Tripler Ridge

We had a kid with us so we only did the paved portion of the hike. Plus my hiking buddy didn't have shoes. Oops! But since we had this already planned, we went anyway.You need to gain access to the trailhead as it is in the military housing behind Tripler Hospital. Fortunately, my hiking buddy works for the military and we were able to get to the trailhead with no problems. There was ample parking and appears to be fairly safe given that this is on military area. So while I wouldn't recommend leaving your car unlocked, the chances of your car getting broken into is pretty slim.Going up the paved path is pretty straight forward. Just make sure you take the HECO road on the left once you're on the "trail." The incline is steady and you're quickly admiring views of Oahu. We went around lunchtime so the sun was overhead and shade was a bit scarce. I can imagine that once the guavas are ripe, the air would smell guavaey lol. So it was a relief to get to the end of the paved area, do some drone shots and go back down. We would definitely go again to do the full ridge!

Perfect short hike after work and a beautiful view to boot so one of my battle buddies is a fitness buff funny kind of like me only her arms put mine to shame!! Anyways last week Thursday was her birthday and of course she didn't want to do anything but work out so we decided to do a hike that I have never done before. we had a great time this was a great hike short but it definitely gets the blood pumping and for me it was a great second work out! I also like how they weren't bugs everywhere. This trail trail was also not crowded at all:) you do need to have access to hmm Tripler the hospital base area to enjoy this hike;)

Doing the first part makes you feel like a never ending walkway. Like for real. It's uphill and paved but it never ends and it's steep. Then, you get past the antennas which you think is the half way mark. Definitely not. You start to walk in this overgrown part that looks like something out of The Lost World: Jurassic Park. Like raptors and Jeff Goldblume are about to come out. Past that you realize you're now in a different movie. Kong: Skull Island. Like maybe a giant spider leg will come out of the sky or maybe that bamboo you are holding isn't really a bamboo. It was muddy and overgrown at times. All trails rates it as hard and they were not lying. It's shades at some parts. But wear pants. I wore shorts. Big mistake. There's a swing there too if you're into looking for these. Parking was great as usual. It's in a neighborhood so be respectful ya'll.

We chose Tripler Ridge to go to the Stairway to heaven. It was very nice change because he was usually we take the regular way + Moanalua Ridge. Tripler Ridge has more plans and trees around in comparison to the regular way. It was a little bit muddy. I recommend spikes if you have some. Have a great time and lots of fun.

Tripler Ridge is a hike along a ridge that starts at Tripler Army Medical Center and ends at the summit of the Koolau mountains. People have hiked this trail starting at the back of the hospital but the easier, non-access-needed way to do it is to start at Moanalua Valley Neighborhood Park at the end of Ala Aolani Street. I suggest you not park in the parking lot as a neighbor who lives nearby has called the police to report people parking in the lot and leaving the City and County park to hike into the valley. It's a long, relatively flat hike from the park. There are several ways to access the summit. The only one I've taken entails hiking past the detour to the Kulana'ahane trail and continuing straight along the trail till you start climbing up the right side of Tripler Ridge. It's about an hour hike from here to the summit. If the weather is clear, you will be rewarded with breathtaking views of the Windward side and, looking back, to Moanalua Valley and the south shore of Oahu. Many people use parts of this valley hike to access the top of the Stairway to Heaven. It is possible to hike from the summit of Tripler Ridge along the Koolau Summit Trail in either direction but be very careful as the summit trail is narrow, crumbly and drops several hundreds feet, sometimes on both sides.

Review for Tripler Ridge Trail up to the electrical towers:The trail up to the electrical towers is a fully paved steep hill which makes it family friendly and baby wearing friendly. Technically one can push a stroller up the trail, but I would imagine it being quite challenging to push it downhill. We went on a hazy day, but I'd imagine the views on a clear day would be GORGEOUS!!! But then that would be scorching hot sun on your back as this trail is completely exposed to the elements without an ounce of shade. I'm not a fan of paved hikes, but since this trail has amazing views and many many more miles beyond the electrical towers I rated it as 2 stars. Hoping to explore past the towers soon!

