Hiking Diamond Head State Monument Oahu Hawaii

Hiking Diamond Head State Monument, Oahu Hawaii

In this video we visit Diamond Head State Monument, which is park of the Hawaii State Park system near Honolulu, Hawaii. The prominent volcanic landmark overlooks Waikiki Beach at an elevation of 762'.

Reservations are required for out of state visitors to hike Diamond Head and to park at the visitor center. The entry fee for Diamond Head is $5 per person and it's $10 to park. Currently reservations can be made 30 days in advance. When we visited, reservations were only allowed 2 weeks in advance, so this process is subject to change. To make reservations visit the state monument website at https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dsp/parks/oah...

Diamondhead is the most recognized landmark in Hawaii and it was designated a national natural landmark in 1968. This volcanic tuff cone is believed to have formed about 300,000 years ago during a single, brief eruption.

The original name of this summit is Le’ahi but in the 1700’s Western Explorers visited Le’ahi and saw the calcite crystals on the rocks in the slope of the crater and thought they were Diamonds- thus the name, Diamondhead.

The summit of Diamond Head was an ideal site for the coastal defense of Oahu. In 1904 it was purchased by the Federal Government and designated for military use. Fortification begin in 1908 to include the trail to the summit, the entry tunnel through the North wall of the Crater and construction of gun emplacements. The fortification of this mountain was an engineering marvel of it’s time. Diamondhead was prepared to defend Oahu but no artillery was ever fired during a war.

For more information about the hike see: https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dsp/files/201...

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