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Ma'akua Ridge Trail

3.8 (12 reviews)

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Graffiti wall
Tim L.

Loved it! First time doing this hike this morning. Not a lot of cardio/height or views, but enough to keep it interesting. Super easy to follow trails, well traveled/marked, nearly all shaded, and strawberry guavas to bring home. I'll definitely be going back for a nice easy hike, more strawberry guavas, and a great reason to visit Papa Ole's only a mile away!

Walking to trailhead, we loves the graffiti
Katie S.

We thoroughly enjoyed this hike. We didn't see a soul on the trail! We parked across from Hau'ula Homestead Rd, (the second entrance to Hau'ula Homestead Rd Coming from Kaneohe) right in front of the beach. From there, we walked to the trailhead. From the beach to the trailhead is almost .5 mile. The trailhead begins on the left, just after the beginning of the graffiti wall. Pink and orange tape are along the hike to help guide. It was fun to hike through the woods. There were a few ocean views that were beautiful, but most of the hike was trenching through the woods. It was muddy when we went, and one of the creeks provided a bit of a challenge to cross. That was entertaining to say the least. We had to walk across a fallen tree using tree limbs to give us balance across the fallen tree. The trail itself is about 2.7 miles. From where we parked, the trail, and back to the truck, we logged 3.8 miles. I would not babywear and/or bring small children on this one. There were several steep drop offs, I would personally be a nervous wreck having my little one with me. Water and insect repellent are a must! I would NOT hike this alone.

Panorama from the trail.
Michael M.

We were looking for another hike to do on my daughter's birthday. This one seemed to be what we were looking for: short, easy(~ish), and great views. Here is what we found: The Trail: - Distance: about 4.4 miles from where we parked. The Loop is about 3 miles. - Terrain: some hills, but a well-marked path with switchbacks keeps it from being too steep - Mud: not really. Lots of leaves and hills keep most of the water from pooling. - Parking: don't park at the trailhead! There is a sign that warns of a high theft area. We parked a couple of streets away near a cemetery and walked to the trailhead, not very far. The Good: - Wonderful views! There are sections where you get a great panorama of the Windward side. - Switchbacks. The trail goes up and down hills a few times, but it never is too steep. All my little kids made it with no trouble. - Shade. And better, shade without bugs. We did not have one bite among us. - Loop: I love it when the whole trail is a different view. Out and backs are OK, but loops are better. - Restrooms nearby on the main road right before you turn off to find the trailhead. The Not So Good: - No parking right at the trailhead - No water - Some areas of the trail are narrow with steep slopes on each side. Be careful. Bottom Line: Great day hike for the whole family. This is one of 2 loops in the area. You will see the right-hand turn for the Hauula Loop before you find the left-hand turn off for this trail. Both are about the same length. If we get the chance, we'll come back here and do the other one. Not 5 stars because while we had a couple of good views, we did not have as many as we would have liked. AllTrails.com: http://alltrails.com/trail/us/hawaii/maakua-ridge-trail-and-papali-gulch

Pixel K.

Similar to Hau'ula loop but I like it a little more because the views are a little prettier. Pros: shaded, easy, loop, nice views. Cons: the parking is sketchy, sometimes gets muddy and mosquito-y.

The entrance
Yuko I.

My first hike ever on the island. Little muddy but not as bad as other places.

Park across the street from this sign. This is where you walk up to the trail head.

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Hau'ula Loop Trail

Hau'ula Loop Trail

4.0(24 reviews)
0.0 mi

Great trail for the family. However; trail is full of roots and does have some rock climbs. But we…read morereally did enjoy it. Mostly shaded, not a lot of views but good hike. Loved the different trees and flowers. Bring the bug spray!!! And be patient with parking, locals do. Or want you parking in front of their house so you do have to park kinda far.

