Hiking Manoa Falls
Dec. 24th, 2021 05:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
canyonwalkerOahu travelog #6
Manoa Falls, Honolulu HI - Fri, 24 Dec 2021, 10:30am
The trail to Manoa Falls is not a hard one. ...Well, it's not hard to find, at least. There's a parking lot at the end of a city street that climbs past quiet residential neighborhoods into the foothills of the mountains. Even if there are Chickens! Everywhere! in the parking lot.
The trail starts out as a fire road ascending from the parking lot. ...At least I think it might be a fire road. On the mainland we'd call it a fire road. Out here there seems to be so much rain I'm not sure there's a purpose in fire suppression.
The trail forks off from the gravel road at a well signed junction and narrows slightly.
The trail goes up almost constantly; moderately at first, then steeper in the second half. It's popular with novice hikers because it's so close to the resort city of Honolulu. Not all the novices make it, though. We passed several who turned back. ...Which is a shame, because 200' Manoa Falls is worth struggling a bit to get to if you have to.
The falls is first visible from across a hanging canyon high on the wall of the Nu'uanu Pali. From a distance you can see the falls' two tiers. Up closer only the lower tier is visible.
There's a viewing platform about 50m from the falls. There are several signs warning of danger and damage to the environment if people approach closer. I respected the rules and took my pictures from a distance.
On the way back the weather broke out from an occasional drizzle to steady light rain. I brought the gear to deal with. Wearing boots was a good idea anyway because of the rough surface of the trail. My rain jacket I left in my bag because it was warm enough even with the rain I didn't mind getting a bit wet. Plus, in the dense rain forest (see first picture) steady rain above the canopy filters to a drizzle below.
Manoa Falls, Honolulu HI - Fri, 24 Dec 2021, 10:30am
The trail to Manoa Falls is not a hard one. ...Well, it's not hard to find, at least. There's a parking lot at the end of a city street that climbs past quiet residential neighborhoods into the foothills of the mountains. Even if there are Chickens! Everywhere! in the parking lot.
The trail starts out as a fire road ascending from the parking lot. ...At least I think it might be a fire road. On the mainland we'd call it a fire road. Out here there seems to be so much rain I'm not sure there's a purpose in fire suppression.
The trail forks off from the gravel road at a well signed junction and narrows slightly.
The trail goes up almost constantly; moderately at first, then steeper in the second half. It's popular with novice hikers because it's so close to the resort city of Honolulu. Not all the novices make it, though. We passed several who turned back. ...Which is a shame, because 200' Manoa Falls is worth struggling a bit to get to if you have to.
The falls is first visible from across a hanging canyon high on the wall of the Nu'uanu Pali. From a distance you can see the falls' two tiers. Up closer only the lower tier is visible.
There's a viewing platform about 50m from the falls. There are several signs warning of danger and damage to the environment if people approach closer. I respected the rules and took my pictures from a distance.
On the way back the weather broke out from an occasional drizzle to steady light rain. I brought the gear to deal with. Wearing boots was a good idea anyway because of the rough surface of the trail. My rain jacket I left in my bag because it was warm enough even with the rain I didn't mind getting a bit wet. Plus, in the dense rain forest (see first picture) steady rain above the canopy filters to a drizzle below.
