Wa‘ahila Ridge Recreation Area and Trail

Kalaepohaku lower trail--Download the trail, make sure you pay attention to your map!! There are so many trails that shoot off this trail you can easily take the wrong one!!! Wear good shoes, slippery, with some rock climbing/steps. Shaded most of the time. If you follow the map you will take a steep hill down and up that you can cause you to slide and fall. I was not impressed with this trail, so many out there that have much better views and trail conditions.

This is one of my favorite places on the island. It feels so removed from the beaches and towers only a few miles away in Waikiki. There are many types of trees and it always smells good. There are walking trails throughout the park including one major hiking trail, which I recommend so long as you have water, snacks and proper shoes. There are picnic tables and pavilions. It's a great place for photos or letting your kids walk around. Keep an eye out for mountain bikes on the lower trails. Most are respectful, but there are a few that are very fast.

Visited this recreation area and hiked the Kalaepohaku lower and Wa'ahila trail. Such a beautiful well cared for park. We did the moderate hike this time, next time we will do the ridge trail. Wasn't sure how the conditions would be, everything was very dry.The trail crisscrossed with mountain biking trails. We hiked on Wednesday morning and things were pretty quiet on the trails.There were a few pretty lookouts. Noticed all the picnic areas are in good shape. The hikes were fairly easy and brought us through a few different elevations with variety of foliage.The drive to the area takes you through residential area on very steep roads.There is plenty of parking in the park.Park opens at 7:00am.

To find this hike, search for Wa'ahila Ridge Recreation Center. This is also where you can park and the gate opens at 7:00am. Recommend getting there early because the stalls gets full pretty quick by 9:00am on a weekend/holiday. We go there around 7:30am and a few cars were parked there. The trail is muddy after rain and can get slippery. There is a lot of up and down along the trail, giving you that leg workout. There are quite a bit of shade here and there. There are other trails that run along Waahila Ridge. There really is no ending to the trails. Stop whenever you want, enjoy the view, and then head back. We stopped at a sign that splits off to another trail on the left and the trail to Olympus on the right. That took us roundtrip about 2 hours. We once did the Olympus trail which was very loooong (7 hours). It's a nice nature hike. Recommend sunscreen, hat, water, slip resistant shoes, and mosquito repellent.

Located at 1600 Ruth Place, at the top of St. Louis Heights in Honolulu. Smack dab in the middle of the city and a world away from the hustle and bustle. The park opens at 7 am--we got there at 9 and there was still a lot of parking in the free lot. As soon as you drive into the park, you'll be amazed to see the hundreds of tall pine trees there. You're immediately transported to quiet and space. There is a trail...and both man made and rock "stairs" as you go along. There are parts where you will need to climb or jump and it can be muddy in some areas. Going up, you'll be rewarded with views of Palolo Valley and the ocean on your right. Amazing to see how far back the valley goes from this perspective. On the left are views of Manoa valley and the Honolulu city skyline and ocean beyond. During the summer, strawberry guava grow in abundance along this trail.By 10:30 more hikers arrived. We also saw two mountain bikers exit when we arrived--now that must be a thrill and require strength and agility for sure! You can hike all the way to the top and descend into Manoa Valley and from there you can uber back to your parked vehicle if you decide. Cooler this time of year than in the summer. Pack water, sunscreen, hat and a snack if you like. We saw a couple wearing chains on their hiking boots-really helps to grip the ground in some of the slippery areas. One public bathroom near the parking lot and a small covered area with a couple of tables. Happy way to start or end any Hawaiian day!

My friend recommended Waa'hila Ridge for its nice trails. Last week I visited this park with my children and friends. This park is so beautiful, shade is provided by all of the trees, and it is tranquil! They have clean restrooms and shaded picnic tables. This just might be our new go-to hiking spot.