One of my favorite neighborhood trails. Very moderate, peaceful. Perfect place for a picnic.read more

Wow this was a beautiful park to visit. A bit of a drive up st louis heights but once you get there…read moreit is definitely a site to see. With all the large trees it makes you feel like you're in the pacific north west but you're still in Hawaii. Parking- there is a nice size parking lot, nicely paved and ample parking for a holiday monday. At the end of the parking lot there is a small hill to drive up for 2 handicap stalls, but one has porta potties in it. Many shaded areas with picnic tables to sit on and enjoy lunch in the park. There are a lot of tress but if you go towards the edge you can get a view of Manoa valley without doing the hike Go up and towards the right paved path there is a bathroom that is quite clean. No soap so bring your own soap or wipes. Right out side there is a water spout and area to wash your shoes. At the trail beginning there is a spot to brush off your shoes. First time here and definitely would come back to visit and walk around. Enjoy!

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.

Nice woodsy falls a reasonably easy hike up through the jungle. Hiking from the road to the golf…read morecourse parking lot adds about a half mile and is as long or longer than the jungle hiking. The falls are maybe 30 feet high down the rock face. If you go up to the base there is a pool deep enough to dip all the way into, with some lower pools just deep enough for a foot soak. The trailhead is on the far left side of the golf course parking lot as you come up from the road. The trail is wide to start, then just before you hit the big water tank the trail goes off and up to the left. A little ways in there are two big downed trees, and the trial to the falls takes a hard turn to the right. Straight/left goes away from the falls but there are a bunch of trees across the trail a half-mile or less down the trail. The falls trail continues down the farthest left fork below the falls. You follow the blue and pink ribbons, and eventually they split. The pink goes down along the streambed. The blue seemed to go up the streambed and involves some serious rope climbing, but then I lost the trail and couldn't see any more blue ribbons.

One line summary: 6.6 miles, 4 hour hike roundtrip (not including rest at the peak)…read more We actually went up to Mt. Olympus from the Wa'ahila Ridge Trail, but whichever way you get here BE PREPARED. This hike will kick your butt, at least it did for us. We were not prepared for this one. Countless times we were going to throw in the towel but pushed to the end. Unlike most of the major ridge peak hikes (Kuliouou, Mariner's Ridge and Hawaii Loa Ridge) the finish point at Mt. Olympus doesn't have a large area to relax and take in the view. Still, you won't find many people up here because this hike is pretty tough. At least for us. The total hike was 6.6 miles (according to Mapmyhike app). It took us about 2 hours and 15 mins to get from the Wa'ahila Ridge Trail head to the top of Mt. Olympus. It took us about 1 hour and 45 mins to get back down. Part of the problem was that we were just so exhausted that climbing out of Wa'ahila Ridge Trail took us much longer than it should have. There are A LOT of ropes on this trail, A LOT of going up/down, up/down, up/down... so that when you're going back down (finished) the trail you still are working out after being exhausted. There is a section of ropes that I would say is about 50 feet up a pretty steep incline, a part of this has small footholds and another part is just hillside you can scale (with ropes). Either way, pretty wicked for someone that isn't prepared. Once you hit that section of ropes you're close to the end but still not quite there, you'll want to give up but push a little more. The views are pretty amazing at the top and you'll have some great panoramic shots from Hawaii Kai to Diamond Head all the way to Ewa Beach from the last 1/2 mile as you're ascending. The views of Manoa get even more dramatic but the views of Waikiki and Kakaako are pretty fantastic too. I know we'll be back to do this one again but it will definitely be awhile, this was truly one of the harder hikes we've been on.

