Is It Worth It To Climb Stairway To Heaven In Hawaii Considering The Potential Consequences And Fines And What Not What Is The Worst Case Scenario – Disclosure: Many of the links below are affiliate links and we may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links. We highly recommend this product (as long as we use it ourselves!) and really appreciate using the links. These little boards help us keep our blog running!
A trip that’s on every Hawaii visitor’s bucket list. The famous image of the Haiku Stairs with fog and clouds around it. Is it really a stairway to heaven? It sure looks like it! Walking on the Haiku Stairs is illegal and not recommended. It is best to take the main road, which will take you to the top of the hill and the Haiku Stairs. The trail is long and difficult but offers amazing views of the Moanalua Valley. Avoid fines and minor offenses when you go to the police and instead take the legal route. This post has all the information you need to legally climb to heaven.
Is It Worth It To Climb Stairway To Heaven In Hawaii Considering The Potential Consequences And Fines And What Not What Is The Worst Case Scenario
The Haiku stairs used to belong to the water authority. But in 2020, they moved the property to the city of Honolulu.
Stairway To Heaven Hike On Oahu, Hawaii: Updated 2023
The City Council recently voted to preserve the Haiku Stairs and allocated $1 million dollars to the removal of the stairs. We do not yet know when this will happen.
This post is about the Moanalua Valley hike that takes you to the top of the mountain (where the Haiku stairs are). You can also walk this beautiful path as we think the view from this path is better than the actual Haiku stairs.
Best time to visit: all year round (but it’s muddier and slippery in the winter months when it rains a lot)
The Ha’ikū Ladder (pronounced Haiku Ladder) was built in 1942 for a secret US Navy radio project. A ladder is needed to protect the main antenna system. The stairs are located in the Ha’ikū Valley, which is like an amphitheater. This creates the perfect environment for communication. The stairs were made of wood at first, and were later replaced with iron. Read more about the history of the Haiku Ladder.
Friends Of Haʻikū Stairs
Airway to Heaven is located on the east side of the island of Oahu in Hawaii. The Haiku Stairs were built on the Ko’olau Mountains, which means “wind side” (this is what the east side of Oahu is called). These mountains look like a green curtain because they are so tall. You will often see clouds covering the mountain. Can stairs go to heaven?
The current condition of the stairs in Haiku is uncertain as the stairs have not been maintained for years (loose steps and iron, many plants on the stairs). A typhoon in 2015 also damaged parts of Haiku’s stairs.
The city of Honolulu may plan to reopen the Haiku Stairs to the public. They spent a lot of money to repair the stairs. The stair lift was closed in 1987.
In addition, many residents are not very happy about the intruders who sometimes end up in their backyards. We encourage you to respect the privacy of Oahu residents and thereby promote the legal system. You can still see the beautiful Haiku Stairs, just go to the other side!
Hiking To The Stairway To Heaven On Oahu
The Haiku Stairs used to be private property, so if you climb the stairs you are trespassing.
Going up (or over) the stairs will result in a $1,000 fine. Security guards can be seen at the bottom of the stairs, and police helicopters hover over Haiku’s stairs.
We couldn’t resist walking a short distance down the stairs behind the hill. We were relieved when we saw that a plane was flying past us!
Other travelers filmed a plane trying to land. The crowd could be seen running to the scene and taking the stairs!
Honolulu Council To Destroy Hawaii’s ‘stairway To Heaven’ Over Concerns That It’s Too Dangerous
So use your best judgment when it comes to haiku ladders. The stairs are in poor condition and the sections are very narrow. So if you need to hurry, you probably can’t (not sure). Another reason to use the law to climb the stairs to heaven!
The Haiku Stairs have 3,922 steps! But you will surely climb the stairway to heaven legally…
We walked up the stairs and noticed a different side of the road. That is why we divided the whole journey into four parts.
He traveled the Moanalua Valley. You can easily find the location on Google Maps or enter these coordinates to find the exact starting point: 21.37415, -157.87963
What You Need To Know Before Attempting The (legal) Haiku Stairway Hike — Sleeping On Trains
Parking is available at Moanalua Valley Neighborhood Park, although the number of spaces is limited. Note that the park opens at 7 am and closes at 7 pm.
We decided to park our car in the area in front of the park entrance. This way we can start the journey early. You can enter the park before the official opening time.
You will walk about three miles on flat ground. There are many forks in the road, but they all lead to the same path. Don’t worry about choosing the wrong route on this part of the trip.
Drive slowly on unpaved roads. The grass is tall and can cover the road, but you can see where you are going.
Hiking The Stairway To Heaven: The Legal Back Way
Continue until you see the icons shown in the image below. Don’t go straight, you will cross a river.
Depending on which moon is in the right path to the sky, there may be water. You will do it right after you cross the river.
Look for signs on the trees after crossing the river. Signs are not visible.
You will notice an effort that never seems to end. You will walk through this magical forest and find fruits on the trees. Look at the yellow guavas, they are delicious! A snack with great energy that will lift you up.
The Stairway To Heaven
There are many roots in this part of the hike that will (at times) provide you with great support as you climb.
Above you will find the most dangerous parts of this trail. Long sections with mud, sand and seas.
It can be very windy when you go indoors. Sometimes the wind can be so strong that it feels like it blows you off the wall. When the wind died down a little, we set off.
There are some parts with a slight slope, but generally the slopes are covered with vegetation and trees. If it falls, it can be crushed by a tree. I don’t know if that makes you feel better or worse!
Haiku Stairs: Hiking The Stairway To Heaven
At some point you will find the radio in the fog and be on the stairs in a few minutes!
You will get to the same place where the pilgrims are on the illegal way, to the top of the hill and the stairs of Haiku. You’ll see both walkers resting on the radios and walkers determined to head down the stairs.
Make sure you exit somewhere else when you go down the Haiku Stairs. You will not reach the entrance to Moanalua Valley Park and will have to navigate your way using your car (Uber?).
Nice shoes! We wear Merrell boots for hiking as they also provide a good low shoe with great grip and traction. They also have a cute pair of shoes (not the least) that Denny loves.
How To Hike Half Dome
We saw people tying chains to their shoes to help them climb the mud and cement. In retrospect, this would have been a great thing for a traveler on the stairway to Heaven. They are lightweight and make you feel stable and safe while driving.
Comfortable clothes. We recommend long pants as many branches and plants cut and remove your legs. You will climb, slide and pull the ropes. Wear clothes that allow you to move freely on this journey!
Let us know if this trip is on your bucket list! Have you climbed the stairs to heaven? We would like to know!
Hello! I am Nikki and I have lived many times, to different countries and states in America. Encourage you to make changes to find more adventure in your daily life, whether near or far. Life is about living. $1000 fine for trespassing, guards, broken chains Anyone who knows me knows such dangers.
