Although small and unmarked its an obvious trail. Went up the stairs last week with wife and baby. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The path is quite wide and at many points there are forks in the road which come back to the same point after about 20 yards. The trailhead is located in the back of the Moanalua Valley Neighborhood Park and crosses seven old cobblestone bridges while making its way up the valley floor. Definitely dont pay a guide for this hike like some people seem to. Moanalua Middle Ridge (Honolulu) - All You Need to Know - Tripadvisor Recommended. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. We did this trail in about 6.5 hours (both of us experienced hikers) with stoping for many photos and breaks. Moanalua Valley Trail 4 0 ftHiking Trails Pearl Harbor National Memorial 13,695 2.7 miHistoric Sites Military Bases & Facilities USS Arizona Memorial 27,032 Historic Sites Cemeteries See all See what other travelers are saying JacksonJones 24 contributions Amazing Ridge Hike to the Top of the Haiku Stairs The Stairway To Heaven also has much more epic views than Koko Head in my opinion, but Koko Head is still a great hike in its own way, and its completely legal, so its a good choice if you want another challenging hike with some fantastic island views. There is danger involved with traversing a mountain's ridgeback, an absurdly obvious fact that's slightly deceiving during the first leg of this trek, which begins at Moanalua Valley Park, a flat, straightforward 3-mile walk into Kamananui Valley. This trail in Oahu, also known as the Haiku Stairs, takes you to the top of the Koolau mountains via 3,922 metal stairs of pure adrenaline and doom. Dont forget to check out my other Oahu hiking guides and my complete list of the best things to do in Oahu Hawaii! Thank you. There should be more information about this soon. Anthony J. Polizzi, 31. What can be earliest time to start this hike? Preview trail Dogs on leash Hiking Walking Bird watching River Views Waterfall Wildflowers Over grown Scramble Description Parking is at the Moanalua Valley Park (open from 7am - 7pm) at the end of Ala Aolani Street. Start hiking along the road/trail just past the bathrooms. Just because you don't see or understand the damage you are causing doesn't make it right. Kulana'ahane Trail | Outdoor Project This is the trailhead for the hike and you will follow this path until you reach the middle ridge. Wear spikes if you have them, makes most of the trail up the ridge line easier. Overnight parking is not allowed in Moanalua Valley Park - the gate is locked and the park is closed at a certain hour. (That said, while you may take in the jaw-dropping views it showcases of Oahu at the hikes summit, the stairs themselves are still illegal to go down and trespass on, regardless of how youve reached them.) The trail becomes quite adventurous with many sections becoming quite narrow and requiring a rope to pull yourself up the slippery, gravel surface. Ask bognarofsydney about Moanalua Valley Trail. This was one of my favorite sections of the hike and the backdrop over the shoulder gave great views of the ridge we had just hiked up. Loving all your content and guidance! Gallantry: Biden presents Medal of Honor to retired Army Col. Paris Davis for his heroics in Vietnam, US to send bridge-launching vehicles for tank deployments to Ukraine in new $400M aid package, Japan complains to US over Utah senators remarks on imprisoned Navy officer, Military, VA provide troops, vets more gun safety options to help reduce suicides, Pentagon tells service members to stop displaying giant US flags at major events, K-Town Now features the latest news from the Kaiserslautern Military Community. One of the main challenges of climbing the Hawaii Stairway To Heaven trail is just finding where it starts. More advanced hike along the ridge line. Assuming you are doing the middle ridge hike, very enjoyable. Werner Karl, you're right. To get to the trailhead, park outside the Moanalua Valley Park and the trail begins just after the green gate. Copyright 2020 Hawaii News Now. It is open 7A-7P but I started my hike at 6:15A and the gate was open. Go past it about 20 paces. All rights reserved. You can also reach out for info/if you have other questions about the hike or other hikes here. Similar to the Angles Landing Hike in Zion National Park. Loved every minute of it! Test first before committing your weight on it. I was wondering 10.4 miles is it a round trip? It was a beautiful day, not too muddy to complete this hike. The Stairway To Heaven Hawaii hike is epic, dangerous, and illegal. However, the whole Haiku valley is surrounded by a residential area with fences, yappy dogs, and a security guard, with only a few possible entrances. You walk an easy trail for 3 miles before you start ascending to the summit, which is nearly 2 miles up. Wyatt Olson is based in the Honolulu bureau, where he has reported on military and security issues in the Indo-Pacific since 2014. Wow, the Haiku Stairs, although strenuous, it looks fun with