Hiking the Maunawili Falls
Come In, the Water's Cold, But Fine
An hour's drive – and 45-minute walk – from is Waikiki is Maunawili Falls.
Looking to make a splash while vacationing in Honolulu?
Take a drive to the inner part of Oahu and jump off Maunawili Falls.
This is pure Hawaii, a trip to the interior of an island, away from the high-rise hotels and commercialization of the totally tourist area and out to nature. This is literally a jumping-off point for Hawaiian Islands adventure, a deep pond that prompts people to jump from rocks into the cool water.
The destination: The falls and the cool pond.
Some take the easy, short route while other scale to the top of the walls. Occasionally someone will jump from high above the water and land with a loud thump when they plunge through the surface. This is greeted by cheers, claps and a few "whoa" shouts.
The falls are about an hour from Waikiki Beach off the Pali Highway. It's an easy drive, a freeway to a wide four-lane highway, eventually leading to a nice residential neighborhood.
The trailhead entrance to the hiking trail.
Getting to the falls from this point is much more difficult. It's hardly by the edge of the road; rather it's an interesting hike though the woods and over streams for about 45 minutes.
It's interesting because if one just came from Waikiki Beach, it's remarkable that this change in landscape is so close. This is nature, Hawaii's version of the Appalachian Trail.
Through and over streams leads to this view, which is near the end.
The trail is full nature, which means it is dirt and full of tree roots and rocks. It's also hilly, up and down. There are a few places where the trail goes in two directions; choosing one over another seems not to matter for the trails eventually come together later down the path.
At a few places, 3 or 4, crossing a stream over tocks is required. It's interesting to observe the different styles of various hikers here; some just hop across the rocks as if it's hop, skip and jump. Others move more slowly, figuring out a cautious strategy. The objective of each is to stay dry but it hardly matters; the streams are shallow and it's often easier to simply walk through the water.
Someone takes the plunge from a perch high above the falls.
One thing is for sure, hikers get wet and at least a bit muddy. How muddy depends on the time of year and the amount of rain that has fallen. Even in the driest times, people will get a little mud on the clothes and shoes by the end of the trail, though it's hardly as messy as the adventitious Muddy Buddy events.
Hanging loose at the falls is part of the experience.
Hikers should know they are nearing the end of the trail when they crest a hill to a scenic overlook. This is quickly followed by a steep drop. (It's not as bad on the way back up as it seems on the way down, by the way.) After that it's a short hop across a stream and there it is, Maunawili Falls.
The falls are popular so there will be at least a couple of dozen of other people there already. The water is initially cold, but the body adjusts quickly. A lot of people simply sit on big rocks at the edge of the deep pond, or on both sides of the bank, and enjoy the show put on by others.
– DIRECTIONS TO THE FALLS –
Leaving Waikiki, Take H1 westbound to the Pali Highway exit. Stop at Nuuanu Pali State Park for a look at the view from the high hill where the final battle for Oahu was won (parking $3).
Go through two tunnels and the make a right on Auloa Road, at the fork make the quick left onto Maunawili Road. This goes through a residential area; eventually the road will end so make a right and park on one of the streets.
The parking – as well as the hike – is free.
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