Mary and I have taken up a new mission: Hike a new trail at least once a month. Who needs New Years to make a new “resolution”?!

It may not sound daunting but with our schedules we hope to achieve this with an ending result of all the ‘main’ trails/hikes accomplished. We want to be able to share what our favorite hikes were through out the year and more specifically, on Oahu. There are literally hundreds of trails and hikes one can do on Oahu but not all can be declared as legitimate or even safe for that matter.

Our first hike we chose was Ehukai Pillbox. I believe it’s quite odd that only recently have we seen this one. While sitting in North Shore traffic one day my eyes veered off onto the mountain and I saw a Pillbox! I was shocked because 1) no one was on it 2) it wasn’t on top of the mountain (which is probably why it remained hidden from us for so long) 3) It looked very easy to access, and 4) WHY have I never seen or heard of this hike before!? Mary and I immediately decided to add this on our “to-do” list so we planned it for the following weekend.

It couldn’t have been a more perfect day!

The path was pretty straight forward. It’s not a ‘secret trail’ and VERY obvious to find. We parked before the Sunset Elementary entrance. There’s a public park before the school and if you ever used the bathroom out there you can see the entrance to the path across the street along the tree line. Again, it is not hidden and very welcoming compared to other spots on the island. There were also groups of other hikers going up this trail so if you get lost, follow others! Hiking is a great way to make new friends.

The trail is clean/clear the entire way and even has support (stairs, ropes) going up the mountain.

Funny story about following other hikers: As we were following a group, we stopped to take these pictures. A few minutes later we continued on the single path to catch up but unfortunately came across a “fork” in the road. When I say fork I mean the trail suddenly broke up in 3 directions. We looked at each other and laughed because well, we never did this path before and couldn’t hear the other hikers we were following due to the thick brush. Long story short, we went the wrong way then turned around but it was still a very easy and pleasant walk going the opposite direction. Tip: when encountering the “fork” stick to the left!

Before the fork, there’s a table you can have a picnic on or take a quick break!

The first pillbox was the bigger one and I must say, the nicest conditioned pillbox I’ve seen on a hike.

You can still see the ventilation pipes and more specifically, very little trash inside! It looked as if it was maintained by the State (it’s not).

The second pillbox – A little lower than the first, approximately 200 yards down the path. Another tip: when continuing down the path, stick to the right of the “no trespassing” sign.

Epic view from the second pillbox. Here you can see the main road that sometimes has bumper to bumper traffic (in which case, we were able to see the pillbox from there).

Overall difficulty I would say is easy-moderate. There are very inclined spots which may put you out of breath but as long as you go at a safe and steady pace you’ll be alright. I would compare this hike’s difficulty level to the Lanikai Pillbox hike, to a degree. We are very used to doing the Lanikai Pillbox Hike and I’d classify that as easy but for those not used to it may classify it as moderate.

Disclaimer: Although undemanding for us, we highly encourage readers to be in at least a minimal physical shape in some fashion or another. All outdoor activities are not without danger so be weary of the weather, your location, and ALWAYS bring water! – no matter how cold or hot. Hike with at least one other person!

Ehukai Pillbox Hike
59-178 Kamehameha Hwy.
Haleiwa, HI 96712