• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

CommuniKait

A Hawaii Lifestyle Blog By Kait Hanson

  • Home
  • About Kait
  • Travel
    • Hawaii
    • USA
    • Around the World
  • Food
    • Eat
    • Drink
  • Lifestyle
    • Life
    • Pets
    • Fitness
    • Home
    • Beauty
    • Fashion
  • Work
    • Press
    • Let’s work Together
  • The Print Shop
  • Get In Touch
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

Hiking In Hawaii: What To Pack + Where To Go

Hawaii, Travel · February 29, 2016 · 6 Comments

 The longer we live in Hawaii, the more times I get asked — what’s your favorite hike? What do you pack? Where do I start? What are the best hikes in Hawaii? Can I come with you?! Admittedly, when we first got here, I felt the same way. I would always see cool pictures and then wonder…How the heck did they get up that mountain?! What is that place? For anyone who lives here, is moving here or coming for a visit — today’s post is for you. I’m sharing what you need to know about hiking in Hawaii, as well as what to pack for hiking in Hawaii and where you’ll want to go for hiking in Hawaii. I’m even sharing a great printable for the best Oahu hikes, so make sure you scroll all the way down! Now, let’s get started on hiking in Hawaii!
Hiking In Hawaii: What To Pack + Where To Go - Hiking In Hawaii - Best Hikes In Hawaii - Hawaii Hikes Oahu - Honolulu Hikes - Hawaii Hikes - Hawaii Hiking Trails - Best Hiking Spots In Hawaii - Best Trails In Hawaii - Best Hiking Trails In Hawaii - Communikait by Kait Hanson #oahu #honolulu #hawaii #hikinginhawaii

Hiking Hawaii: What To Pack & Where To Go

Hiking In Hawaii: What To Pack + Where To Go - Hiking In Hawaii - Best Hikes In Hawaii - Hawaii Hikes Oahu - Honolulu Hikes - Hawaii Hikes - Hawaii Hiking Trails - Best Hiking Spots In Hawaii - Best Trails In Hawaii - Best Hiking Trails In Hawaii - Communikait by Kait Hanson #oahu #honolulu #hawaii #hikinginhawaii

First things first, you’re going to need something to power you through whatever adventure you decide to go on. Admittedly, I have a huge sweet tooth, but candy and pure sugar just isn’t going to cut it for strenuous hiking and activities. When I discovered DOVE® Chocolate Fruit & Nut, I felt like I had won the jackpot. A better-for-you indulgence option, it satisfies my craving for something sweet, but aligns with my fitness and activity goals.
 
I like to keep homemade trail mix on hand at all times and with a few simple ingredients — you can, too! Head out to Walmart and grab DOVE® Dark Chocolate Blueberry & Vanilla Cashew.  I like the Blueberry and Vanilla Cashew the best, but they also come in Dark Chocolate Strawberry & Cocoa Almond or Dark Chocolate Raspberry & Honey Roasted Almond. If you don’t already have it in your pantry, grab some granola, your favorite crunchy cereal and dates, too!
Once home, mix one cup granola, one cup cereal, the entire pouch of DOVE® Dark Chocolate Blueberry & Vanilla Cashew and half a cup of pitted dates. I love this ingredient combination — sweet, salty and crunchy! When your mix is to your liking, seal it in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator (especially if you live in a warm climate!).
 
While you’re in prep mode, be sure to also have a water bottle, sunscreen, comfy sneakers (or hiking shoes depending on what type of hike you’ll be conquering), a light-colored hat and a backpack to put everything in! Below are the exact items I swear by 🙂

Best Oahu Hikes - Hikes In Hawaii - Where to Hike in Hawaii - Best Hikes On Oahu - How To Hike In Hawaii - Hawaii Itinerary - Oahu Itinerary - Activities on Oahu - Free Stuff To Do On Oahu - Free Stuff To Do Hawaii - What To Pack For Hiking In Hawaii - Hiking In Hawaii: What To Pack + Where To Go - Hiking In Hawaii - Best Hikes In Hawaii - Hawaii Hikes Oahu - Honolulu Hikes - Hawaii Hikes - Hawaii Hiking Trails - Best Hiking Spots In Hawaii - Best Trails In Hawaii - Best Hiking Trails In Hawaii - Communikait by Kait Hanson #oahu #honolulu #hawaii #hikinginhawaii

