Waahila Ridge hike is really simple.

I did the Waahila Ridge hike with my dog and my dad in the summer before I left for college and really enjoyed it. My dad actually took me on this hike with my little sister when we were younger, around 6 years old. We hated it. I recall throwing a tantrum throughout this hike, round-trip.

Girl with dog on Waahila Ridge

Waahila Ridge trail is a little narrow but very easy to walk. The dog loves it!

Waahila Ridge Hike Parking & Trail Information

Abundant parking is available in the parking lot of the Waahila Ridge State Recreation Area. There are signs near the end of the parking lot directing you towards the hike. This hike is about 2.5 miles roundtrip. The Waahila Ridge hike trail ends at a junction that leads into the hike up to Mount Olympus. This segment of the trail is much more difficult, requires bouldering and is very steep compared to the original Waahila Ridge trail. However, the Waahila Ridge hike trail is very simple. My little 7-pound poodle made it up this trail and he was fine, so I definitely label this hike dog-friendly and kid-friendly. As a child I was personally not friendly towards this hike, but I’m sure other children are. I was just an exceptionally difficult child. The hike can get a little muddy if you do it after a rain, but I did it during the summer so I was fine. However, just like any other hike, I would recommend wearing proper attire that’s prepared to get really dirty. This hike isn’t excessively more difficult than other hikes and it was pretty easy. There were some points that had steep inclines, but they were very short segments of the hike and weren’t that frequent.

Recommendations for Waahila Ridge Hike

The views of this hike are unbelievable. I took so many pictures along the hike and because this was a few weeks before I was leaving for my first year of college, I really cherished this hike. It was cloudy overhead when I hiked it, so I didn’t have to worry about uncomfortable heat. It was really nice. The hike doesn’t get that much foot traffic but I did see some people along the hike. Spuds loves people, probably more than dogs, so he enjoyed it.

Best part of Waahila Ridge Hike?

One of my favorite parts about this hike is the fact that I feel encompassed by an enchanted forest. The beginning of the hike is littered with pine trees so it really feels like you’re in another world because pine trees aren’t that common in Hawaii. After the pine trees, you’re still encompassed by an assortment of other trees so it still feels really magical. Whenever there’s a break in the trees you get an incredible view of the valley and it seems so surreal because of how high up you are. I also like how this hike is dog-friendly because dog-friendly hikes are the best kind of hikes. If I can’t bring Spuds, I probably won’t do it. For those dog owners out there we know how important it is for us to be able to bring our dogs.