ALOHA!
So you have decided to hike the Lanikai pillbox hike, one of the best hikes on Oahu!
How do you get to the Lanikai pillbox hike trailhead?
Most people will start from the Lanikai neighborhood, so that’s what we’ll talk about here.
But there are actually different ways you can hike to the Lanikai pillboxes.
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The start of the Lanikai pillbox trailhead is located directly off of a road.
Once you are on this road, it will be easy to recognize the start of the trail.
It’s not hidden or anything like that.
👆 The start of the Lanikai pillbox hike is directly off of a road. It’s obvious so you will know it when you see it.
👆 The views come quick when you start hiking from the Lanikai pillbox trailhead! You will see the famous Mokulua Islands around 10 minutes (or less!) after starting the Lanikai pillbox hike! You will keep hiking to get to the Lanikai pillboxes.
There is no parking directly near the Lanikai pillbox trailhead.
While the start of the Lanikai pillbox trailhead is located directly off of a road, and there is no street parking allowed directly in front of the trailhead on this road.
And there is no designated parking lot for the Lanikai pillbox hike.
👆 The road leading to the start of the Lanikai pillbox hike. There is no street parking allowed, which means there is no parking directly near the Lanikai pillbox trailhead. You can walk this road to get to the trailhead, you just can’t park here.
So for Lanikai pillbox hike parking, you will need to do parking similar to Lanikai Beach.
And that is to look for street parking in the Lanikai neighborhood.
Except not on the weekends.
Because on the weekend, there is no street parking allowed in the Lanikai neighborhood, which means there’s no parking near the Lanikai pillbox hike too.
In that case, you can park at a Kailua Beach parking lot, and then walk from Kailua Beach to Lanikai, passing by the Lanikai Monument for grand views of Kailua Bay.
It will be about a 10 minute walk from the closest Kailua Beach parking lot to the Lanikai pillbox trailhead. (map)
Or, you can take a bus to the Lanikai pillbox hike.
Then, it’s about a 5 minute walk from the bus stop to the trailhead. (map)
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So whether you are driving to the Lanikai pillbox hike or taking the bus, you will walk to Kaelepulu Drive, which is the road that the trailhead is located. (map)
Once you are at the intersection of Aalapapa Drive and Kaelepulu Drive (which is also where the bus stop is located), it’s just a 5 minute walk to get to the Lanikai pillbox trailhead!
And then you will spot a trail on the left side of the road, and that is the Lanikai pillbox trailhead!
And off you go to start the Lanikai pillbox hike!
See below for more of what you can see within the first 15 minutes of hiking from the front side of the Lanikai pillbox trailhead!
🌴
Starting the hike from the Lanikai pillbox trailhead front way
I started hiking from the Lanikai pillbox trailhead on the front side at 11:26am on a Saturday in February 2023. Your experience may vary!
I was going at a generally leisurely pace, and taking lots of pictures along the way, so it’s quite possible you can hike (much) faster than I was going!
Now here’s the next 5 minutes or so on the trail.
From the Lanikai pillbox trailhead, the hike immediately starts by going UP!
But, this really does not last long.
I imagine if it’s rained recently it can get muddy which can then make it slippery. So, take care!
In dry conditions, the gravel can be loose and slippery as well.
So no matter what, it’s a good idea to wear good shoes for hiking when you do this hike!
In around 5 minutes, the first major climb is over, and you start to see views!
It’s the Mokulua Islands and vast ocean views!
You’ll continue hiking up a little, but not as steep of an incline compared to when you started.
Now this is around 8 to 10 minutes after I started hiking from the trailhead.
And once again, you see the Mokulua Island and ocean views!
This is around 12 to 14 minutes after I started hiking.
And then you will keep hiking towards the pillboxes!
And here are the views if you hike back the same way you came!
See more about how to hike the Lanikai pillbox hike. (front way, back way, one-way, out-and-back!)
HAPPY STARTING THE HIKE FROM THE LANIKAI PILLBOX TRAILHEAD!
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