Makapu’u Point Lighthouse Trail (Honolulu, HI)

To walk off the big breakfast (Rainbow Drive-In and Leonard’s) we had this Easter morning, we took the bus to Ka Iwi State Scenic Shoreline to hike the 3/4-mile trail to Makapu’u Summit. We were told about this hike by a couple we met at the Eat the Streets event. The bus doesn’t drop you off directly at the parking lot but at Sea Life Park, about a half-mile past to the northwest. As we were walking along Kalanianaole Highway to the trailhead, to our left were spectacular views of the beaches, rugged shoreline and islets out at sea. This being Hawaii, the waters were beautiful combinations of deep blue and turquoise.

Makapu’u Head is a remnant of an enormous caldera that partially collapsed into the sea about 1.8 million years ago and is the eastern end of the Ko’olau mountain range that is really the rim of the surviving caldera. The hike itself, a climb of over 450 feet in elevation over a paved surface, was nice on a cloudless day that was hot enough to make me a shade darker. This is a fairly easy hike, though some preparation is advisable; there are no water and toilet facilities on the trail or parking lot. On this Easter Sunday, there were lots of people on the trail, including families with children. It’s my understanding that some locals make this hike a regular routine. The vegetation along the way was interesting, suggestive of a dry, hot and windswept environment with succulents and cacti unexpectedly growing here. We missed the peak cactus flowering season as the blossoms were already spent. A good view of the lighthouse, still in operation by the U.S. Coast Guard, can be had from several vantage points. When we reached the summit, there were sweeping, spectacular views of the ocean and of southeastern Oahu. The wind up here is always strong, enough so that my wife had to remove her wide-brimmed sun hat that would have sailed away. This is also a prime spot for watching migrating humpback whales. We weren’t so lucky. A hiker we talked to told us friends on the day before had seen an entire pod.

The lighthouse is still operational and off-limits to the public

Rather than returning to Sea Life to catch the bus, we walked in the opposite direction along the highway to another bus top at the Hawaii Kai Golf Course, which turned out to be about the same distance from the trailhead but our tired legs and hunger made it seem further away. Cold beers and a tasty kalua pork taco salad at the restaurant renewed our energy before boarding the bus back to Waikiki.