First time on this hike on the Windward side. Parked across…read morefrom the beach park, since other reviewer on Alltrails said there wasn't much parking near trailhead. The walk was pretty easy to the beginning of the hike through residential area. The beginning of trail leads to 2 different trails, we chose this one. The first third of the trail is an up hill climb and once you are at the ridge level there is some up, down and level. The elevation gain according to Alltrails is 853 ft. We clocked more miles than what was listed on site which included the walk to trailhead. The trail itself is in rainforest and varying foliage and terrain. Trail was damp in some spots and there are a few areas that you will cross a stream, where if there is hard rain that would cause fast flowing water it may not be safe to cross. We had a little rain on hike which did not cause a problem. There a few areas where the trail is narrow which is common here on the island. Once you make the ridge there are there are steps mostly going down the trail. We did it cclock wise which other hikers suggested. Although I think we would have been comfortable either way. There are views of the ocean and canyon once you make it to ridge. We all enjoyed views and the foliage on this hike. Note: we used poles and crampons on for the muddy areas. Must keep eyes on the rooted areas if you don't want to trip. There are mosquitos and it can be humid in some areas of the hike. It is mainly shaded and there are nice breezes on the ridge area of the hike. Alltrades gives it a Moderate rating which is accurate. We are all over 65 and are active and know what to expect from island trails.

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Hau'ula Loop Trail
Hau'ula Loop Trail
Hau'ula Loop Trail

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Laie Falls

Laie Falls

4.0(34 reviews)
2.6 mi

First off, you will need to obtain a permit from Hawaii Reserves, Inc prior to hiking the Laie…read moreFalls Trail, and you can easily do so by stopping by their offices, located in the Laie Shopping Center (near the Foodland) at 55-510 Kamehameha Highway, Laie, HI 96762. They are open Monday-Friday from 9 AM-5 PM. More info on them is available at http://www.hawaiireserves.com/about_location.htm. The reason is that it really is private property and you don't want to get into any legal problems with the residents in the area (No Trespassing signs throughout the immediate area). Now on to the hike. You should park at the football field as there is no parking right at the main entrance to the trail. Make sure you have sunscreen and mosquito repellant on you at all times and wear good running/hiking shoes that you're willing to get muddy and dirty. Oh yes, and don't forget about water! Parts of the trail can be a bit muddy and wet. Also look for pink markers on tree branches throughout the trail, as they can really save you from getting lost or overwhelmed. It's about a 3-4 hour hike overall (round trip) and not one of those easy ones either. Along the way, you'll encounter gorgeous views of the valley and even parts of the ocean from a distance. A lot of work and effort to be put in to reach the waterfall. When you get to the part right after all the tall pine trees and that long winding narrow stretch of guava trees, you might be thinking to yourself, "Is this ever going to end!?" It's about another 1-1/2 miles from the pine trees through the guava trees to the falls. And admittedly, I was about ready to turn back thinking I had gone in the wrong direction, but lo and behold, finally came to the sign that directs you to the waterfall. But be really careful when you make your way down to the waterfall and grab onto any ropes available so you don't go tumbling down to the bottom, as it is really steep and dangerous. You will eventually be rewarded with lovely views of Laie Falls.

I read a lot of reviews before trying this hike out for myself. A few of them said to get a…read morepermit, so I sent in my application by fax to the office and within a week I got an email from them with the permit and it is good for one year. The beginning part of the hike up to the falls is a nice hike - I think it can be considered medium/intermediate. You start by walking from the park on a dirt/gravel road. You pass through two gates and from there it is a walk steadily up through trees and open areas with hard packed dirt and some loose gravel. One of my friends described one of the sections as the pathway for the rock in Indiana Jones (I hope that didn't date me too much) lol. There are great views throughout this whole hike!!! This section can be hot!! After the Indiana Jones part of this hike you come to the pine trees...and they are magnificent!!! So tall and majestic, they sometimes block out the sun. After this you come to the muddy section of this hike and when I say muddy, I mean MUDDY. My friends and I looked like ballerina monkeys trying to balance on roots, hold onto the trees along the side of the trail, and tiptoe our way up. It stays this way until you reach the sign for the falls. By the time we got back to our cars all of our shoes were caked in mud and some of it got into shoes as well. The sign at the falls says it is 2 hours more to the summit. This part of the hike I would consider intermediate/hard. You meander around the two mountains - no real inclines, just a whole bunch of zigzags. However, the trail has a lot of sections where you feel like you're walking on a balance beam and it can be quite muddy if it's been raining. There are a couple sections where there are ropes to assist you, and we only used them on the way down. It is a ridge trail, parts there is just cliff on either side of you, and some there are ferns to one side but when I tested if they were stable enough to lean on, I couldn't figure out where the ground was without feeling like I was going to fall. It took my friend and I three and a half hours to reach the "summit". It looks like it is an intersection for five other trails, which they are I have no idea. If you are going to do this hike, I recommend that you bring snacks, at least 2 liters of water (to the falls), 3 or more liters of water if you're going to the summit. To the falls and back it took my friends and I six and a half hours. We did take our time throughout this hike, so if you're one of those go-go-go hikers it may take you four to five hours round trip. When my friend and I went back to do the summit, it was a 9 1/2 hour round trip hike for us. It was raining the night before and an on and off drizzle while we were hiking so we did not rush. I would definitely do the hike to the falls again, but it would take some serious bribing for me to go back to the summit.

