This Forbidden “Stairway to Heaven” Trail in Hawaii Was Originally Built to Spy on Japanese Submarines

Haiku Stairs (Stairway to Heaven), Hawaii

That heart-stopping trail has nearly 4,000 metal steps climbing straight up a mountain ridge in Oahu.

Built in 1942 after Pearl Harbor, the Haiku Stairs weren’t meant for hikers at all. What started as a wartime rush job became one of Hawaii’s most breathtaking paths that’s now illegal to climb.

It Was Originally a Military Radio Site

The Haiku Stairs were built in 1942 by the US Navy after Pearl Harbor. Two men, Bill Adams and Louis Otto, took just 21 days to stake out the path by pounding iron spikes into the cliff face. The Navy built the stairs to reach a top-secret radio station that could send signals to subs as far away as Tokyo Bay.

This high spot was picked due to the valley’s shape, which forms a natural dish that helped boost the signals. The station used a 200-kilowatt Alexanderson Alternator that gave the US a key edge in Pacific war comms.

The Trail Has a Remarkably Low Death Count

The most known death was singer Fritz Hasenpusch in 2012, who had a heart attack, not a fall. This low count stands out when you look at other famed US trails like Half Dome in Yosemite, which has seen over 20 deaths.

There have been no claims filed against the city from hikers in 80 years of the stairs’ life. Though rescue crews do face tough jobs when hikers get stuck, as the tight spots make it hard to land help. Wet trails and high winds pose the main risks.

The Mega Repair Project That Never Reopened

In 2002, the city spent $875,000 to fix the stairs and planned to reopen them to the public. The big fix took place after the Board of Water Supply took charge of the site in 1999.

A bad storm in 2015 caused slides that hurt parts of the path, which sparked more talks about what to do with the stairs. Even with all this cash spent, the stairs stayed off bounds due to noise, trash, and fear of suits if guests got hurt.

The Final Section Is a Sky-High Catwalk

Near the top, the stairs give way to a board-walk 2,000 feet up on a sharp ridge. This part was built to help crews reach the huge wire web that strung five long wires to make the site work.

From this spot, you can gaze down at the whole Haiku Valley. When you reach this part, you know you’re near the top and close to the old shack and big wire poles that still stand there.

Those Metal Steps Used to be Wood

By the way, the structure started as wooden steps and catwalks. Workers built 3,500 feet of wooden ladders in 6-foot sections using 1″x6″ steps fitted into carved side boards.

Only in 1952 were the wooden steps replaced with 3,600 feet of galvanized steel ladder, creating the metal staircase you see in photos today.

The Stairs Have Their Own Nonprofit Defender

Friends of Haiku Stairs has fought to save them for 36 years. They’ve filed two suits to block the tear-down that’s been on and off since 2021. The group does hands-on work to keep the stairs in good shape and make the site safe.

Their goal is to turn the site into a paid, guided climb with rules like those at Hanauma Bay. They say their plan would cost the city no cash and would solve the noise and trash woes that bug those who live close by.

The Back Way That Lets You See the Same Views, But…

There’s a back door route called the Moanalua Valley Trail. Fair warning though, it’s not easy.

This 10-mile round trip hike climbs nearly 3,000 feet and has sections so steep you need ropes to get up them. The trail eventually connects with the top portion of the Haiku Stairs, letting you experience those amazing views without breaking the law.

However, this back route has seen significantly more rescues and injuries than the stairs. In 2024, authorities closed this trail too after demolition began, citing safety concerns.

People STILL Try to Sneak Up These Stairs

Despite guards, fences, and potential $1,000 fines, people keep trying to hike the stairs. Police stopped an incredible 11,427 trespassers between August 2017 and March 2020 alone.

The Board of Water Supply spent $250,000 every year just on security guards. And yet, people kept coming. Social media made everything worse as directions and stunning photos spread online, attracting visitors from around the world who wanted their own forbidden adventure.

The Court Battle to Save the Stairs

The fight to save the stairs is now one of Hawaii’s most drawn-out land use wars. In April 2024, crews set out to take down the stairs, but the Friends group sued and won a halt.

As of March 2025, the case is still in court, with the judge’s last call set to come at a date not yet known. The Court let the city take off just the parts of the stairs that had been cut loose, while the rest must stay put for now. All told, $2.6 million has been spent to try to scrap them.

The Haiku Stairs Are Still Complete Off-Limits

As of March 2025, the stairs are still caught up in a court fight, with no clear sign of when a choice will be made. It’s 100% against the law to climb them, with fines of $1,000 if caught. The main site has guards and cops on watch, and they’ve been strict, with up to 40 fines in just one day.

Your best bet to see the stairs is to take a “doors off” heli flight, which lots of firms run and fly right by the site. You can also try a view from the H-3 road as you drive by, but don’t stop on the road.

The park at the base of the Moanalua Trail is now shut down, so both paths to the top are off bounds. Cops will cite you if you try to get there from any path.