A Complete Guide to the Lanikai Pillbox Hike on Oahu [2024]

ARE YOU LOOKING TO HIKE TO THE LANIKAI PILLBOX? 

You’ve come to the right place! We have been visiting Oahu for the last nine years and have spent many months on the island. We found the Lanikai Pillbox hike great for families as well as couples looking for great views and for a hike that isn’t too challenging. 

I was pregnant with our twins the first time we hiked the Ka’iwa Ridge (Lanikai Pillbox) trail. While I was tired by the time we made it to the top, we made it! Along the way, we saw lots of families and groups of adults along the trail. Plus, we love the view of beautiful Lanikai Beach from the top.

This hike is especially spectacular during sunrise. If you’re still adjusting to the time change from the mainland, hiking earlier in the morning isn’t too hard. You will beat the heat and will have an easier time finding parking.

Hike Stats

Length: 1.6 miles
Elevation Gain: 610 feet
Difficulty: Moderate to Hard
Route Type: Out & Back
Hiking Time: 45 minutes to 100 minutes
Pet-Friendly: Yes, on a leash
Reservations: No

Our Experience Hiking to the Lanikai Pillbox via Ka’iwa Ridge

We really enjoyed this hike. The highlight for us was definitely the amazing views of the beach and ocean below. Lanikai Beach is beautiful, and if you have time, you should definitely visit it after your hike. 

Many other sources classify this as one of the “easiest hikes on Oahu.” I wouldn’t really call this an easy hike because of the large elevation gain. It is a totally doable hike, but if you are looking for something “easy” and more of a walk, this probably isn’t it. It is one of the easier pillbox hikes on the island, though.

The most challenging part of the hike for us was parking. There are some strict parking rules about where you can park so be sure you are parked somewhere legal so you don’t get a ticket or towed. 

Insider Tip: The hiking trail is pretty much in full sun. ☀ If you are hiking on a warm or sunny day, it is important to be prepared with lots of water, sunscreen, and sun protection. 

If it has been raining, you may encounter some muddy areas at the beginning and end of the hike. The mud usually dries out pretty quickly because of the full sun but it is a possibility. The mud can make the trail slippery. You can also hike on the rockier side of the trail, which will help you gain traction during your hike. 

The last thing to be aware of on the trail that we found is some loose gravel. This gravel can make it a bit challenging to navigate if you don’t have shoes with good grip or you are hiking with young kids or less experienced hikers. 

We just hiked this in tennis shoes and Tevas and we were fine but hiking boots would definitely come in handy. Leave your flip-flops at home for this one! 

Hiking to the Lanikai Pillboxes is one of the most popular hikes on Oahu due to the short length of the hike and the beautiful ocean views. We didn’t mind sharing the trail with everyone but it is good to keep in mind that this is a popular hike and you won’t have the place to yourself. Also do your part to limit your trace along the trail.

How to Get to the Lanikai Pillbox Hike

The Lanikai Pillbox trailhead is about 40 minutes from Waikiki if you are driving. If you don’t have your own transportation, it will take about an hour from Waikiki on the bus. We always drive to the trailhead and think the drive is beautiful. You get to take a scenic drive through the mountains before reaching the coast. 

From Waikiki, you will take the H-1 to the Pali Highway, which is one of my favorite roads to drive on Oahu. It is so beautiful. Once you reach Kailua, your GPS should have no problem taking you directly to the trailhead or Kailua Beach Park, an easy place to park. 

The trailhead is just across from the Mid-Pacific Country Club. 

If you are getting there on the bus, you will want to take bus 20 and then transfer to bus 70 in Kailua. Your stop will be A’alapapa Drive.

Lanikai Pillbox Hike Parking

There is limited parking very close to the Lanikai Pillbox trailhead but there are certain restrictions around biking lanes, residential driveways, and fire hydrants. You’ll want to make sure that you are parked legally. 

Along Kaelepulu Drive, there are a few parking spots. There are more parking spots along Aalapapa Drive but there are restrictions here. Make sure you are off the road and not near a fire hydrant. This is where we usually park and then take the short walk to the trailhead.

There is a dirt path along Kaelepulu Drive to the left, which will take you to the trailhead. Follow this dirt path towards the Mid-Pacific Country Club.  

We can usually find parking close to the trailhead as long as we aren’t hiking during busy times. If you’re hiking in the morning during the week, you should be able to find a parking spot.

Parking at Kailua Beach Park is a great place to park if you haven’t found anything closer or aren’t comfortable knowing where you can or can’t park in Lanikai. There is usually plenty of parking here. However, parking here will add some distance to your hike. It will add about 0.75 miles each way. 

Hiking to the First Lanikai Pillbox

The trailhead for the Lanikai Pillbox is in a residential area on Ka’elepulu Drive. It is just between a couple of houses, so keep an eye out for this sign. 

The hike to the first pillbox is pretty much uphill. The steepest part of the trail is at the beginning. The steep section at the beginning is about 0.3 miles long. 

If it has been raining, the steep area can be muddy and slippery, so be careful. We didn’t find the uphill ascent to be too difficult but for younger hikers, they may need to take some additional breaks along the way. 

The trail is pretty much in full sun, so make sure to bring lots of water and try to hike during the cooler hours of the day. 

From the first pillbox, you can see Lanikai Beach as well as the famous Mokulua Islands, or “the Mokes,” off the coast. 

🕑 It took us about 25 minutes of hiking to reach the first pillbox. 

Reaching the Second Lanikai Pillbox

After you’ve reached the first pillbox, the second pillbox is just a few more minutes up the trail. It is about 0.1 miles past the first pillbox. The trail is relatively flat and is an easy walk with beautiful views of the east coast of the Island and the Pacific Ocean. 

The second pillbox is larger than the first one, with more space to spread out and enjoy the view. 

Most people will turn around and go back the way they came after reaching the second pillbox. 

You can continue hiking on Ka’iwa Ridge; however, the trail directions can get a little more confusing, and the trail will end somewhere else. If you parked your car near the trailhead, you will not end the hike at your vehicle.  

There is also a third pillbox along this route but it is pretty small and is just basically a chunk of cement. You can expect to find beautiful views of the Ka’iwa Ridge along the way, though. This is a great option if you want to extend your hike.

Things to Bring On Your Hike

• Water
• Sunscreen
• Hat
• Shoes with good grip
• Backpack
• Snacks
• Camera