If you need an escape from daily life to catch a breath and rekindle friendships, then the…read moreFriendship Garden is the perfect place. This is a very short hike that loops around, so you shouldn't be running into anyone on the narrow pathway. Start right, like driving! There's nothing steep, treacherous, or difficult. The Friendship Garden is very well maintained. Maps and information are provided at the beginning. At the top, you'll find beautiful views Kaneohe Bay. There's also a pathway that leads to another hike that's clearly more difficult and not apart of the Friendship Garden. Warning signs posted! The only difficult thing might be finding this place because it's quite hidden, deep in a residential area. It's located on Kokokahi Pl, which you can reach from Kaneohe Bay Dr. Just drive all the way up, and it'll be to your left. You can only park along the side of the road. Make sure to leave enough space, and also be mindful of the signs! No parking from 6-11AM on Wednesdays and Saturdays, which is probably trash pick up days. Overall, a really nice, easy hike with well maintained pathways. It might be a journey to get there, but it's worth it. Bring friends and make new friends!

Friendship Garden has 72 reviews as of 1/17/2025 and I was wondering why. I think the name explains…read moreit. It's a short, garden trail inside a neighborhood rather than a real hike. As I was walking this trail, my brain is telling me this is a mini Aiea loop trail with great view of the Windward side of Oahu. Parking is a challenge. The location is inside, one way, Kokokahi Place neighborhood so there's only street parking. We were lucky to find spacious area to park. The view here is great considering we only hike up 20-30 minutes. Total trip length was 2 miles. That was little disappointing because I like to get most out of my hikes. I feel like I got ripped off on this hike with little sweat. As for intensity, you do have to climb up but lots of ropes to help you. Luckily it was a dry day so no mud. This trail is quite narrow so it may not be kid friendly. Also, if you're on the taller side, watch out for branches. This is not State trail so it seems like it's not kept up regularly.

This waterfall hike was one of the highlights of our recent trip…read more It was very do-able for young kids- our 3 and 6 year old had a blast. There isn't much incline, and no treacherous cliffs like some other hikes we've tried. Certainly kiddos have to careful of their steps with the roots and rocks on the path. Took us a sec to find the trailhead. You park in the golf/church parking lot. We paid $10 cash to some guy in a golf cart - not entirely sure if it was legit haha. Go past the chain link, toward the water tower. The path is narrow/hidden to the left of the water tower. The path is almost entirely shaded/jungly so fine for a sunny/hot day. It maybe took us about 20 minutes each way on a slow exploration pace... The waterfall pool is shallow enough for toddlers to play Apparently we were told by locals that we were lucky to catch the waterfall alone on a weekday when local kids were in school since it's a popular hike to take on young ones. Either way, the whole hike and the waterfall hike were all beautiful

I've have made this short hike a few times, today the falls were flowing more than the other times…read more It was so peaceful and beautiful to see so much water flow. Trail was a little muddy in spots but not bad. There was a tree across the trail right by the area that you take the trail to the right to head to the falls. There is some ups and downs, high steps ups, lots of roots, so keep your eyes on the trail. Alltrails is helpful to stay on trail.

I don't hike a lot but friends wanted to go so we did the trek. Another friend who hikes a LOT told…read moreme it's one of the most beautiful hikes he's been on. While I don't have a large amount of destination spots to compare, I do have my share of hiking experiences. It really was beautiful. So many picturesque spots. Got some great photos on the way up to the falls. Be sure to have good footwear as it can get pretty slippery. While most of the path is graveled, there are numerous areas where you could easily fall. If you're a mosquito magnet, put your bug spray on before you start the hike and take it with you. I still came out with a bunch of bites, mainly cause my sweat washed some of the protection off. Had a great time. Highly recommend.

We went on a Friday morning; thankfully no police there that day to stop us. A friend tried to go…read morethe next morning - you guessed it, popo were there and stopped all hikers from accessing the trail. For us, though, another great hike up to the falls. Very few people during the week so no fighting for space at the falls. And after the walk up it sure felt great to stand under the falls and cool down. Definitely one of my fav waterfalls on Oahu and, if not blocked by the popo, a really easy 45 minute trek up. Yes, it is technically trespassing since the trail/falls is on BWS property. Apparently loud groups of hikers have pissed off the neighbors so the police now routinely patrol the gate area. Sure hope this doesn't go the way of Haiku Stairs and get permanently closed down.