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Laie Falls
Laie Falls
Laie Falls

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Kahuku Point - Crabs.

Kahuku Point

4.6(5 reviews)
0.5 mi

Many non-island dwelling friends often ask me if I ever get "island fever" or feel isolated living…read morehere on Oahu. Truth is I've never felt that way ever. So much to see and do here. I do however, get occasional "teleworking fever" brought on by the current work-at-home mandate. This weekend we tried to do something about it by seeking out some alternative hiking locations. While Turtle Bay resort is still closed, the myriad of hiking paths are still open. We chose to avail ourselves of the Kahuku point trail and some other ancillary loop trails that stretch across the resort grounds. The day was a perfect one with brisk trades and plenty sun. The 1.5 mile loop and back took us about 3 hours including some time spent gazing out at the point at all the breakers and exploring tide pools. Even spied small fish and found some very interesting geological history--such as micro perforated rocks showing how the volcanic gases escaped. In the end we left the resort feeling decently exercised and ready to face Monday morning! Highly recommend a visit. Mahalo for reading my review.

A two-mile coastal trail that has a peninsula as the final destination. The path is a simple walk…read moreacross flat land, although the sand may make it a bit more difficult. We only explored a short section from the beginning as it was too sunny and hot for us to go any further. The scenery is relaxing and the beaches were not that crowded despite being next to a hotel. Little critters can be discovered and we had an entertaining time watching all the crabs scurry away from the waves. A variety of birds can be spotted in the vicinity too. We parked at the lot right before Turtle Bay Resort that is accessible via Kuilima Drive. From there, you can walk to the starting point of Turtle Beach and then head east.

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Kahuku Point - Java Sparrow.

Java Sparrow.

Kahuku Point
Kahuku Point

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Kikos Tours Oahu - Beautiful sites

Kikos Tours Oahu

5.0(10 reviews)
24.0 mi

Kiko's tour was our favorite adventure on O'ahu. She picked us up from the airport and it felt like…read morebeing greeted and then visiting with a long-time friend. She knew the inns and outs of many of the tourist stops. She really let us customize our tour and make adjustments as we went. She confirmed days in advance and since she was picking us up from the airport gave us a heads up to have swim suits readily available if we wanted to swim. She even packed towels and water for us!! I asked if she could greet us with leis and it was such a fun surprise for the family!! She's also very knowledgeable and we truly felt way more prepared for the rest of our vacation. 100% recommend your family book with Kiko, especially if it's your first visit. Thank you Kiko, we will see you next time!

Kikos Tours Oahu delivers the most outstanding customer service! The BEST of the BEST! Kristi…read moreKline, owner of this amazing private tour agency, has blown us away with her stupendous personality! She is very professional, so thoughtful & has a Heart of Gold! From roundtrip airport transfers, 2 full days of excursions from Waikiki to the North Shores, she made sure our group of 4 had the best time ever. She customized our tours of Pearl Harbor, 3 botanical gardens, Polynesian Cultural Center, Tropical Farms (the Macadamia Nut Farm Outlet), a taste of the best Portuguese donuts or Malasadas of Leonard's Bakery (so moist & so yummy)! We also tasted the best Huli Huli Chicken at The Coral Kingdom Shop & Restaurant. We highly recommend booking customized private tours with Kikos Tours Oahu. Kristi always delivers an Exceptional Service with a Big Smile! She is after all OHANA. MAHALO

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Family waterfall swim

Ma'akua Ridge Trail - hiking - Updated May 2026

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