Sneakers | Hydro Flask | Hat | Sunscreen | Backpack

I will be totally honest – some of my favorite hikes on Oahu have been the ones we have just stumbled upon by starting on a path and continuing on. Others are ones that have come highly recommended by fellow hikers and adrenaline junkies. My top 5 hikes* (in no particular order) are:

Best Oahu Hikes - Hikes In Hawaii - Where to Hike in Hawaii - Best Hikes On Oahu - How To Hike In Hawaii - Hawaii Itinerary - Oahu Itinerary - Activities on Oahu - Free Stuff To Do On Oahu - Free Stuff To Do Hawaii - What To Pack For Hiking In Hawaii - Hiking In Hawaii: What To Pack + Where To Go - Hiking In Hawaii - Best Hikes In Hawaii - Hawaii Hikes Oahu - Honolulu Hikes - Hawaii Hikes - Hawaii Hiking Trails - Best Hiking Spots In Hawaii - Best Trails In Hawaii - Best Hiking Trails In Hawaii - Communikait by Kait Hanson #oahu #honolulu #hawaii #hikinginhawaii

Lanikai Pillboxes – The perfect sweat sesh, this one is best conquered early in the morning so you can watch the sun rise on the East side of the Oahu. (Dependent upon how many pillboxes you visit ~2 miles roundtrip)

Best Oahu Hikes - Hikes In Hawaii - Where to Hike in Hawaii - Best Hikes On Oahu - How To Hike In Hawaii - Hawaii Itinerary - Oahu Itinerary - Activities on Oahu - Free Stuff To Do On Oahu - Free Stuff To Do Hawaii - What To Pack For Hiking In Hawaii - Hiking In Hawaii: What To Pack + Where To Go - Hiking In Hawaii - Best Hikes In Hawaii - Hawaii Hikes Oahu - Honolulu Hikes - Hawaii Hikes - Hawaii Hiking Trails - Best Hiking Spots In Hawaii - Best Trails In Hawaii - Best Hiking Trails In Hawaii - Communikait by Kait Hanson #oahu #honolulu #hawaii #hikinginhawaii

Diamondhead – A classic never goes out of style! And the perfect view at the top of Honolulu isn’t bad either 😉 (1.6 miles roundtrip)

Kokohead Crater – Nature’s stairmaster! 1,000+ steps to the top, you will be greeted with an amazing view of Hanauma Bay and you’ll have gotten your workout in for the day! (1.5 miles roundtrip)

La’ie Falls – This one requires a permit and it might be a bit muddy, but the pristine waterfall at the end is 100% worth it! (7 miles roundtrip)

Makapu’u Ridge – If you’re seeking ocean views of Hawaii Kai, this is the hike for you! Start at the lighthouse and work your way toward Waimanalo. This is a one way hike, so be sure to have someone to pick you up and take you back to the lookout lot! (5.1 miles one way)

   *It’s very important to note that some of these hikes are dangerous and everyone’s skill levels are different. Do your research before leaving home and never attempt a hike without proper gear.

We just got new neighbors next door and when she mentioned she loved hiking, I knew the perfect little welcoming gift. I whipped up some trail mix and created a print off of all our favorite hikes for her and her husband to enjoy and reference. She told me last weekend they’ve already conquered a few! I’m so happy I was able to share my love of adventure (and snacking!) with someone new to Hawaii.

Best Oahu Hikes - Hikes In Hawaii - Where to Hike in Hawaii - Best Hikes On Oahu - How To Hike In Hawaii - Hawaii Itinerary - Oahu Itinerary - Activities on Oahu - Free Stuff To Do On Oahu - Free Stuff To Do Hawaii - What To Pack For Hiking In Hawaii - Hiking In Hawaii: What To Pack + Where To Go - Hiking In Hawaii - Best Hikes In Hawaii - Hawaii Hikes Oahu - Honolulu Hikes - Hawaii Hikes - Hawaii Hiking Trails - Best Hiking Spots In Hawaii - Best Trails In Hawaii - Best Hiking Trails In Hawaii - Communikait by Kait Hanson #oahu #honolulu #hawaii #hikinginhawaii

Also, please note an error in the above graphic, Pele is the Fire Goddess.

