Diamond Head Summit Trail (Lēʻahi)

The walk starts at the car park on the crater floor of Diamond Head State Monument, reached through a road tunnel from Diamond Head Road. A concrete path crosses the crater floor, and the trail of 1908 climbs the inner wall in switchbacks to a lookout. A stairway of 74 steps leads to a lit tunnel 225 feet long, and a second of 99 steps to the Fire Control Station, where a spiral staircase climbs inside the old lookout. Metal stairs reach the summit, with Waikīkī and Honolulu below. A short loop along the rim leads back to the tunnel; then return the way you came.

It is 1.9 miles (3.0 km) round trip with 630 feet (192 m) of climbing; allow about 1½ hours. The grade is Easy: short and on a made path, but steep, and all stairs near the top.

Visitors who are not Hawaii residents must book entry before they come, and parking if they drive: slots open 30 days ahead on the State Parks booking site, and nobody is let in without a reservation. Entry is $5 a person and parking $10 a vehicle, by card only.

The park is open from 6 am to 6 pm, with last entry at 4:30 pm. The trail is hot and has no shade, so go early and carry water.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.