A state-managed trail at the back of Mānoa Valley that climbs through rainforest, bamboo and banyan to a tall, thin waterfall. It is about 1.6 miles round trip and only minutes from Waikīkī.
Why we love it
It’s the easiest way to stand in real rainforest from a Honolulu hotel, and it feels a world away from the beach.
What to expect
The path starts near the end of Mānoa Road and climbs gently, then more steeply, under a dense canopy of bamboo and big trees. Mānoa is one of the wettest valleys in town, so roots and rocks are often slick and the trail can be muddy even when Waikīkī is sunny. The falls are tall and thin and run strongest after rain. Allow about an hour and a half. The pool at the base is not a swimming hole: rockfall is a known hazard and the water can carry leptospirosis. Go early to beat crowds and afternoon showers.
Know before you go
- Trail work
- DLNR’s Nā Ala Hele program repaired erosion and storm damage here in spring 2026. Regular hours resumed after the work, no later than April 11, 2026.
- Parking
- The trailhead lot is privately run and charges a fee. Free street parking on lower Mānoa Road adds a walk uphill.
- Don’t swim
- Swimming in the pool is strongly discouraged because of falling rocks and the risk of leptospirosis.
- Flash floods
- Flash floods can occur. Turn back in heavy rain.
- Alternatives
- When this trail is closed, DLNR points hikers to Puʻu Pia Trail or the Makiki Valley Loop.
Photo: Daniel Ramirez via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0
