Diamond Head, Lēʻahi in Hawaiian, is the volcanic crater that frames every postcard of Waikīkī, and the short hike to its rim is one of the most popular walks in Hawaii. It is easy to do, but not on a whim: non-residents now need a timed reservation. Here is how to book, what the trail is like and how to get the best of it.
Do you need a reservation?
Yes, if you are not a Hawaii resident. Diamond Head State Monument uses timed entry through the state's Go Wild booking site. Reservations open 30 days ahead at midnight Hawaii time; you pay online and get a QR code to show at the gate. Entry costs $5 per person (children 3 and under free), and if you drive in, parking costs $10 per car for a two-hour slot. Walk-in and drop-off entries use one-hour slots without the parking fee. Arrive within the first 30 minutes of your slot. Hawaii residents with a valid ID enter free and do not need to book.
Opening hours and best time
The monument is open 6 am to 6 pm every day except Christmas Day and New Year's Day, with the last entry at 4 pm. Book the earliest slot you can: the trail has almost no shade, mid-morning heat is intense, and the 6 and 7 am slots are the first to sell out. Early light over Waikīkī and the ocean is also the best for photos.
The trail, step by step
The trail starts on the crater floor and climbs 0.8 miles each way, gaining about 560 feet. A paved path turns into switchbacks along the inside of the crater wall, then come the stairs: a flight of 74 steps, a lit tunnel through the rock, and a final climb up more stairs and a spiral staircase inside an old observation post. At the top, the Fire Control Station, built in the early 1900s, and old gun emplacements look out over Waikīkī, Honolulu and the coast towards Koko Head.
Allow 1.5 to 2 hours in total. Wear proper shoes, bring water (there is little on the trail) and sun protection, and expect crowds on the narrow stairs.
How Diamond Head formed
Diamond Head is far younger than Oʻahu itself. After the Koʻolau volcano had been quiet for about a million years, a burst of short, explosive eruptions built a ring of cones around what is now Honolulu. Diamond Head and Punchbowl date from roughly 400,000 to 500,000 years ago; Koko Crater and Hanauma Bay are younger still. Its English name comes from 19th-century sailors who mistook calcite crystals on its slopes for diamonds; Lēʻahi is said to refer to the brow of the ʻahi tuna, whose dorsal fin the ridge resembles.
Getting there
Diamond Head is about 2 miles from Waikīkī. The access road into the crater leaves Diamond Head Road opposite Kapiʻolani Community College; you can drive (with a parking reservation), take a rideshare drop-off, ride TheBus or walk from Waikīkī, which takes about 45 minutes. If you walk in, you still need an entry reservation.
If you cannot get a slot
- Koko Crater Stairs: about 1,000 steps straight up a younger crater, free and very hard.
- Kaʻiwa Ridge (Lanikai Pillboxes): a short, steep climb to World War II bunkers above Lanikai Beach.
- Makapuʻu Lighthouse Trail: an easy paved path with whale views in winter.
- See the Oʻahu hiking trails map for more.
Quick answers
How long is the Diamond Head hike?
About 1.6 miles round trip, climbing about 560 feet. Most people take 1.5 to 2 hours.
Do you need a reservation for Diamond Head?
Yes for non-residents: book a timed entry online up to 30 days ahead. Entry is $5 per person and parking $10 per car.
What time does Diamond Head open?
6 am to 6 pm daily, last entry 4 pm, closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
Is Diamond Head a volcano?
Yes. It is a volcanic tuff cone formed in an explosive eruption a few hundred thousand years ago, and it is extinct.
Facts checked October 2026. Fees, reservations, closures and eruption activity change, so confirm with the official source before you go.
