Ka’ena Point Hike (from North Shore): Trail Details, Parking Info, and More

I’ve been wanting to go on the Ka’ena Point hike since I first heard about it! Last year, over Spring Break, the girls and I attempted it, but Lyvi got a blister about a mile in, and we turned around.

But this spring, I was determined to make it out to the point, even with all the crazy weather we’ve been having!

If you visit Ka’ena Point in the spring, you’re likely to see whales and adult nesting albatross, plus their new chicks! So, I definitely wanted to go early in the year.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Ka’ena Point hike:

Where to Park

There are two different sections and parking areas for the Ka’ena Point hike. You can either start the trail on the west side of Oahu at the end of Farrington Highway past Wai’anae. Or you can start the trail on the north shore of Oahu past Waialua.

We hiked in from the North Shore, which is known as the Mokule’ia section. And there are 2 decent-sized parking areas, and also plenty of parking along the roadside.

If you put Ka’ena Point State Park into your phone’s GPS, it will take you right to it. No matter which side you choose to hike in from, you drive to the end of the road and park near the gate.

You can also skip the long walk and drive out to the Natural Reserve Area on the point if you have a 4-wheel-drive vehicle and apply for and pay for a permit. This would be a better option for those with mobility issues, but know that it’s going to be an extremely bumpy ride out to the reserve.

(Pictures from my first hike attempt when the girls went with me.)

What to Expect

One of the best things about this trail is that it’s nearly impossible to get lost. The Ka’ena Point hike follows an old railroad bed and dirt road that ran around the westernmost point of Oahu, connecting the west side to the north shore.

It is also relatively flat. There are some small hills, with ups and downs, but the inclines are gradual. I’m not in great shape, and I hardly got out of breath on this hike.

While the views along the way to the point are beautiful, there’s not much in the way of landmarks. There are side roads that go down to the water. And while they are marked with signs, they don’t give any clue as to the distance you’ve traveled. So, we were constantly wondering ‘how much further?’

The walk out to the point was nice, but by the end of the walk back, my feet were tired, and I was sure that 2.5 miles had somehow morphed into 4 or 5 miles.

While it’s a pretty easy walk, there are several rocky areas where you have to be careful not to twist your ankle. It was dry while we were there, but recent reviews on All Trails stated that people had to turn around or walk through huge puddles on the trail. So, like most trails on the island, recent rainfall is a factor you must consider before you hike.

The Natural Area Reserve

Eventually, the trail leads you to the Ka’ena Point Natural Area Reserve. It’s a coastal dune area protected by a predator fence that you enter through a latched gate. (I think the most dangerous predators would be mongoose, rats, and feral cats that eat eggs and young birds.)

Not only does the fence protect the animals that call Ka’ena Point home, but it also protects the dunes from vehicles. The drastic urbanization of Oahu in the last century has nearly wiped out all of the dune habitats. Ka’ena Point remains one of the last coastal dunes on the island.

(I will always stop for flower pics!)

Navigational Light

There is a navigational light located on Ka’ena Point, where there once was a lighthouse.

Apparently, the lighthouse that once stood on Ka’ena Point was one of the most vandalized lighthouses on the Hawaiian Islands. Its light was extinguished at least 11 times from 1980 to 1985 due to people shooting out the lens or stealing the batteries.

In 1987, a new light was added to the top of a tracking station building on the bluffs behind the point. There, the light would have better security and access to a more secure power source. Plus, it was 931 feet above sea level giving it a range of 25 miles and making it less accessible to troublemakers.

The old concrete tower of the former lighthouse still lies on the dunes, where it literally fell victim to erosion. It is now the target of graffiti artists.

A new navigational light, referred to as a ‘minor light’ instead of a lighthouse, was installed on the dunes in 1990 to further assist vessels. It is a solar-powered light on top of a metal pole.

There are 6 lighthouses on Oahu; this is only one of them!

Humpback Whales

Whale season in Hawaii is from December to April, which also coincides with albatross nesting! I highly recommend the Ka’ena Point hike from February to April, so you can see both baby albatross and whales.

We saw 2 pods of whales as soon as we reached the fence! My husband flies over Ka’e,na Point all the time (with the Army) and he says they pretty much always see whales in this area during the winter months.

Nesting Albatross

You can find nesting Laysan Albatrosses on Oahu from November to July. Ka’ena Point was home to 98 nesting albatrosses in 2023, but I have a feeling that number has grown. There were TONS of them during our visit in April 2026!

Their average wingspan is 6-7 feet. So, they’re not the biggest species of albatross, but they definitely stood out from the other seabirds at Ka’ena Point because of their size.

Most chicks hatch in February, but the young birds don’t fledge (fly/leave the nest) for several months. During our visit in early April, the chicks looked more like adolescent birds. The younger birds no longer had the cute, fuzzy feathers, but they were darker colored and smaller than the adults. So, it was easy to tell them apart.

The albatross weren’t quiet birds either. The air was filled with their calls and clacking. And since albatross have nested in uninhabited areas, they don’t have much fear of humans. They flew so close to us and stayed near the path when we were walking by. They were very much unbothered by our presence.

Ka’ena Point is the only protected area in the world where you can walk (unescorted) on a trail through albatross nests. It’s truly an incredible experience!

My only regret was not doing the Ka’ena Point hike every spring since we moved here!

If you ever get the chance to visit Oahu during the spring, I highly recommend this hike. You won’t be disappointed!