Makiki Valley Trail in Honolulu, HI Hiking Guide

Makiki Valley Trail is a gorgeous hike on Hawaii’s Oahu Island near Honolulu. Only fifteen minutes outside the city, an easy and accessible pathway to nature. This well-marked trail winds through a forest and is known for its shady surroundings. The Makiki Valley Trail is located in a popular hiking area with beautiful scenery.

Difficulty

The Makiki Valley Trail is easy to moderate difficulty, and the incline may be challenging depending on your expertise and fitness level. The trail is known for getting muddy, which adds another factor to potential difficulty.

Distance

About 4 kilometers/2.5 miles

Trail Begins

The Makiki Valley Trail starting point is on Tantalus Drive in Honolulu. The trailhead begins across from the Tantalus Arboretum Trailhead. The Makiki Valley Trail is slightly shorter than the Makiki Valley Loop Trail, and they both begin about a mile away from each other, so be sure to start at the correct trailhead.

To Bring

Make sure you bring bug spray; this is a tropical area, and where there is standing water and humidity, there are mosquitos and usually flies.

This area gets a lot of rain, so you will likely encounter muddy areas. There are quite a few stones and roots on this trail, but these can provide traction against the slippery mud. Bring shoes you know will give you proper grip on the trail—plenty of deep treads and ankle support.

Reviews

Most hikers who have traversed the Makiki Valley Trail enjoyed the hike. They report amazing sounds of nature all around them, vines and old-growth trees, fruits hanging down, and being immersed in a green, natural world.

One reviewer said that if you bring your dog, expect them to be covered in mud and completely filthy by the end of the trail, and you should expect to get a bit muddy yourself as well.

Many families report that the hike was moderate enough for their children to enjoy, and they would go back again.

Pets

Dogs are allowed on the trail, but they must be on a leash.

Fees

This trail is free.

Hiking Time

You can draw out this hike to last all morning or afternoon if you take it at a leisurely pace and frequently stop to admire the natural scenery. The average completion rate for the Makiki Valley Trail is about an hour and a half to an hour, 45 minutes.

Best Seasons

This trail is great all year round but keep an eye on the Hawaii government website to see if there are any trail closures due to inclement weather conditions.