After my first failed attempt at a hike last week I was all about "maintained" hikes this week…read more Mount Olympus had been on my list for some time but I had been avoiding it because its known for being a cloud magnet and it had been cloudy all week. I woke up to cloudy skies but I was in need of a hike so we decided to attempt hiking up to the top of Mount Olympus via the Kolowalu Trail. The Kolowalu trail shares a trailhead with Pu'u pia but is a steeper and shorter alternative route to get up to Wa'ahila Ridge. Most of Kolowalu was covered and cool which was a nice change from most of the hot exposed ridge hikes I had been doing but it was definitely no easy walk in the park. The trail is steep and never really plateaus out, so don't plan on having a picnic or anything. I think it took us about an hour till we got to the junction of Kolowalu and Wa'ahila Ridge. At the junction you will see a sign warning you that upper Wa'ahila Ridge is unmaintained, don't let that scare you away. There a couple narrow, sketchy spots at the end but nothing that can't be done if you stay on the trail and don't try anything stupid. :-) From the beginning of the junction, to the top expect to go over at least 4 or 5 hills. Make sure you have shoes with good traction because you'll be doing a lot of climbing up red dirt stairs that you see on most of the other Ko'olau trails.You'll think you're close, but your not. I think we came across a couple of open grassy areas to take a break, but unfortunately those are not the summit. Once we actually got to the top, we walked along the ridge with Olomana, Kaneohe on our left and Ka'au crater on the right. It was my first time seeing Ka'au crater from the left side, since Lanipo gives you a good view from the right. We finally made it and were all smiles when we saw the stake with a few pink ribbons tied on it. It was pretty windy so we didn't hang out for too long. It rained on our way down so I cannot emphasize the importance of good shoes. Thank god for my vibrams because I think I could have gotten seriously hurt if I had been in old sneakers. Make sure to bring water, snacks, and a extra t-shirt for after. Both of my friends were shivering at dinner after because they were still in their sweat and rain soaked shirts. *Going up to Mt. Olympus from the beginning of the Wa'ahila Ridge is an easier route that starts from the top of St. Louis Heights. YELP 365: 125/365

Breathtaking views and beautiful waterfalls This hike is…read moreonly for people that are experienced hikers. It has a pretty high elevation gain close to 2000 feet which requires using ropes to climb up. Don't attempt this climb if it has recently rained. The trail isn't safe it is muddy. It was dry when I went and I never felt unsafe but at times I did basically crawl or scoot on my butt when it was steep and certain parts are always a little muddy. The first waterfall is slightly off trail but you will see concrete box and several ribbons ( see photo) that mark it. You don't have to climb up the third waterfall, there is trail to the left that is a little longer but a safer option

Very pretty! The view is amazing and it's Hawai'i so it looks like Jurassic Park. I would go again…read moreand walk the area to see more

The Kalawahine Trail is beautiful, a little muddy, and not too difficult. It connects to many other…read moretrails in the Tantalus network of trails, so you can make it a longer or shorter hike, depending on how far you go. Some sections are quite shady and there is sometimes a little bit of sunlight. One section was labeled as a native snail area but I didn't see any snails. I recommend trail shoes and even a walking stick as there are some sections that are narrow with a section where you wouldn't want to fall down. Some sections have small rocks or rocks with moss on them, and good hiking shoes can help here. I always wear bug repellent but unlike some other hikes, this one didn't seem overly buggy. A beautiful hike with some lovely views and a nice workout that's not too overly difficult.

Quick and easy! So…read moremuch has been done to improve safety over the years. I cannot remember the last time I've hiked this trail but I believe it was more than 5 years ago! Kamaaina parking is $4 upon entry. There will be 2 parking lots in the area. One will be uphill and downhill. However, good luck finding a parking space during the weekends because it can get PACKED! There will be signs to guide you where to go so no need to be scared. This is absolutely my favorite hike, not only is it easy but it is soooo beautiful all around! I was a bit upset about the rock barricade preventing us from going in the waterfall but nonetheless people still refuse to listen to the sign and whoops... i'm one of them HAHA. Stunning views.

When Deb asked a month ago if I would do Koko Head, I was like hells nah! But I had been working…read moreout and when she got to the island, I said I'd do it because I wanted the challenge. Again, get there early! Bring water. Bring some snacks too! The climb wasn't as hard for me since the last time. Those workouts on the stairmill and elliptical really paid off. Even Deb said I did much better than the last time. Not too many stops. Again, I gotta say this, if you are not in the best shape or have not worked out in a long time, this is going to be very challenging. I watched people struggling. Also, you don't have to dress up and wear your new white sneakers. Nobody cares! And lastly, you social media wannabees...you don't own the trail or hill...LOL! I watched this one girl spinning around while on video, and then she tripped...LOL! Please be kind and respectful to the land around the trail. Same goes to the people making their way up, except for the women in their lululemon outfits and entitled attitudes...LOL! I'm going to say it again, if you have not worked out and decide to go all the way to the top and back down, I applaud your determination. But you will either hurt yourself or be sore for a few days or more once you come down.

