Diamond Head State Monument
- Rosemari
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Diamond Head State Monument
Sweating, sunshine, awesome view and perserverence…
If you’re a hiker, enjoy toning your leg muscles and enjoy the beautiful scenes that Nature can present then Diamond Head on the island of Oahu, Hawaii is the hiking trail for you and your partner/friend.
Diamond Head is named after Western explorers mistook crystals in the rocks for diamonds.
There is a entrance fee if you drive right into the base of the park. I believe it is $5.00. If you park across the street and enter by foot (through the Kahala Tunnel), it’s only a $1.00/person and it’s a great warm-up!
It’s a 1.3km hike on semi-paved trail. So please, unlike some tourists, please wear runners or hikers and not high heels. Yes, there are some fashionistas that should be put into the record books for doing a hike like that in heels!
There are 2 sets of steep stairs (1st set has 74 steps and 2nd set 99 steps) so take a break and go up at your own pace. I had a burst of energy so I went up quite quickly, but remember to pace yourself.
At the summit you can purchase a certificate (for $1.00) to say you made it to the top. Climb through the crack of the look-out point and be presented with an amazing view of the Pacific ocean and the coastline of Waikiki. It’s an ideal place to get those great postcard pictures of the Waikiki area. Use your flash because you’ll get better pictures! It can be a little crowded so be sure to find a place to stand/sit and take a break. Congratulate yourself/partner!
Take in the beautiful view and have a picnic! You deserve it!
Remember:
-hikers or runners
-water
-sunsreen for sure!!!
-Hat
-knapsack with snacks
From journal Oahu, Hawaii: The Way to Make Memories Happen...
Editor Pick
Diamond Head State Monument
- October 22, 2007
- Rated 5 of 5 by
RoBoNC from Indianapolis, Indiana
If you want to get a great view of the island of Oahu and the pristine blue waters surrounding it, try hiking to the top of Diamond Head State Monument. The monument is the most recognized landmark in Hawaii and has been designated a National Natural Landmark. Diamond Head was formed from a single eruption creating a saucer shaped crater that covers 350 acres. The width of the crater is greater than the height of the mountain. To this day, it is an excellent example of a tuff cone.
Because of the panoramic view of the island, the federal government purchased it and designated it for military use. The military began to build tunnels and gun emplacements at the top of the crater to protect the island. When the military left the crater, it was converted to a state monument for the public to experience the natural wonder and absorb the beautiful views of Waikiki and the surrounding areas.
Diamond Head is about a fifteen minute drive from Waikiki and Diamond Head Road leads you through the Kahala Tunnel to the parking area where your visit will begin. Before you start on the hike to the top of the summit, bring water, a flashlight for the unlit tunnels, and most importantly, comfortable shoes. My first visit to the top of Diamond Head was done in sandals which I learned very quickly never to do again. The information center is located at the start of the trail where bathrooms and drink machines are located for your convenience. The first part of the trail is on a concrete surface which was installed to reduce erosion and leads to the dirt portion of the trail. The dirt trail maintains the same alignment as in 1908 when the military formed the trail leading to the top of the summit. There are numerous switchbacks on the trail and do not attempt to take shortcuts or climb the side of the mountain as falling rocks are common.
From the first lookout, you approach the first stairway which contains 74 steps that leads to the first tunnel. The tunnel is 225 feet long and unlit. At the end of the tunnel begins the second stairway consisting of 99 steps, which I nicknamed “Stairway to Heaven.” After climbing the 99 steps, you enter the Fire Control Station which once housed the observation equipment for Fort DeRussy. There is a spiral staircase which leads to the exterior of the crater. There are 54 more steps which lead to the summit of the crater. From the summit of the crater, you can see all of Waikiki and Honolulu.
The hike is 1.6 miles roundtrip and 560 feet in elevation from the parking lot to the summit. The weather here is always hot and humid so dress appropriately. The hike takes about 1 ½ to 2 hours. The gates open at 6am and close at 6pm. Make sure that you do not get locked in as you may be camping out.