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy: The Ultimate Activity List For Oahu, 6 Easy Hikes On Oahu, or The Ultimate Hotel Guide For Oahu

Related Posts

  • Hiking In Hawaii: Ehukai Pillbox Hike- Oahu Hikes - Easy Oahu Hikes - Oahu Hikes For Families - North Shore Pillboxes - Ehukai Pillbox Hikes - North Shore Oahu Hikes - Quick Oahu Hikes - Beautiful Hawaii Hikes - #hawaii #oahu #travelblogHiking In Hawaii: Ehukai Pillbox Hike
  • Hiking In Hawaii: Kaena Point - Kaena Point Hike - Kaena Point State Park - Kaena Point North Shore - Kaena Point West Side - Oahu Hikes - Easy Oahu Hikes - Kaena Point Easy Hike - Kaena Point Trail - Hawaiian Monk Seal - How Long Is Kaena Point Hike - Kaena Point Hike Oahu - #oahu #hawaii #travelblogHiking In Hawaii: Kaena Point
  • BEST FREE THINGS TO DO IN HAWAII | Free Hawaii Activities - What to do on Oahu for free - Free Activities on Oahu - Hawaii activities for free - Oahu vacation tips - Hawaii travel tips - #hawaii - Free things to do on Kauai - Free Things To Do On Big Island - Free Things To Do on Maui - Free Things to do on Lanai - #oahu #maui #hawaii #kauai #lanai #travelblogBest Free Activities In Hawaii
« Secret Costco Hacks That Will Save You Money
Our Weekend + Best Of The Internet »

Primary Sidebar

Let's get this party started
I'm Kait, the creative behind Communikait, a Hawaiian lifestyle blog packed with loads of color and designed to inspire you to live your very best life. Whether you've come for recipes, travel ideas, photos of Hawaii or to simply say hello - I'm glad you're here!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to Communikait + receive notifications of new posts by email!

Join 46 other subscribers

Wayfair Homemakers

Drizly


THE FINE PRINT

Posts may contain affiliate links to help support my blogging activities. Cost will be the same to you, but I receive a small compensation. For more information, view my Privacy Policy. Thank you in advance for your support!

Top Posts

The Official Guide To Target Swimwear 2019

Best Free Activities In Hawaii

6 Reasons Why Chacos Should Be Your Next Shoe Purchase

Ultimate List Of 50+ Psychological Thrillers To Read

Travel Accessories I Actually Use

Footer

  • Walking down these steps + into the weekend ✌🏼🌊
  • We’ve lived in our current rental house for a year and a half and I kept saying “I’m not even going to bother decorating, we will probably just move again” (hello 6 moves in 7 years 🤦🏻‍♀️) I’ll be honest - the beige walls were completely uninspiring and I was bitter about losing all the natural light that came with the house we owned 🤷🏻‍♀️ But a switch flipped at the beginning of 2019 and I’ve been intentionally decorating our space and making it ours ever since. I re-hung my Instagram wall, adding in some updates snaps from around Oahu that definitely brighten up the room and created a grid style gallery that makes me smile as soon as I walk in the door. The last room to conquer was our living room (arguably the place we spend the most time!) and I just wanted it to be a cozy space that felt happy. 
This weekend we hung the mantel and tonight, Dane and I put the finishing touches on photos — a testament to all of the love in our life. From the letters we wrote to each other while he was in Ranger School to grandparents who have left us, and all the family and friends in between, it’s hard not to look around and smile. Mission: Accomplished 💜
  • What would you do if the only limitations you had were the ones you put on yourself? 💫
  • You’re all I need, my love, my Valentine ❤️
  • Not sure if it’s the cloudy weather or just staring at electronics for too long, but I’ve been feeling like I’m in a bit of a creative rut lately. Anyone else? 🙇🏻‍♀️ Took some time yesterday + today to get outside and then poured over photo drives that have been sitting on my desk collecting dust for far too long. I love this sweet family (or pack of friends?!) of rays from Tahiti and the way the blues melt into each other 🌊
  • We’ve got everything we need right here + everything we need is enough 💜 | 📸: @itsbalde

FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM

CommuniKait © 2019 · BRANDING BY HARPER MAVEN DESIGN · Website by 259 West