This is a great hike that takes you up Diamond Head, and it features many steep pathways and about 280 steps. It is best to do this in the early morning, before it gets too hot. We started up at 8:30am and made it to the top in about a half-hour. The view at the top is fantastic and well worth the hike.

Diamond Head was named by English sailors who found calcite crystals in the rocks and thought they were diamonds (sorry, no diamonds here).

Bring plenty of water--I can't stress that enough. The temperature here is hotter than at the beach. The path is a dirt trail that is a series of switchbacks up the side of the mountain. At the halfway point, there is a concrete landing with some photo opportunites. It is here that you are fooled into thinking you have almost made it to the top. Then you encounter a steep staircase (74 steps), which leads into a 225-foot-long tunnel. Guess what--a second staircase with 99 steps is now facing you! You have almost made it! You will encounter a spiral staircase, and then you will have made it. You can get a certificate that shows you made it to the top! Gee, did I mention that you have to climb out what I remember to be a hole to actually see the view? Now you have the option to climb one more set of steps to get to the very top observation area. Yes, the views are incredible!

Link to the offical site to download a brochure:
http://www.hawaii.gov/dlnr/dsp/brochures/DiamondHeadSM.pdf

This is the one hike that all the tourists do, and I can't believe that's the case. I guess let's get the positives out of the way: people do it because there is a very nice view at the top. It's also very close to Waikiki, so it's convenient.

Okay, now let's get to the skinny.

Diamondhead is a big hill of dirt.

Yeah, yeah, it's a big sunken-in volcanic crater. But, honestly, it feels like you're hiking in L.A. There's almost nothing green on the hike - you're exposed to the sun almost the whole way. And you have to fight every tourist, their wife, and five kids to get to the top. And, once you're there to see the panoramic views of Waikiki and the southeast of Oahu, you're there alone with your thoughts and 100 other people snapping pictures, fighting for vantage points, and trying to keep their kids from jumping down.

If you give in to your inner tour guide and decide to do this hike, make sure you do it early in the morning when the crowds are thin and the sun is low. If you're the first one there and you race up to the top, then I would imagine the view all to yourself could be a highlight of the trip. But save yourself the disappointment, and take one of the million other gorgeous and less-crowded hikes on Oahu.

Breathtaking views of the south coastline, and all of Waikiki. It is a stiff walk, with a series of swithbacks. Definitely not for everyone, but well worth it if you can do it.

Diamond Head State Monument is a tuff cone formed by subterranean explosions thousands of years ago. Long ago, Hawaiians used the summit for human sacrifices. In 1908 the United States built the trail to the summit as part of the U.S. Army Coastal Artillery defense system. It was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1968. Now it is open to the public as a hike that ends in an amazing view.

If you take a bus there, it will drop you off near the tunnel going into the crater. If you drive in to the parking lot, there's a $5 day use/parking fee.

I rated the level of difficulty here as beginner because of the good paths and steps. But there are hundreds of steps near the top that will give your heart a real work out, so keep that in mind. There are also a couple of long dark tunnels. They suggest that you take a flash light with you. We didn't, and got along ok. There are hand rails to guide you through the tunnels. I did take a bottle of water, though, and am very glad I did. It seemed to be more humid here then down in Waikiki.

Once at the top, the views into the crater and towards Waikiki are amazing. If you plan to take pictures, I'd recommend going up there in the morning so you have better lighting.

Give yourself at least 1.5 hours to make the roundtrip hike! The park closed at 6 when we were there in Aug. I'm not sure how they know everyone is down, or if they just lock you in. We didn't wait to find out.

The first two times we went to Oahu, we didn't do this hike. I'm glad I finally got to. It was well worth the effort.