Judd's Trail to Jackass Ginger Pool

Judd’s Trail to Jackass Ginger Pool - August  21, 2009 & May 31, 2010

*The last time I did this trail was in 2010 and some things may have change with the trail. Use this article for entertainment purposes only. 

Judd’s Memorial Trail to Jackass Ginger Pool is no secret. This hike gets a lot of traffic for a variety of reasons. Its a great beginners hike for kids and pets. It also can lead to the Nuuanu Overlook (via Nuuanu and Pauoa flats). Finally, if you veer off the trail a little, it will lead to Jackass Ginger Pool, an inviting and refreshing nature made pool. I consider this trail to be one of the best beginners hikes on the island of Oahu.

Judd's is one of the most perfect hike on Oahu. On Nuuanu Pali Drive, you park on the road by the trailhead. One minute into the hike, there is a stream crossing. Be careful or you will fall, the rocks are slippery.  After the stream crossing, there is a three way path. Choose the middle one, it’s the correct one. 

You enter the bamboo forest, it is as beautiful a bamboo forest you’ll find on this island, green and dark. About 10 minutes into the hike, there will appear a sub trail that leads down the hill. At the bottom of the hill, is Jackass Ginger Pool. The waterfall is about 10 feet high, but the flow is smooth, the rocks are set up like a movie prop, and the pool is wide as a lagoon.  It is a super easy hike and part of the Nuuanu Stream that produces many waterfalls. 

After Jackass Ginger, you may want to venture further along. The trail is about a 1.5 mile loop. Along the loop, you will encounter these tall trees, they are Norfolk Cook Pines with numbers on them. The simplified story goes, Judd was a forester and he was in charge of keeping track of all the Norfolk Pines that were planted in this area. The numbers on the trees represent his way of organizing the trees.