Stairway to Heaven (Haiku Stairs) Back Way

DISCLAIMER:  The trail and activity descriptions are given to display the beauty of Hawaii. This information is not a recommendation to attempt the trail or activity.  The writer and is not in any way responsible for accidents, injuries, rescues, inconvenience, or loss of life by anyone attempting any of the hikes or activities on this website. It is the responsibility of the reader to use common sense and good judgment by interpreting and using the information to safely enjoy any outdoor activities. Hiking and any outdoor activity can be dangerous and has many potential hazards. It is up to each individual to know their limits, abilities and level of expertise before attempting any outdoor activity.

Stairway to Heaven also known as Haiku Stairs is the most prestigious hike on Oahu, both for it's difficulty and for the rewarding views it offers. I have hiked this multiple times from the front, but recently (in the past 6 months) there has been many citations and court dates issued to those caught trying to go up the front. For the first time this past weekend I went up and down the back side of stairway to heaven which is completely legal. However the back hike is long (Almost 11 miles) up and down and it is also an unsanctioned trail, meaning that the government does not maintain it nor do they take responsibility for any injuries that take place. The hike took me 6 and a half hours total to hike. (7 counting the hour I spent at the top).  If you plan on doing this I would devote an entire day to it and start early, as hiking along the ridgeline can get very hot in the middle of the day. With that being said I would also check the weather and make sure to attempt the hike on a day it is not raining. Ideally you don't want to go after a rainy day either because the trail will get very muddy and slippery.

The hike begins at Moanalua Valley Park. There is a small 12 car parking lot at the park and a lot of street parking outside the park as well. I parked outside the lot and my car was perfectly fine when I came back.

Once you park you want to make your way up the path way of the park and to the right where you will begin the hike at this gate. Continue on the path by going through the bars. (Make sure to use the bathroom at the park because there are no other bathrooms on the trail after you start!)

Once you go through this gate you will find yourself on a wide gravel trail. You will continue on this path for almost 3 miles. For the most part the 3 miles are completely flat and simply winds back and forth bringing you deeper and deeper into the valley. This first flat part of the hike took my sister and I about an hour to complete. Luckily for us, the trail was almost completely dry the entire time making it easier and faster to go through.

Wide Path

First Bridge of Many during the first 3 miles

During these first 3 miles there will be many split paths however they always meet up within the next 20-30 feet so don't be worried about choosing one or the other. There are also many small bridges you will walk over/under. These are some photos of the first 3 miles of the hike.

Stream crossing

After you hike in about 3 miles you will come across a sign on your left that says Kulanaahana Trail. DO NOT TAKE THIS TRAIL. Instead, look just a couple steps farther down the trail (About 10-20 feet further from the sign) and you will see a clearing on the left hand side that will immediately take you across a stream. THIS IS THE PATH you want to take. This is also where the cardio really kicks in. The elevation from this point on will be intense. So take your time, take breaks as needed and bring plenty of water.




Once you are on the path, stairway to heaven is just 2.5 miles away. Although it seems twice as long with the incline. Stay on this path for the rest of the trail and be careful where you step as you get higher and higher because land slides are common. These photos display some of the first things you will see after crossing the stream.

Halfway up Boulder

Once you reach a huge boulder on the edge of a cliff you are about half way through with the incline (You won't miss it). And this is when the huge rope sections really come into play. There are a total of about 5-7 rope sections. But the most intense one is near the end of the trail. For this section I would definitely recommend hiking shoes or shoes with good traction and gloves so you don't get rope burns. I had nike frees and my sister had mizuno running shoes on which made hiking this part extremely difficult. We were slipping and sliding all over the place and had to climb up with all 4s to get to the top.

small rope section

Hardest rope climb of the hike

However once this climb is over you are in the clear. After about another half mile you will hit a clearing with different paths. Choose to go left towards the radio tower. This will bring you to the top of stairway to heaven. I had read on other blog posts that this part of the hike was the most muddy. However we did not encounter any mud when we went last weekend. Once we were on the stairs we ate our lunch, and went down the stairs a bit to take some photos. We also conversed with a couple other hikers that were at the top. 

The view was absolutely worth the hike. After about an hour or so at the top we headed back down the exact same way we came. The trip down took us about 3 and a half to 4 hours because the dirt was so slippery and hard to manage. Many times we found ourselves sliding down sections of the ridge because it felt safer than trying to walk.

Overall, if you are planning to hike this be very careful and aware of your abilities. Remember that anything you go up, you have to come down (which I think is the scarier part!). Much of the trail is no more than a shoulder width wide and the wind once on the ridge can make balance even more tricky. In comparison to other hikes on Oahu I would say it is probably the hardest I have done, simply due to the length and how slippery the loose dry dirt was. I have done olomana 3 peaks and pali notches and this hike is very similar (in the elevation, and width of the path) but it's much longer and easier to fall. Be safe, and happy adventuring!

(UPDATE 6/5/16: I just did this hike again recently after a couple days of rain and the trail was MUCH MUCH harder. It was run down by how many people use the trail now, and very very slippery. So much so that we had to turn around and wait for another day when the weather would be better. Coming down we had to slide on our stomachs and backs because it was too slippery to come down slopes on our feet. I can't stress enough how important it is to know your limits when hiking and not to be embarrassed about having to turn around. One of my sister's friends attempted the hike after it had rained recently and fell 40 feet. He ended up having to get air lifted out which cost him at least a couple thousand dollars. The view and the photo is not worth a serious injury or your life!)