Koko Head is probably my favorite trail I've done in Hawaii. Calling it a "trail" almost feels…read morewrong though because it's basically straight-up stairs the entire way. It's short, around 2 miles total from what I remember, but it's steep the whole time and definitely not as challenging as it looks. The steps are built out of old railroad ties, so as you're climbing it almost feels like you're walking up giant rails going straight up the mountain. There's also a section about halfway through where the tracks aren't fully supported underneath anymore, so there's an open gap below you. If you missed a step there, you could definitely fall a pretty good distance. It caught me off guard the first time seeing it. I also heard from locals that people regularly have to get rescued from the top because they underestimate the hike. Apparently helicopter rides down aren't cheap either, so definitely bring water and know your limits before going up. I went early in the morning before sunrise and there were already a lot of people climbing. Once you get to the top, there are people everywhere taking pictures, relaxing, and just enjoying the view. I even saw some locals doing the hike barefoot, which honestly looked insane to me because I would never trust myself enough to do that on those steps. There are little side areas along the way where people stop to rest since the climb can get intense. Going down is interesting too because some people absolutely fly down the stairs at full speed. It took me under 30 minutes to get to the top just taking my time, but I read some people finish it in under 10 minutes somehow. The view at the top is honestly worth it though. You can see the whole area around you, and the view of Diamond Head from up there is beautiful. Definitely one of the more memorable hikes I did.

Beautiful hike in the Waialae Iki 5 neighborhood. I live up here, so I can tell you that it's best…read moreto do it when it's dry. Even when there hasn't been rain for a week, spots on the trail will be muddy and slippery. Best to leave your white shoes at home. Views can be hit or miss depending on the cloud cover. On a clear day, you can see Diamond Head in the distance and the Windward side of the island from the very top. The first part of the trail is relatively easy with just a gentle incline. Once you hit the stairs and the rope portions, it gets more difficult. Overall, I would say it's a moderately difficult hike, but I never felt like I was in danger of falling off the ridge. For the latest info, go to https://www.waialaeiki5.org/trail.

The trail head is located inside a residential area, you'll need to get a parking pass from the…read moregate entrance and only park at the designated lot. It's a very low key hiking place, rarely known for the tourists, and mostly for locals. I like how beautiful the view on top and not crowded at all, the unpaved trail could get very slippery and muddy after the rain. Make sure to brush your shoes before and after the hike, and protect the local wildlife.

Mount Tantalus is over 2000 feet above sea level and is a cinder cone volcanic feature on the…read moreisland of Oahu. The base of Tantalus makes up the land for the city of Honolulu. For the most part, the mountain is undeveloped and beautiful. There is a road/trail that goes up to the top that has attracted tourists for almost 200 years. I was one of those tourist last week. A series of trails loop around or ascend the mountain and are used by hikers, bird watchers, nature lovers and runners. With limited time, we drove up via Round Top Drive and Nutridge Street. Several overlooks along Round Top Drive offer narrow parking with great views of Diamond Head and Honolulu. The road is windy and you have to travel slowly, but I felt safe. Near the top of the mountain is Pu'u 'Ualaka'a State Park with parking, overlooks, picnic areas and information about the mountain. The walkways at the summit are paved and easily accessible. I love the views from the top. The next time, I will conquer one of the trails. The tropical forest is beautiful.

Made a quick stop at the Tantalus lookout with the best panoramic views of O'ahu. I was so…read morespeechless from the spectacular scenery of skyline, Pacific Ocean, and Diamond Head. You won't be disappointed. The drive up the winding road can be a bit overwhelming, but trust me you'll fall in love with Hawai'i even more once you reach the destination. Parking is limited so I suggest to arrive early in the morning or afternoon. Perfect for families to enjoy a picnic or just relax embracing sunset.