From journal Oahu - The Gathering Place
Diamond Head
- August 13, 2007
- Rated 4 of 5 by
Phil P from Bronx, New York
One morning, we decided to take the 45 minute (each way) hike up to the top of Diamond Head Crater. We parked the car for $5 at the entrance on Diamond Head Road and started to walk. The early part of the walk is a winding dirt path up the side of the mountain. The walk is not that steep but your are going in a constant incline so you may want to stop a few times on the way up.
There are two steep staircases towards the top as well as some narrow corridors through the rock itself but the view at the top is completely worth it. You can see all of Honolulu and Waikiki Beach on one side and Koko Crater, which is 9 miles away.
Our guidebook said you gain about 600 feet over 1 mile and the crater is about 761 feet tall.
We saw people of all ages there. Get there early to avoid the heat; we got there are around 9am and there were lots of people there already, and bring plenty of water, a hat and hiking shoes. The path is not smooth and some of the people hiking in flip flops were having some difficulty.
It was well worth the morning we spent.
From journal Hawaii in Style
Editor Pick
Diamond Head State Monument
When I’m on vacation, I’m not much for physical activity. On this trip to Oahu, I felt it was time to change that by hiking up Diamond Head. Diamond Head State Monument provides a backdrop to Waikiki scenery. As such, we drove for about 15 minutes to the Diamond Head parking lot. Get there early for parking and for cooler temperatures. Gates open from 6am to 6pm. If you cannot find parking in the lot, you have to exit the tunnel, park outside of the crater’s rim, and walk back about 10 minutes to the start of the trail.
A refreshment truck, at the beginning of the trail, sells drinks and shave ice at inflated prices. Bring plenty of your own water. I drank practically 64 ounces on the hike alone. Bathrooms are found at the trail’s start.
The trail begins on a gently sloping, paved walkway, with trees providing spotty shade. After about 15 minutes, the walkway gives way to a dirt path. At this point, the incline grows and rails appear to mark the edge of the trail. Some of the steps are steep and with the rocks, your footing must be sure. Hats and loose articles should be safely secured, lest you have to retrace your steps.
After about an hour of climbing, we came to a lookout point that allowed us to catch a glimpse of the view. I needed this motivation to help me tackle the toughest part of the ascent: the 99 steps.
We arrived at a seemingly endless stairway. I craned my neck to see a dark hole at the top. Not much for motivation. Our friends ran all the way up. I, fully aware of my physical limitations, took a deep breath and plodded along at a slow but steady pace. When I felt the lactic acid burn in my thighs, I rested.
At the top, our eyes had to adjust to an almost pitch-black tunnel, with dim lighting near the feet. We had a flashlight with us but it had not rained in a while and I did not encounter any surprise puddles. Use the flashlight to ward against any unwelcome surprises.
Once we reached the end of the tunnel, a spiral staircase greeted us. We climbed the staircase to the pillbox. A man selling $5 commemoration certificates sat at a small desk. But we had not yet reached the summit. We carefully climbed a small ladder and climbed out the pillbox hold on our hands and knees. The view that greeted us stunned us into silence. Don’t stop there, continue on the path and up the stairs to the observation deck at the highest point of the crater’s rim. I cannot adequately describe the view so please let our pictures do the talking.
After the hour trek back to the car, the exhaustion kicked in but I could honestly check off “hiking” from my vacation list of things to do. What an accomplishment!
From journal A Haole Hanging in Oahu...With Locals
Editor Pick
Diamond Head State Monument
- May 14, 2007
- Rated 5 of 5 by
britalo from Salt Lake City, Utah
On our first morning on Oahu we took advantage of the 3 hour time difference and woke up early to hike Diamond Head before sunrise.
I looked up the sunrise schedule before we got to Hawaii and we made sure to give ourselves enough time to hike to the top before the sunrise. The hike was not too difficult (we rarely hike) but there were a lot of stairs! The trail is paved and there are handrails were the stairs are.
The very top was already crowded when we got up there, but we were able to see the sun come up over some other islands. There was a guided tour group and we stopped to listen for a few minutes to the guide talk about the views from the top.
Definitely take a water bottle with you. It was warm and it took a ton of energy climbing up all the stairs. I would highly suggest doing this hike just before dawn. It isn't too dark and you can take a flashlight if you go especially early. The surrounding area is beautiful and you'll see birds and the local plant life.
From journal Oahu for Two