What to Do in Hawaii: Hike the Likeke Trail on Oahu

Named after Hawaii hiking legend Richard "Dick" Davis, the Likeke Trail, as I'll describe it, starts at a famous Oahu historic spot: the Nu'uanu Pali Lookout. It was at the Nu'uanu Pali in 1795 where hundreds of warriors defending the island of Oahu died in a fierce battle with the warriors of the army of Kamehameha, a renowned Hawaiian chief.

So by doing this outing, not only will you log a nice 8-mile roundtrip hike, you'll also get to visit a famous battle site.

How to Get There

The drive from downtown Honolulu (Alakea and King Streets) to the Nu'uanu Pali is about 5 miles. Head southeast on S. King Street and turn left onto Punchbowl Street. From Punchbowl, merge onto the ramp HI 61 north-Pali Highway. Follow the Pali for about five miles. Take the offramp on the right leading the Pali Lookout.

If you take the city bus, board the #4 from downtown. Exit at Nu'uanu Pali Drive and Kimo Drive. Walk up Nu'uanu Pali Drive until it meets the Pali Highway. Continue along Pali Highway on the road shoulder (be careful) till you get to the lookout. The walk to the lookout from the bus departure point is about an hour one-way.

Hike Description

Walk to the Pali Lookout and enjoy the beauty of windward Oahu. This is a heavily visited location, so plan on being amongst many island visitors. Your view-taking completed, walk down the closed-off section of the old Pali Road. Steep cliffs ("pali" in Hawaiian) tower above the road to your right.

Vegetation encroaches on the road at times. Continue to travel down the road until you reach a signed junction which is right before an arching leftward bend. Walk to the left until the old road is blocked by Pali Highway. Descend a makeshift set of wooden stairs under Pali Highway. Make your way under the highway. The concrete walls here are covered with the work of graffiti artists.

Pick up the old Pali Road on the far side of the Pali Highway. Travel down the old road until you reach a junction with Auloa Road which comes in on the right. Look for a low stone wall on the left at this junction. The Likeke Trail begins there.

Pick up the trail (you're in the jungle now!) as it begins to switchback to gain the crest of a medium-sized ridge. Once on the ridgecrest, cross over its top and head left to descend its opposite side. Contour around the back of a small gulch.

Continue on the trail until you reach a junction with a wide trail that comes in on your left. Take this left turn to remain on the Likeke Trail (the trail straight ahead leads to Kionaole Road and Kamehameha Highway).

Along the way, you will pass a small lovely waterfall, a good place to stop, rest, and take pictures.

Likeke, which is Hawaiian for Richard, continues past the waterfall for several miles. The trail contours in and out of many small ravines and gulches. Ribbons mark the way. As of August 2007, the trail is wide open, thanks to the maintenance work of the Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club. Note that the route can and does get overgrown, so take heed.

After the Pali Lookout, this hike doesn't have many panoramic vistas. Instead, its allure is that it's in a secluded, jungle-like setting most of the way. Don't plan on seeing large groups of hikers on this trail. In fact, after the waterfall, don't plan on seeing anyone at all.

If you see reddish-white fruits on trees along the way, those are mountain apples. Try one. Very juicy and sweet. Fill up a plastic bag and take some back with you. Chilled in the fridge, they're delicious.

The end point of Likeke is a now-closed-off parking lot at the windward-side end of the Wilson Tunnel, accessed by Likelike Highway. From the Pali Lookout, you'll have hiked about 4 miles to get here.

The way here is the way back.

Note that there is a critical junction right before you reach the Wilson Tunnel end point. If you miss this junction, you'll end up descending to a cross-under of the H-3 freeway and a trail leading to Ho'omaluhia Gardens in Kaneohe. If you find yourself crossing under H-3, you have missed the turnoff. Turn around and head back!