A beautiful day for a hike! Every time I do this hike it's a little different. Today the waterfall…read morewas cold and bracing and there were a lot of people hiking the falls. We started out around 8:45 AM and by the time we reached the waterfall, it was getting full of families and pairs of hikers. I recommend go early to skip the crowds. The hike itself isn't too technical and there are only a few places where you have to step up high over a rock or scramble through a stream.

Here are clear and concise directions for this hike!!…read more Main parking off Pali hwy. Entrance is easily visible. You'll enter the bamboo forest. Within the first 50 feet it will split into a Y trail, take the left path. If you go straight you'll likely end up in the bamboo section for 20-40 mins. If you do not exit the bamboo area within 10 mins, you're lost. You'll exit the bamboo area through a lifted/broken section of the fence. Walk uphill onto the paved pathway. This will open onto a wide valley. You'll pass a large bridge structure. Follow that till road till you get to the supply shed structures. Look for a small concrete stairway in the trees. Stay left mostly, and look for pink ribbons. Pass the old fenced off pool looking area. Once you hit the rock/mud path (approx 10 mins) there's a hard right turn down into the main river area. A large tree has fallen so you'll need to spot the ribbons, and climb over this tree. If you pass this fallen tree by mistake, the trail will seem oddly difficult and dense. You'll need to turn around. Walk until you see the man made rock wall with a small waterfall, and walk across this to the other side. Follow the ribbons up the path and you'll need to cross the river 3-5 more times after this. Keep looking for clear open paths. There's two ways you can continue after that point so don't worry. (One way is just more difficult) Before the waterfall there's a larger section of rocks you'll have to climb over. Main takeaways: You will have to walk across slippery rocks several times. It is muddy. It's not that difficult but can be dangerous at some parts. If you don't see a pink/orange ribbon for more than 5-10 mins at any time, you are likely lost.

Even on a cloudy day the Pali lookout is still beautiful and magnificent views…read more I haven't been here for years now they have Porta Potty lol that's a good sign . If you have out of town guest this a quick and a must stop tourist attraction plus it's free only parking but do what I do I just wait in my car . Support local

Difficult hike, not for children or elderly…read more Entrance is technically "blocked" by the sign. Only reason I found it was because the park employee told me to just hop the little stone fence lol. Located right next to the portapotties. This isn't a stroll or just a long hike. It's difficult due to the potential weather conditions and the steep climb. There are ropes in portions, and if that's not your thing I don't recommend it. Not for kids or elderly in my opinion. You have to be relatively fit with decent knees. Don't wear flip flops. Bring water. Take your time and focus otherwise you can easily fall to your death or twist an ankle. That all being said, I was able to make it to the pali puka point as a relatively fit 4 month pregnant individual lol. Maybe wasn't the wisest decision but worth the views lol. Be very cautious if you're planning on doing this hike. Check weather conditions, the mud makes it easy to slip. Check wind conditions as there are some life threatening falls along the way. Bring proper shoes, I recommend pants and not shorts, just for potential bugs/brushes. Definitely hike and seek adventure, just don't be an idiot or an uninformed tourist about it. This hike HAS killed locals in the past before, Google it.

Nice hike with shade for the most part, trail becomes steep but has ropes to help…read more Lots of roots and uneven footing so watch your step. The California grass is tall and sharp, needs to be cut back. My friends and I have lots of little cuts on our arms from it. Also beware of bees! Bring you Benadryl or epo pen if you need, they sting one of us in the face as we were walking through the tall grass. This might not be a long hike but due to incline and climb up it is a good hike to get a good workout in. The view also did not disappoint, AMAZING!!!! As you go up of course they just get better and better. We are all so glad we finally made it to this hike!!! Parking is tight! And you are in a neighborhood, where you do not want to block there parking, only room for 3-5 cars smaller cars at one time. Love the friendship garden part of the hike with the gorgeous plants and trees that have species placards.