I wasn't going to write a review because I didn't technically complete this hike. Then I thought about how my review might help other mommas or novice hikers... so here goes! This review is only for the paved part up to the tower/electrical lines. This portion totals about 2.6 miles roundtrip.I first hiked this trail with a group of other momma's and children. Park in the parallel parking spots on the side across from the homes. We followed the white sign that said something along the lines of "access for hikers." When you go past the sign, you make a left and step over a chain. The trail itself is easy to follow from here. It's paved all the way to the top (where you can then sneak off to the unpaved, ridge part). There is some incline at the beginning, but nothing that the average person can't handle. The views around you are beautiful. Be sure to stop and look behind you every now and again! Also, this is is a pretty well shaded hike. While this is a paved hike, I wouldn't recommend a stroller. I'm sure you could do it, but it seems like it would be a pain. The only reason I won't give this hike five stars is because I wasn't impressed with the views at the first "end point" by the tower. You couldn't see much of anything. Nonetheless, it's still a nice place to have a picnic or a quick snack before heading back down. Heading down is when you'll really get to take in some of the great views. I'm planning to do this trail again soon. Even though it's not the trail with the BEST views of the island... it's empty, well-maintained and offers a nice, safe option for cardio!

Note: Review for the trail up to the top view point next to the tower/electrical lines only.Beautiful walk that gets a bit steep so if you're talking and walking you may get a bit winded. On the way up, there are lots of small wild guava and bird life. The views get pretty good fairly quickly with ability to see Diamond Head and the Salt Lake/Pearl Harbor area.To access the trail head, you'll need to know someone who works or lives at Tripler and guests will likely need to show ID, so be prepared at the front gate. Parking is residential and signs mark the start. Don't forget to turn left into the trail's metal gate once a bit up hill on the asphalt.Good walking shoes are needed, as it might be tough to do in slippers. You will likely run into people walking their pets and also maybe a wild pig or two as we were told. There's also a chance of mosquitoes so bring some repellent. Like I said, we stopped at the top where the power lines are about 1.5 miles in, post this, the hike gets tough, sometimes muddy and is long--supposedly going all the way to Haiku Stairs (this is the 8-hour trek some other Yelpers are referring to).Given the chance I'd go back but be sure to put some good shoes on and bring repellent for my ankles! Other than that a camera phone and sunscreen are it to enjoy the gorgeous viewpoints! :)

I love to hike, but on this day, my love was covered in mud, overshadowed by dense fog, and blown away by heavy wind. It had rained that morning, but I guess we hikers are not smart enough to know better. Oh, what a painful day!The entire trip was about 7 miles, starting at the Moanalua Valley Trail. For the first mile or so, it was easy treking, with heavy vegetation to shield you from the rain, wind, and sun (which did not come out to play that day). Don't be fooled though...this is just the calm before the storm. Once we hit the "12 mile marker", we turned right to head up to Tripler Ridge. It was up, up, up...and then we went up some more. The first half-way up the ridge was physically demanding, but it was not too bad because we didn't have to face the elements of that gloomy day. Once we reached the ridge, we were exposed to the wind and fog...that's where misery greeted us. The trail became muddy, so my clean newish shoes were no longer clean (btw, I don't like hiking in mud). The climb totaled over 2600 feet, with several false peaks to break your hearts. Once we got to the top, we would head northwest along the Ko'olau Summit Trail (KST), pass the Moanalua Middle Ridge peak, and then to the top of the Haiku Stairs (Stairway to Heaven). One of the joys of hiking to the top are the views, but on this day, nothing! It was so foggy, I could barely see my own feet! Booo! The hike along the KST, or should I say "walk on your butt" hike, was muddy, slippery, and had many ups and downs. It was also cold as we were met by the upward winds from the east, Kaneohe...explains why they call it the windward side. By the time we reached the top of the stairs, my legs were so tired and cramped...I did not look forward to the 4000 plus steps to the bottom, where I ultimately wobbled around with the shaky legs.OK, this is a no-punk hike, with many challenges. I'm sure on a nice, calm day, the challenge would be more enjoyable, but it takes a day like this to find out what you're really made of...definitely an experience I will not forget. Also, it's pretty dangerous, so if you're not well equipped, fit, or mentally focused, I wouldn't advise taking on this challenge.

How can any hike in Hawai'i get less than 5 star? This one may not be accessible to everyone, as it is on an army base.It is the Leeward Ko'olau Range above Tripler Army Medical Center.Thanks to the Audubon Society, I had the opportunity to visit as part of the Christmas Bird Count. Very exciting as the trail is about 12 miles of very diverse terrain and vegetation, from invasion/important plants down below to more native vegetation on top.There is an invasive strawberry guava forest that would make the perfect Lord of the Ring movie backdrop.Directions for public trail head: "he trailhead for the Tripler ridge is located above Tripler Army Medical Center. From Honolulu, drive on Lunalilo Feeway heading west and take the Puuloa-Tripler Hospital exit and turn right onto Jarrett White Road. Drive past the guard shack and past the hospital to the very top of Jarrett White Road and turn right on Harry Reasoner Road."Lastly, the trail can be very slippery because there are many shaded stretches. The day I hiked, a group from the base went ahead, and one in that group broke his ankle.