Hiking Diamond Head in Hawaii

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It’s the reward for hiking Diamond Head State Monument. An awe-inspiring view. The blue water stretches to infinity. A woman lines a group of tween boys against the railing. She works to catch her breath as she exclaims,

“Wow, what a hike! Are you guys tired?”

One of the boy’s, eyes sparkling with wonder, replies,

“Tired? Who could be tired with views like this?”

I put a mark on my list of things that make me feel hope for the world.

Same young man. I feel the same.

Reservations/Parking

Diamond Head State Monument, located on the Island of Oahu, is one of Hawaii’s most popular tourist attractions. Conveniently located just outside of Waikiki, people visit Diamond Head for the views, the physical challenge, and the history. Because of the site’s popularity, the Diamond Head Summit Trail can become jam-packed. To ensure every State Park visitor has a good experience, the park requires a reservation. For reservations…

-Book on Diamond Head State Monument’s Official Website

-Reservations can be made 30 days in advance. No sooner. It is highly recommended that you know the day you want to visit and book on the website at the exact 30 day date, especially during high tourist months. Reservations often sell out.

-If you plan on driving to Diamond Head, you must also make a parking reservation. We chose to take a ride-share, to minimize any driving/parking hassles.

-There is a minimal fee for hiking and parking.

-When you make your hiking/parking reservation, you are asked to choose an arrival time. This is to meter the amount of visitors occupying the hiking trail throughout the day. Once you are on the trail, there is no time limit. It’s recommended to choose an early time if available, as the weather gets hot in the afternoon.

-You MUST arrive within 30 minutes of your reservation or your hiking spot is forfeited. The Waikiki area is notorious for slow traffic and traffic jams. Give yourself plenty of time to get to the site and park if you are driving.

If you are early, there is a small Visitors’ Center/ gift kiosk, and the official sign to get a picture with.

The Hike

I’m nervous before hiking Diamond Head National Monument. Diamond Head is a crater. The goal of the site is to hike to the very top. This involves a lot of inclines, my Pulmonary Hypertension nemesis.

Restroom and Water

Before you start hiking Diamond Head, make sure you are prepared. The ONLY restrooms are located at the Visitors’ Center at the start of the trail. There are no restrooms on the trail or at the top. There is also a water bottle filling station at the start of the trail.

The Trail

The beginning of the trail is flat, then slowly turns into inclines.

The hike is easier than I expected. The path is paved and the inclines aren’t super steep.

If you need a rest, there are plenty of places to sit and take in the views. There are no places that provide food at Diamond Head, so pack some snacks to help you reenergize.

While hiking Diamond Head you will encounter a magnificent look-out. The nature is spectacular. Every visitor wants that amazing picture. All of the tourists queue up politely, to take their turn at the overlook.

There is kindness in abundance as visitors are more than happy to snap photos of the person/people ahead of them or behind them.

The steepest Diamond Head areas, utilize stairs.

The most infamous is the 99 Stairs. At one point during the hike you have the choice of walking up the 99 stairs, or turning left, to take the gentler, loop trail.

I know my Pulmonary Hypertension limitations. I would not survive 99 stairs up. We turn left.

Not wanting to miss out on the 99 stairs experience, we use this route to descend the crater.

There are several, dark, tunnels, to traverse, in order to reach the top.

Though many people occupy the trail, the tunnels are never jammed.

The Top

The top is crowded. This is the goal after all. Get to the top.

Visitors scramble to claim a spot at the railing. The view is amazing.

The top of the crater is organized into levels. Like the beautiful outlook area, at the very tippy top, people form an orderly queue, wanting to ensure they document this hiking achievement. I feel proud and accomplished.

Being a former military fort (Fort Ruger) hiking Diamond Head includes a military bunker/radar station to explore.

Diamond Head’s website states that the hike takes approximately 2 hours. 1 hour up and 1 hour back. We anticipate that the hike will take longer, as I have to hike at a slower pace and take extra rest breaks. Our desire is to not take hiking Diamond Head for granted. The views are spectacular. We want to soak up the beauty. Time is taken to wait for great picture opportunities, and to refuel with snacks. Our outing, including a ride-share to and from, took about 4 hours.

When visiting Waikiki, you want to fit as many activities as possible into your day. If you reserve an early morning Diamond Head hike, then line up another activity in the afternoon, you may not be able to spend as much time stopping for photo ops and admiring the view at the top. You may have to rush your way down the crater to keep on schedule (we witness this several times on our leisurely stroll down). We made hiking Diamond Head our only planned activity of the day. After the hike, we relax at the hotel, then venture out for dinner and some shave ice in Waikiki. It’s a perfect day.

Conclusion

Hiking Diamond Head State Monument, on Oahu, in Hawaii, is hailed as one of Hawaii’s must-do activities. We witness people of all ages and physical abilities, enjoying the hike. You know you. If you hate physical activity, hiking, and know you will experience nothing but misery, don’t feel pressured to visit Diamond Head. Even with my Pulmonary Hypertension, physical limitations, I feel the hike is easy and doable. Thanks to the timed reservations, there is a steady flow of people on the trails, but it’s never mobbed. Securing an early morning reservation and having unlimited time, are keys to making Diamond Head a satisfying experience. I can’t argue with the collective, it is an Oahu, Hawaii, must-do.