Trails near Kailua

March 12, 2009 1:46 PM

What are some good hikes or trails nearby Kailua Hawaii?

I'm in Kailua staying with relatives until Sunday and (before I fly over to Hilo) and am looking for some short (2-3 mile) hikes or trails to jog. Open to any recommendations, and I have access to a car.

I will also be here again with my girlfriend when I fly back from Hilo for about 4 days.

posted by Jsn7821 to travel & transportation (10 comments total)

Maunawili Falls is a nice easy one.
posted by ldenneau at 2:04 PM on March 12

Do you mean Kailua-Kona, or Kailua Oahu?
posted by Danf at 2:41 PM on March 12

If you are on Oahu I will second Maunawili Falls.

If you are up for a challenge my sister said the Stairway to Heaven was awesome. By challenging I mean that you have to be there before dawn so the guard doesn't catch you and have someone drop you off because it is technically not open (feel free to memail me if you want more details).
posted by silkygreenbelly at 3:57 PM on March 12

(Although the Stairway to Heaven might not be precisely "joggable" Maunawili Falls probably is and has the added bonus of a refreshing swim)
posted by silkygreenbelly at 4:00 PM on March 12

He must mean Kailua Oahu, since it'd be kind of silly to fly from Kailua-Kona to Hilo. Right?

I do assume, if you're into hiking and such, you'll be hiking out to see the lava entering the ocean? That's a short drive from Hilo, and is a must-do.
posted by MrMoonPie at 4:59 PM on March 12

There are some bunkers left over from WWII in the hills above Lanikai that you can hike up to. Round-trip is about an hour at an easy pace. Link. I did this last week and it was really nice. Pretty easy, but steep so it's not really joggable.
posted by number9dream at 5:55 PM on March 12

The place lots of locals go is called Pillboxes. Parts are too steep for running, but it is worth the climb. Map to the trailhead here. It looks sort of like a vegetation tunnel the first 50 yards or so. From the pillboxes at the top you can see other trails that carry on for a ways.

I was beat on preview! :)
posted by procrastination at 6:01 PM on March 12

Awesome. Maunawili falls was really nice. I am going to do Lanikai Bunkers tomorrow morning and that stairway looks sweet. Thanks for the recommendations and links!

And to clarify I am on Oahu. Suggestions for Hilo are welcome too, since I will be there for a few weeks.

Also, may as well ask: are there any good bouldering or rock climbing areas around here?
posted by Jsn7821 at 7:59 PM on March 12

Stairway to Heaven is closed, unfortunately. But if you're into challenging hikes with incredible views, try Olomana. Also worth checking out, the Pali Lookout which has access to a brief, walkable bit of the old Pali Highway. There's also a nice, longer hike which leads from the turnout on the Pali (Kailua bound) all the way to Waimanalo.
posted by zanni at 11:58 PM on March 12

Pill boxes was awesome. Bonus points since I was able to jog there from the house. Today was a beautiful day too, blue skies.
posted by Jsn7821 at 1:09 PM on March 13