Yes, it’s that time again. KHON2.com’s Unfit Adventurer went out to seek the most fun experiences on Oʻahu.
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Yes, it’s that time again. KHON2.com’s Unfit Adventurer went out to seek the most fun experiences on Oʻahu.
This time we trekked the Kalaepōhaku Lower Trail.
Kalaepōhaku Lower Trail is a beautiful hiking path situated. This trail is part of the larger Mānoa Falls area and offers a chance to explore nature and see stunning views.
The trail is about 2.2 miles long and is perfect for families and beginners capable of a moderately difficult hike.
As you walk, you’ll see tall trees, colorful flowers and maybe even some wildlife! Birds often sing in the trees; and if you’re lucky, you might spot a few butterflies fluttering by.
The path can be a little difficult to follow. There is one path that is the lower trail. But there are multiple paths that intersect it that can easily pull you off course. It is highly advisable to use an app to navigate this trail. This will make it much easier to figure where you diverged from the trail and get back on it.
We got lost at least six times — that’s even with the app to help us navigate. You can click here for more information.
Along the way, there are some places to stop and rest, where you can enjoy the fresh air and the sounds of nature. But it seems that the most popular sport for this trail is actually mountain biking.
There are lots of bike paths, and many of them have earthen ramps that make the trail even more adventurous. Most of the people we met on this hike were biking.
One of the best parts of the Kalaepōhaku Lower Trail is reaching the end, where you can see a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains and valleys. At least this is what the guide books say. But in actuality, the trail ended at a fence with a giant water tank inside.
You are surrounded by the valley, but it’s less picturesque than described.
The hike itself is a great place to take photos and make memories with friends and family as the foliage is incredibly diverse and beautiful.
Before we began the hike, we ran into a group of youth who had a guide that was telling them all about the history of the area and what hike is like.
Unlike many other trails we’ve been to, this one has a gorgeous picnic area that overlooks the valley. There’s a good-sized parking lot and bathrooms.
In the picnic area we met Kimi who lives in Kakaʻako. She was about to set out on a biking adventure with her friends.
“We just love this trail because the terrain is so diverse,” she explained. “There are bridges, ramps, rocks, there’s just so much to see and challenge yourself on.”
With that, she was off. The mistake we made was following the trail she took. We’d read that the hike a great place to go when Honolulu is especially hot. So, we embarked on the trail Kimi and her friends took, we encountered a red earth with no shade.
We Kaiʻiwa with his dog Maximillian who live in Waikīkī. They were on the trail to get their daily exercise.
“This is a wonderful trail for Maxie,” he explained. “It’s a wide-open space where he can get a bit of exercise without a whole lot of other dogs or people to distract him. It’s a great hike for pet owners wanting an adventure.”
Fortunately, we pulled up the app map and found out that the hike actually begins in a whole different place. Once we found our way to the proper trail, which looks overgrown and like you’re going the wrong way, we found a beautifully shaded trail.
It is a bit treacherous when you first start out. There is a deep gorge you have to navigate in order to get on the trail.
This is where we met Jon and Malcolm who live in Kaimuki. They were out on a mountain biking excursion. They were navigating the gorge on their way out of the trail.’
“We had a bit of trouble navigating the slopes,” Jon said. “It’s such a gorgeous trail, but the inclines nearly broke us.”
“It really reminds us of some of the trails we’d take in northern California,” added Malcolm. “Lots of diverse terrain, gorgeous plants, lots of birds providing the soundtrack — there is just a lot to see and experience on this trail.”
With that, were feared the gorge less and made our way, with the help of the app map, down the trail.
One of our favorite things about this hike were all the wee bridges that dotted the landscape. There was something about the bridges that really hammered home the quaint nature of this hike.
After getting off trail several times, we finally made it to the return point for the hike. As we entered the clearing, Akira ran past us. He was out on his daily trail run.
“This is my daily exercise,” Akira said as he was catching his breath. “It’s not too difficult, and it’s just so beautiful here. The only thing that distracts from the beauty are all the unnecessarily large homes that are lining the valley.”
He pointed upwards where we saw homes instead of beautiful scenery.
“I guess they like overlooking a water tank?” he said as he started on his run back to the park.
Our way back to the park was much less difficult since we’d already encountered all trails you shouldn’t take to remain on the correct one. We made it out alive.’
This trail seems to be one of Oʻahu’s more underrated hikes. There were few people on it and even fewer people enjoying the wonderful picnic area.
The Unfit Adventurer Rating for this hiking trail is: (ratings are out of a possible five hiking boots.)
Ease of hike for unfit folks
Views offered
Friendliness of fellow hikers
Worth the struggle
Feeling of accomplishment
So, if you decide to hike the Kalaepōhaku Lower Trail, then be aware that the experience for everyone who does it is different. You’ll need to rely on your own physical skills to determine whether this is the right hike for you.
And as always, never hike alone.