great views and a sense of accomplishment at the end. To begin the Moanalua Valley Trail you will first need to drive to the Moanalua Valley Neighborhood Park and park in the streets nearby. After Kahahana's death, a plot was laid to kill all the chiefs of Maui on the same . You can read about it in this SFGate article. At the beginning, a large monkeypod tree leads to the Douglas Damon house site. Not runners, not tennis, etc. Bring some shoes that you don't care about because the trail is muddy and you will definitely get dirty. The left goes to the valley. Feel free to reach out to me on Instagram @mike.karas or email me at mikekarasphotography@gmail.com if youd like to join or like gear for the hike I have plenty of microspikes and gloves. Future Of The Haiku Stairs Open / Closed? Stowell's body was found roughly 400 feet below the third peak of Mount Olomana's hiking trail, officials said. Anthony Polizzi, said Col. Dan Dobbels, 15th Wing commander. I will never endorse anything fake or not worth considering. ", "You need to have a certain amount of physical conditioning, because you are climbing almost the entire time," Griggs told Hawaii News Now. It was gorgeous & worth all the aches later lol. To put it another way, THIS HIKE IS ILLEGAL. Many of the best hikes in Oahu have been closed preemptively to avoid more of these unjustified lawsuits. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. Every time I turned around to look back towards the city, the view just kept getting better and better. Moanalua (Kamananui) Valley Trail on Oahu. Please explore responsibly! Moanalua (Kamananui) Valley Trail - YouTube The main reason to take the back way is just to stay legal and rule out any possible fines. The Moanalua Valley Trail isnt as popular as the Haiku Stairs themselves but it is growing in popularity and the trail can get quite busy. Toa Luau at Waimea Valley. A man who was hiking Hawaii's Olomana Trail reportedly plummeted hundreds of feet to his death on Sunday after he reportedly tried to grab his hat, marking the fourth death linked to the dangerous trail since 2011. Air Force captain who died during Hawaii hike remembered as 'leader Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Thanks for your support. However, it is infrequent and often there is no one up there and you can explore if you choose to. The Haiku Stairs Hawaii trail was officially closed in the 1980s, and its been damaged a little (and repaired) on and off in the years since then. The middle ridge in Moanalua is home to many native species not found anywhere else in the world, and being at the top of the ridge, the effects of illegal hikers and illegal tours ripples down into the valley. The hike follows the Moanalua Valley Trail before connecting up the Moanalua Middle Ridge, which is the legal backway to the Stairway to Heaven (Haiku Stairs) satellite summit. You can see the windward side of Oahu island with Kaneohe Bays sandbars, and an amphitheater of mountains surrounding you on all sides. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Basically, when you reach the top of the Moanalua Middle Ridge trail you will have great views and are within a stones throw of the satellite at the summit. The trail will cross the stream 28 more times before the last 1/4 mile of trail. HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - U.S. Army officials have released new details surrounding the death of an Airman assigned to the 15th Wing. My wife Intan and I are usually in our second home Bali, but our journeys take us to destinations all over the world. from around the world. It was actually easier to me than Mount Olympus , just a LOTTTTTT longer. Its 328 steps to a raging waterfall. Talk Kaimuk Has Coffee Drinks by Day, Cocktails at Night, Where to Find Mochi and Other Sweet Treats for Girls Day in Honolulu, The Bowl that Converted Me: Saimin at Janes Fountain, AYCE Nights: My Favorite All-You-Can-Eat Hot Pot Spots in Honolulu, Photos: 2023 Best Dentists in Hawaii Reception, The Top 5 Whiskey Drinks to Order at ELEVEN, The HDS Tooth Fairy is Coming Back to Kakaako, A Locals Guide to an Oahu Road Trip: Wahiaw to Salt Lake, Spring Fashion Feature: Proud Hawaiian Model Mahina Florence Inspires Murals, 10 Local Ocean-Friendly Restaurants on Oahu to Try Now, February 2023: Our Top 3 Most-Viewed Posts About Oahus Food Scene, Your Guide to the Perfect Weekend in Honolulu: March 28, 2023, 28 Irresistibly Cute Girls Day Gifts for Women and Keiki, Why We Eat Mochi and Display Dolls on Girls Day in Hawaii, My 12 Favorite Restaurants Off the Strip in Las Vegas. There is parking outside the gate, which we recommend using in case you don't get back before they close the gates in the evening. -Rain jacket/windbreaker . The group is part of the 15th Wing. From plantation towns to planned communities, Central Oahu has its share of secret spots, a bumper crop of bowling alleys and neighborhood eats. Yes, technically it is illegal to climb the Oahu Haiku Stairs since theyre closed to the public. We are deeply saddened by the loss of Capt.