Not my favorite...kind of strenuous, with nice, but not necessarily breathtaking views…read more I had this hike on my list for a while now, so when friends suggested we go, I was up for it. Parking seemed limited, but I drove past the trailhead down to a section of the neighborhood that had a number of spaces. It was probably about an 8 minute walk back up to the trailhead. It starts easy, with much forest greenery, and several routes, that will take you on the Oneawa path. I guess I hadn't mentally prepared, but was surprised by the incline and the ropes. Perhaps my lack of uppers that morning was to blame, as I not expecting this to be difficult, but I was struggling to keep up with my friends as the hike continued. It took us about an hour to see the quarry waters, which were interesting, but only needed a few minutes to take in. You do get some nice views of the bay and it's not a very long hike, so there is that, but I honestly don't think I'd come back. It felt like more effort than it was worth and there are so many other hikes on Oahu that unless I lived RIGHT there, I don't think it warrants another go.

Nandor the Explorer!!! What more can I say about this man and his utmost professionalism. He was in…read moreconstant communication with us from booking through to the beginning of our hike up the Moanalua Trail. We were worried about the rainy weather but Nandor told us not to worry and I'm glad we trusted him because even though our hike began with a downfall, it cleared up and switched between cloudy/misty and sunny. The weather was perfect for the hike because if it was all sunny, I think it would've been too hot. Only thing was it was extremely muddy but fear not, our guide came prepared. He has spikes for us as well as extra rope since somehow all of the normal ropes that were supposed to be on the trail were cut down or removed. He was very knowledgeable and friendly. If you need recommendations for other trails basically anywhere, this is your man! He's been around so many places and has hiked and explored almost all the places I could think of. I'm pretty sure I would've fallen off the ridges or slipped and tumbled my way to certain injury if it weren't for his guide and ensuring our safety. One bonus thing, the guy takes AMAZING pictures for you on his professional camera. So don't even worry about using your phone, he's got you covered! Thanks Nandor, I shall come to you the next time I want to explore Hawaii's secluded gems!

Nandor provides a world-class experience every time. I have had the pleasure of hiking 4 trails in…read moreOahu with Nandor and each have been difficult, exciting, and a memorable experience. I would highly recommend him as a guide for any level of experience hiker as he personalizes your adventure. He never packs multiple groups together but rather offers a private experience for you and your group. He is an easy companion and good conversationalist, which is important if you're out for a 4-5 hour hike. Utmost professionalism in that he assess your capabilities, keeps a watchful eye, yet encourages you to accomplish things you didn't expect you ever would. He understands the weather and geography of Hawaii. Watch his youtube videos from Hungaro Explorer to see what kind of fun awaits.

This is not for the faint of heart. First peak is an hour and a half of serious cardio. Rope…read moresections and rapid, steep elevation. Pic is from second peak. Don't forget to bring enough water and snacks.

Tl:dr: the most technically challenging hike on the island, takes 5-6 hours round trip including…read morestops on each of the 3 peaks to take pictures, rest etc. People talk about mortality on this trail, although I don't think it's as dangerous as people made it out to be if you exercise common sense. Who should do it: most people can make the 1st peak. Trail from 1st to 2nd becomes noticeably narrower but it's short and about the same level of difficulty as trail up the 1st peak. 2nd to 3rd peak was where the challenge is - lots of vertical rock climbing, path is narrow, and ropes aren't all in good conditions. If you don't have good upper body strength, have knee problems, or are afraid of heights, it's not a good idea to do the 3rd peak. If you don't have good endurance, it's just going to be a long day. Words of caution: try avoid going after a rainy day because the trail becomes very muddy. It started raining when I was coming down from the 3rd peak and the ground became slippery. Better to go with a friend if you can - there are only a few people hiking past the 2nd peak and in case you get injured, it's good to have someone with you to help. Preparation: pack enough water, gloves (protect your hands from climbing), long pants, and a light windbreaker (waterproof is ideal). You never know how the microclimate changes in the mountain. Throw on some hiking shoes too if you have them. You can get away with gym shoes as I did but extra grip comes in handy on a muddy day. Views: view is the best from the 1st peak. Past that is more for the adrenalin and experience. Parking: no official parking lot for the hike, park across the bridge on the side of the roads. It's a ~15 minute walk to the trailhead. Have fun out there!