The Koko Head Crater Trail Is Called God’s Treadmill for a Reason. I Climbed It Anyway.

The Hawaiian Islands aren’t exactly lacking in beautiful hikes. In fact, it’s hard to find a hike that isn’t absolutely stunning, with ocean views, lush greenery, waterfalls, seashells, turtles—you get the picture. When you’re guaranteed to be satisfied with gorgeous views no matter what, I always find it hard to be surprised by Hawaiian hikes. That being said, I did find one hike in Oahu that brought a bit of a historical surprise while continually shocking me along the way with its treacherous terrain. 

Enter the Koko Crater Tramway, or more specifically, the Koko Crater Tramway to Koko Head Lookout. It’s also known as the Koko Head Crater Trail, the Koko Head Stairs, and if you’re feeling spicy, God’s Treadmill. So, why all the names? It’s because it’s slightly difficult to encapsulate everything that this hike is in only one name. 

To summarize, the army created a lookout post at the top of the Koko Head Crater during WWII and in the 1940s, a railway was built to transport supplies up to the bunkers. It was ultimately abandoned in the '60s and today serves as one of the best workouts you can get on the island (picture 1,048 steps to the top going over 1.6 miles with an extremely steep incline). The bunkers still exist today as a nice little surprise at the top, and they serve as a convenient spot to sit on as you gaze at the views of Diamond Head and Hanauma Bay. 

To be clear, this hike is not for the faint of heart (literally, because those with heart issues should not attempt this hike). It’s an out-and-back trail that starts off relatively tame, with the trailhead not too far away from the (free) parking lot. As you start to climb, you’ll notice that it becomes steadily steeper until you reach near the top. Then, you'll feel almost as if you need to climb upward on your hands and knees just to reassure yourself that you won’t fall backward.

But wait! There’s also the halfway point to plan for (and is the portion that makes thrill-seekers like me just a bit giddy). This refers to a portion of the track that doesn’t have any ground beneath it, so you have to climb it carefully and pray you won’t fall off. For those who are afraid of heights or simply don’t want to partake, there’s a little path that bypasses this area of the track. 

Although this hike can clearly surprise you with how scary it can be, it’s probably one of the most popular trails for locals on the island. This is because it only takes about 90 minutes to complete (or less), and one can get their daily workout in while seeing the sunrise or sunset before or after work. However, even if you aren’t a local, I would still advise you to do this hike early in the morning or late in the evening because, in addition to its high popularity and consequential lack of parking spots, there's also no shade and midday can feel absolutely scorching while you try to climb directly upwards with shaking legs. 

Sunsets in Hawaii are always going to be amazing. So, why not shake it up a little and try viewing one from the top of a graffitied WWII bunker? Plus, getting there while climbing railroad tracks is an epic tale, and you’ll have a plethora of stories to tell about kids climbing it in flip-flops, influencers who look like they’re two seconds away from vomiting, and locals dodging tourists as they sprint the trail as fast as they can before work.