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Pali Puka Trail
Located within the East Region on Oahu
East Oahu Hiking Trails
Best Hiking Trails on Oahu
Pali Puka Trail
The Pali Puka trail is a short mile suitable for advanced hikers. Located about half an hour from Waikiki, there is parking at the Pali Lookout lot. It takes about an hour to trace the trail, heading off to the left of the parking lot, because there are some steep areas and narrow ridges you’ll have to navigate.
Following rainy weather, the trails can be quite muddy. However, it is worth the trip to see the views of the Puka, Three Peaks, Kaneohe Bay (K-Bay), Kailua, and Kaneohe.
Once you find the entry for the trail, you will reach a fork where you head right. Be prepared as you will immediately be faced with a steep incline that is covered with roots that can be a pain to climb. However, you’ll reach the ridge faster than you expect and the trail will open to the lovely Windward views. Things get easier from here although it can be narrow and very steep in some areas; use extreme caution. There are safety ropes to hold when passing through these areas. If you feel nervous, you can opt to take the back route through the trees.
You’ll also get excellent views of Pali Notches, the Lanikai Pillbox Hike, and Three Peaks. Leeward you can see Nuuanu Valley and a view of a distant waterfall. However, it’s not until you reach the end of the ridge at a massive rock that you take in the stunning view of the puka. You won’t be disappointed as you enjoy the view of the hole in the ridge framing the coastline, creating a truly unique natural feature.
To get down to the puka you can take two impromptu trails, but it gets pretty crowded in that area because it is a very narrow ridgeline. However, your patience will pay off to get a closer look at this stunning natural wonder.
Trail day tools
Before you drive to the trailhead, check the trail and weather layer.
Hawaii hikes can change quickly with closures, rain, mud, heat, and daylight.
Founder & certified Hawai'i travel expert with 20+ years in Hawai'i tourism, University of South Carolina climate-research training, and NOAA weather-station experience.
Trade winds are strong right now, with high surf hitting the south shore today. Windward areas are seeing frequent showers through the weekend.
South-facing beaches have dangerous surf today through Sunday—stay out of the water unless you're an experienced swimmer. East-facing shores will build rough water by Sunday or Monday. The bigger picture is a tropical system, Fausto, heading our way. It's weakening but should arrive near the islands by Tuesday or Wednesday as a tropical storm or weaker system, bringing strong winds, rough seas, and heavy rain. The exact track is still uncertain, so check the forecast daily.
Get your beach time and water activities in today through early next week on the leeward side, where conditions stay calmer. Be ready to shift plans by midweek when conditions turn rough.
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Windy conditions across Maui right now, with trade winds gusting strong. South-facing shores have high surf today and will see another big swell Saturday and Sunday—the water's dangerous unless you're an experienced ocean swimmer.
Through the weekend, windward areas will get frequent showers while trade winds stay gusty. The bigger picture arrives midweek: Hurricane Fausto is weakening as it moves toward the islands and should reach Maui as a tropical storm or weaker system Tuesday or Wednesday. That'll bring rough seas, strong winds, and heavy rain. Track and timing are still uncertain, so check updates daily.
Hit the leeward beaches and snorkel south Maui coasts today through early next week, but stay out of windward and south-facing waters through Sunday.
0:000:54
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Windy conditions dominate right now with strong trade winds pushing across the island. South-facing shores have high surf today—dangerous water if you're not an experienced swimmer.
Through the weekend, those south shores see another big swell Saturday and Sunday, and east-facing shores will build dangerous conditions by Sunday or Monday. Windward areas get frequent showers. A tropical system—the remnants of Hurricane Fausto—is weakening and headed toward the islands as a tropical storm or weaker system by Tuesday or Wednesday, bringing rough seas, strong winds, and heavy rain midweek. Timing and track are still uncertain, so check updates daily.
Leeward beaches on the Kona side stay your best bet today through early next week, but avoid the water on the windward and south shores through Sunday.
0:000:57
Voice
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Strong trade winds are pushing showers across windward areas through the weekend. On Kauaʻi, expect frequent showers on the windward side.
High surf is running on south-facing shores today and will build again Saturday and Sunday—stay out of the water unless you're an experienced swimmer. East-facing shores will also see dangerous swell by Sunday or Monday. Hurricane Fausto is weakening as it moves toward Hawaii. By Tuesday or Wednesday it should reach the islands as a tropical storm or weaker system, bringing rough seas, strong winds, and heavy rain. Track and timing are still uncertain, so check updates daily through midweek.
Beach time on leeward shores works through early next week. Plan water activities for today, but be ready to shift if Fausto's track becomes clearer—conditions will deteriorate by midweek.
Created with AI from the official NWS forecast discussion · verify with NWS before heading out
