How to Hike Stairway to Heaven
by Mariam Beard • Last Updated: May 22, 2020
Quick Details | Stairway to Heaven
- Location: OAHU
- Do NOT go the front way on this hike.
How to Get There
NOTE: This is essentially the BACK WAY to Stairway to Heaven. It takes you to the radio tower where you can see the stairs & for photos. You can then turn around & go back the way you came in. I’d recommend an early start around 6-7am. It’s not a hike you should do in the dark – for safety reasons (you really want to fall off a cliff in pitch black darkness?!) and for the best view (hands down the best 360 views on the island – and you need some SUNLIGHT to see them yo!)
What to Expect
In this video, I show you a the HIKE STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN. This route takes you the backway.
This hike is located on the island of OAHU. I’ve included timestamps below to make the video searchable.
UPDATE 8/17/2021: Keep in mind that it different now since this video was initially made. This video was made during COVID-19 when a lot the island was completely shutdown and empty. Earlier this year, the increase in people frequenting this hike along with those who continue to sneak into the hike by climbing into people’s yards to trespass going the front way has caused HPD (Hawaii Police Department) to arrest & give citations. Below is a link to the news article.
Please do NOT hike the front way at 2am for the sunrise. Seeing the route in the daytime, I saw:
- Many neighbors have motion activated alarms (bright LED lights + sound alarms + cameras), particularly those houses around an access point.
- I’ve heard horror stories of access points being covered in dog sh*t to dissuade people.
- I binge watched YouTube videos about this “bamboo forest” that people talk about. I could completely see how you could easily get turned around & lost in the forest at 2am to avoid the guard. It’s dark, there’s no points of reference. -Jumping into someone’s yard to be aggressively greeted by their dog at 2am is probably not going to have the best ending.
- It’s a neighborhood of retired people. Please RESPECT the neighborhood.
- But, all that aside, the views you get from the back way to Stairway to Heaven are hands down amazing, it’s just majestic.
