Hiking In Hawaii: Crouching Lion Hike

Ready to go hiking in Hawaii? The Crouching Lion hike on Oahu is not for the faint of heart, but the views are worth it!

If you’re familiar with hiking in Hawaii, particularly Oahu, it’s all about finding the best places to snap a good photo of the island and it’s just an added extra bonus if you get in a good sweat, too.

We have lived here nearly 10 years and had never done the Crouching Lion hike, which people rave about, and I really don’t have any idea why we waited so long. Actually, I do. I was pretty nervous, because you hear quite a few horror stories about the hike.

If you’re interested in conquering the Crouching Lion hike on Oahu, here’s what you need to know…

Crouching Lion Hike

We parked on the side of the road (you’ll see where other cars are parked) and made our way to the far side of the trail. I wanted to take the path of least resistance and friends had told us that the far side was the quickest and easiest. 

Almost immediately, I realized this hike was going to test me mentally and physically, it’s pretty much a straight shot up. We passed quite a few people who had dust and mud up and down their legs and said “it’s much harder going down!”

Oahu Hikes

Honestly, there were a few times I wanted to quit, but I kept going, grabbing foot and hand holds on tree roots, branches, and the sporadic portions where there is rope to hold. I did stop a few times for water breaks and to snap pictures of the view.

There is a portion near the final push where you can stop and take in the panoramic views, and if you’re not super adventurous, you still get wonderful visuals of Oahu from here.

We kept going, because Dane is really good at pushing me toward the top. If I was by myself I probably would have stopped here, LOL

My fear of heights almost got the best of my on the last push, but oh my goodness, the top is TOTALLY worth it!

Crouching Lion Hawaii

I would say in all – up, down, and spending time at the top – the hike took us around two hours. We did spend a fair amount of time at the top and I’m glad we did. The views are some of the best on the entire island! If you love hiking and aren’t afraid to get a little dirty (I fell quite a bit on the way down – just lots of dusty trails with little grip), this one is definitely worth it!

If you enjoyed this post, you might also like Ehukai Pillbox Hike or Pink Pillbox Hike