unfortunately we were not able to finish the hike because we ran out of time and had to turn back befor it got dark.In my opinion, you should start early, around 9:00am.Going up and back down you should calculate 6-7 hours, if you are somewhat athletic. If you are out of shape plan in way more time.I really regret not getting up there all the way.So dont make our mistake and go early.

Its one of the tougher hikes on the island, but the views along the way make it worth the trip.

Not a bad place to hike

Steep hike right out of the gate, but on concrete to start. Gradually gets harder then you get to rope section to have to pull yourself up. Prepare to get dirty. If its raining, the challenge increases with slippery mud. Wear good trail shoes or prepare to slide and slip.Coming down is equally as challenging..especially with the mud. If youre up for a jungle adventure, this is it. Am a trail runner and did the trip in 3 hours round trip....with rain.

One of the most beautiful trails here in. The waianae mountains have enjoyed it for years up hill all the way recommend going slow and steady important bring lots of water maybeSome snacks beautiful walk.

Be mindful of the signs

Great challenging hike. Amazing views. Highly recommend.Car trunk was broken into with no damage to the vehicle. Little things like electronic charging cables and water filtration system were stolen. Have absolutely nothing in your vehicle while doing this 3-4 hr hike.

Be prepared for a tough hike with some rock scaling. Its generally very hot and dry on the far west side where mount Kaala is located. Bring lots of water, some snacks, and bug spray. The trail head is deep in the middle of nowhere on a single lane road. Watch for oncoming traffic as someone will have to pull over to the side and let the other person pass. Once at the trail head make sure to sign in by the mailbox on the left side facing the trail. People go hunting in that area so be sure to sign in. The hike is very steep almost from beginning to end. The terrain is not too rough but it will require some muscular endurance to make it to the top. Just pace yourself and take breaks. The views near and at the top are quite amazing so its definitely worth it. Good luck hikers.

Steep concrete road leads to steep muddy trail. This is a nice hike, but is difficult. When you get to the stream take a right and follow the path to see the hidden waterfall.

Immediate hike with over 5000 feet elevation gain to the highest peak on the island of Oahu. Some nice views along the way, but the hike terminates at the fence of FAA tracking station.Dont leave valuable items in your car. Obviously, many break-ins on the remote parking lot next to the trail head. I was lucky, only forehead prints on both sides of my car.

Good trail just beware of hunting dogs. They are good with people but not other dogs.

Beautiful and impressive. One mile of the four mile trail is 42% grade! The foliage at the top is all natural old Hawaii. Well worth the visit.

First of all, leave all valuables at home. The parking area is sketchy and anyone could easily break into your vehicle if they wanted.I highly recommend to start early if you plan to do the entire hike which can take you all day round trip. You want to travel light, a major portion of the trail is 45 degrees going upward.There are purple ribbons in some areas to keep track of your progress if you dont have a cellphone. However I had no issues with signal (Tmobile) and was able to keep track using pokemon go. Im sure there are other apps you can use like AllTrails.

Amazing hike, very rewarding. Spectacular views. Ribbons/ tags along trail to help you not to get lost. Challenging, with few small stops I made it to the summit in 2 hours and 15 minutes

I went to with a group and tracked our progress with an app. It took us 5 hours of hiking round-trip plus 1 hour of breaks. The view at the top was of nothing - that day had clouds reducing visibility to about 20 feet. Ill eventually do it again as the view should be fantastic.

Just be careful leaving your car there .They can brake the car windows to steal or vandalized it

Great trail, dont take the wrong path though

Awesome views. Went durong cloudy day so at the peak there was no visibility. The two boulders you have to climb arent very hard. Overall great hike. Climb is about 3900 feet. Took us about 3.5 hours total.

Thanks for the ribbon trail markers

Very rewarding and challenging hike, lots of elevation gain, and amazing views. Would only recommend it to experienced hikers/adventurers!

Its awesome. Need to see for self

Hard trail - take lots of water!!

Very tough, but the view is mediocre. Worth it if your reward is getting to the top

It was tough. Up. Up. Up.

Challenging course for me but worthy!

Very tough hike