
You’ll need a 4-wheel drive truck to get to the trailhead for this hike.

Hike for 3.5 miles along a well maintained trail that’s cut into the side of the mountain (see top left section of photo).

Hiking the Poamoho Trail with Josh Serrano, Kaleo Lancaster, Nate Yuen and Ryan Chang. Oahu, Hawaii.
In a short while you’re at the summit looking at this. (Pictured above: Josh Serrano.)
The Poamoho Trail is part of the “Na Ala Hele” Hawaii Trail & Access System. That means it is a state sanctioned trail, maintained by the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) and open to the public. You do need a permit to hike this trail though, but obtaining one is an easy task. You can learn about how to get a permit here.
Starting in Wahiawa (Central Oahu), you drive in 6 miles to the trailhead. The Poamoho Trail takes you up to a peak on the Kooloau Mountains where you’ll be treated to a massive panoramic view of the east side of Oahu.
If you talk to any avid hiker in Hawaii and mention the name Poamoho, they will usually pause and then talk about the trail with glowing praise. It’s no exaggeration. The whole experience, starting from the drive along the dirt road up to the approach to the summit, makes for a great day of getting in touch with nature. But, here’s the catch: you gotta go when the summit is clear. And in this particular part of the island, that can be a total crap shoot.













