Stairway to Heaven (also known as The Haʻikū Stairs) is an extremely famous hike (and Instagram destination) in Oahu, Hawaii. The hike up the more than 3,000 steps (3,922 to be exact) has been illegal since 1987 due to injuries and illegal trespassing. However, there is still a way to visit the top of the stairs if you go the ‘back way’ which is considerably longer and more difficult. But the views at the top and along the way will make it all worth it (that and not getting a hefty $1000 fine!).
Disclaimer: Being on the stairs in any way is still illegal so tread at your own risk!
Contents
Hike Overview
Length: 10.5 miles round trip
Duration: This really depends on your hiking ability and fitness level. It took us 4 hours to get up and 4 hours to get down (this includes breaks).
Difficulty: Hard/Strenuous. There will be technical areas where you’ll need to pull yourself up with a rope so we recommend having gloves and spikes for your hiking shoes
Elevation Gain: ~3,000 ft gain
Parking: Free
Restrooms: Yes, located at the park
Admission Fee: No fee
What to Bring
This is a list of essential items that we brought with us on our hike:
-Water
-Snacks
-Hiking backpack
-Sunscreen
-Good hiking shoes and spikes
-Gloves
-Headlamp
-Portable charger in case your phone dies
-Camera!
Directions
You can park at the Moanalua Valley Neighborhood Park if you arrive after it opens or if you arrive before 7AM (like us), you’ll need to park on the street. Make sure to be quiet as you park as this is a residential area. The gate will be closed if you arrive before 7AM but you can go over or under it.
The Hike to Stairway to Heaven the Back Way
The entrance to the hike is at the park past the metal gate. For the first 3 miles, the road is relatively flat and there are no steep inclines or elevation gain yet. You technically don’t need a guide as the trail is easy to follow. There are several forks but they all lead the same way. However, we decided to go with a guide since we didn’t want to risk anything and he also took great pictures of us during the hike. If you are interested you can contact him on Instagram.
Once you see this sign, go towards the left.
You will cross a riverbed. If you go during the wet season, it might be filled with water so be prepared. Luckily for us, the weather was perfect when we did the hike and there was no water at all.
After the 3 miles, you’ll start to notice your heart beating faster and you’ll notice the elevation gain that just won’t stop. You’ll continue this elevation gain all the way to the top. There are about 3 areas where you’ll need to use some rope to help you up.
A good thing to keep in mind is that tree branches and roots are much more sturdy than anything else. Also, make sure to look around! The views helped distract us from the hike haha.
You’ll also cross a few ridge-lines which can be pretty narrow. Be extra careful it is windy that day.
When you see the radio tower, that means you are almost there!
Once we got to the top of the stairs, we took a break and refueled with water and snacks. We spent about 1.5 hours at the top taking pictures and Brea also got to fly her drone!
If you go down the stairs a little (at your own risk), the views will be even better. We found that the rails were pretty sturdy and so were the steps.
The views were surreal at the top. You are so high up you can see the city and the surrounding islands. The only other hike we did in Oahu with views like this was at Crouching Lion (although it isn’t really comparable to this one). When we were all rested and done taking photos, we made our way back down. I have to say that the hike down was harder than the hike up. It’s probably a mix of exhaustion and dehydration so make sure you pace yourselves!
When we got back to the hotel, we got a pineapple smoothie (well deserved) and made ourselves an ice bath for our feet – happy to cross this item off our bucket list.
