Aiea Loop Trail

I love hiking loop trails! There's just something about not having to turn around, not having to go back up hills you've gone down and vice versa that I really like. Yesterday we hiked Aiea Loop with some friends and visiting family. It was our first time on the trail with kids and they did great. Our boy found himself a walking stick, declared himself the leader and led us around the loop.

Our girl rode in the backpack where she practiced new words, ate snacks and even took a nap. This is how she fell asleep. It looked uncomfortable so we cushioned the strap with a clean diaper and continued hiking.

There are usually some great vistas on this trip but the vog (basically smog from the volcano on the Big Island) was bad so we enjoyed the close-up scenery instead. Much of the trail is in the shade and there are a lot of beautiful trees to see.

We came across some wildlife while we were hiking. A couple of feral pigs were rooting around next to the trail and we caught a quick look at them before they ran off when our boy scared them when he gasped in surprise.
With our boy in the lead our pace was very leisurely and somewhere along the second half of the loop we realized we needed to pick up the pace or our cars were going to get locked in when they closed the gate at 6:45. The hike ended with our boy riding piggy-back and all of us doing our best to keep up a good pace without slipping or tripping in the dark. We made it back to the cars happy and tired and out of the park before the gates closed.

Do it yourself on Oahu:

• The trail begins and ends in the Keaiwa Heiau State Recreation Area which is at the top of Aiea Heights Drive.

• Many people park at the second lot at the top of the hill which is closest to the trail head. We like to park in the first lot after you've entered the park and driven past the Heiau. This is closer to where the trail ends. It lets us start with a walk up to the top parking lot rather than having to do that at the end of the hike when we are more tired.

• This loop is about 5 miles long. If you don't have time to do the whole loop, going out a ways and back still makes for a very enjoyable hike.

• Roots, some downed trees and places where the trail is narrow and steep on one side do not make this a stroller-friendly trail, but mountain bikers like to ride it and it's a well maintained hiking trail.

• This trail can get very muddy in places, so might not be the best choice after a big rain.

• There are bathrooms at both ends of the trail.