Hiking Trails on Oahu

Kaipapa'u Falls - July 29, 2017 Erik planned Kaipapa'u which is good because Daniel would show up. Bernice also came.  The Kaipapau's trailhead is located near Daniel's house. The hike is long about 10 miles in distance. Last time I did the hike was in 2012 with the HTMC club. This hike is also the start of the Kaipapa'u Bunkers which is a very underrated hike in my opinion.  Joining the hike today was Erik, Darren, Bernice, Daniel, Hina and I. We started at about 8:40am. The hike started on a concrete service road and enters the forest. Strawberry guava trees were fruiting and I told myself I have to pick some before I leave. After about 10 minutes the trees spread out and it looks like a fantasy movie. It is so green and lush.  Bernice walking through the fantasy like lush green forest As usual we always talk story for the first hour catching up on each others lives. At about mile 1.5 we hit this huge grove of mountain apple trees. The fruit season was about to en...

Kaipapau Bunkers - July 15, 2016 Today was Lahaina Noon, when at 12:37pm this year on July 15th a person or thing standing straight up will not cast a shadow. The science behind it is unknown to me, however it is a cool phenomenon, a phenomenon which only happens twice a year on each Hawaiian Island.  Today was also David's birthday where he turns 70 years old. He can still hike with the best of them.  Jared and I met at Daniel's house where David and Daniel were waiting. Can you believe it took over 1 hour to get to Hau'ula from Mililani. We hopped in David truck and drove one minute down a road to the Kaipapau trailhead. I've never done this hike before, so it was a treat for me.  After the Board of Water Supply road, we got on the trail and only hiked for about 5 minutes before hitting a junction which led us up the ridge. It was very hot today. We went in and out of gulches and up and down some peaks for about 45 minutes until we hit the first bunker. Trees obscured...

  Malaekahana Pools - January 18, 2014 Three years ago, I didn’t get to the 40 ft. waterfall. Three years went by... Daniel wanted to do this hike and invited whoever, but in the end it would just be me and him. Daniel can be considered one of the experts anywhere from Kahuku to Hau’ula. That is pretty much his neighborhood. He has also hiked many of the trails back there. Not sure if Daniel did any prep for the hike, but I didn’t. I just knew that Malaekahana had a lot of ups and downs. It is not an easy ridge. Today, we would not be going to the summit. Instead, we would veer right at the junction and head down to the pools. I’ve been to these pools once before, but only explored very little.  Daniel met me at the community park at around 8am. From there we hiked at a blistering pace up and down Malaekahana ridge until we hit the junction. The walk down towards the gulch does take a while, I’d say at least 20 minutes. At the stream, we could either go right or left. I knew w...

  Ma’akua Gulch – May 4, 2012 After the Sacred falls incident in 1999, the state took a look at all their trails and discovered that Ma’akua Gulch posed the same hazards as Sacred Falls. The state indefinitely closed Ma’akua Gulch soon thereafter. Ma’akua Gulch has been closed ever since, sort of. Ma’akua Gulch is located in the town of Hau’ula. In fact, if you drive on Kamehameha Hwy and see the Hau’ula sign, make a left and take the Homestead road to its terminus and you’ll be there near the trailhead. Joining me was Marvin. Our original plan was to do Waiahole Uka. But when I met Marvin at the trailhead, it was pouring which immediately changed are plans, so we decided to do Ma’akua Gulch. Furthermore, it is not a good idea to do a gulch hike in the rain, but we took the risk. There was no flash flood in effect, yet. I drove us to the Hau’ula-Papali trailhead on Hau’ula Homestead Road and the rains decided to stop. We got out of the car and took the paved road passing the Hau’ul...

  Hau'ula Loop Trail - June 10, 2011 I could be on to something today. I wanted to take the kids out for a hike, and of course they resisted. But I added an incentive this time.  We would go on a hike first. There would be no complaining. If they could follow through, then we would go to the beach. Agreement made (The kids had no choice). If all went well, both parties would be happy . We got to Hau'ula Homestead Road at about 11 am. The Hau'ula Loop trail is about 2.5 miles. There is also a longer sister trail to the left of the Hau'ula Loop trail called the Papali Loop trail. Good hiker's usually do both hikes during the same day, therefore most hiker's on Oahu call it Hau'ula-Papali Loop trail.  My kids at the trailhead sign     The Hau'ula Loop trail ascends up the mountain via lazy switchbacks. Its a gradual ascent, so there is some huffing and puffing, but not too difficult. When you get to the top of the hill, a view of Laie comes into view, but...