Kawainui Marsh Trail

The Kawainui Marsh lies behind Kailua.  A levy separates the marsh and Kailua and there is a path and sidewalk running the length of the levy.  It's a nice place for a relaxing stroll with a beautiful view of the Ko'olau Mountains and a chance to see a variety of Hawaiian birds and ducks.  The paved sidewalk is great for strollers, scooters, and beginning bicyclists so this is also a great place to get some exercise with kids in tow.

We've been taking our kids and their bikes and running/walking along with them.  When I'm paired with my daughter I'm either trying to keep up with her or stopped trying to persuade her to keep going, but as she improves I'll be able to keep up a more steady pace.

There is no shade along this trail and it can get pretty hot in the middle of the day.  We prefer to go in the morning or late afternoon.  This is a pretty popular trail, especially during those times of day, and you might see a friend or two along the way.

Do it yourself on Oahu
Location:  This trail can be accessed from either end.  The access point to the Kaneohe side of the trail is at the mauka (mountain) end of Kaha Street (off of Oneawa St.).  The access point for the other end is off of Kailua Road shortly after you leave Kailua town heading towards Castle Hospital.
Hours:  There aren't hours for the trail, but the park and its parking lot at the end of Kaha Street are closed from 7pm to 7am.
Parking:  There is parking at both ends of the path.  There is a parking lot in the park at Kaha street and a pull-out to park in off of Kailua Road.
Facilities:  There are porta-potties in the park at the end of Kaha road.  There are no facilities along the trail.

Lanikai Pillbox Hike

My holidays were filled with lots of eating and now I'm feeling the need to get out and get active.  Anyone else feeling the same?

The Lanikai Pillbox Hike, also known as the Kaiwa Ridge Trail, is a great place to get some exercise and enjoy some amazing views.  It's a steady uphill climb and will give you a good workout, especially if you are trying to keep up with your 6 year old like I was.  

The first part of the trail is the steepest and the rocks and dirt are loose, but after a bit the trail gets easier and the beautiful views begin.

This is a popular trail with people of all ages.  It's not without it's dangerous spots and has some high drop offs and slippery areas (we came across a lady who had slipped and was waiting for a rescue by the fire department), but with a little bit of caution it can be a safe and fun adventure for the whole family.  A few pictures can describe it better than I can so here's an example of a steep drop-off in front of the hikers pictured:

And here's what it looked like hiking that section.  There's plenty of space to keep away from the edge of the drop-off.  Our 6 year old hiked the whole trail on his own and our 3 year old hiked most of it with my husband behind her holding both of her hands for support.

At the top of the trail are two pillboxes that make a great place for panoramic photos and/or a snack.  You can climb in the pillboxes and sit on top of them.  The last time we hiked this we went to both pillboxes and I think our entire adventure last about two hours which includes all the time we spent hanging out at each pillbox.  I've read that you can take the trail past the second pillbox and it will take you down the other end of the ridge and then you can walk back to your car on the neighborhood streets but I haven't done that.

I'll end this post as I began, by saying this is a great little hike if you want to get some exercise and see some amazing scenery.

Do it yourself on Oahu

Location:  The Lanikai Pillboxes are on Kaiwa Ridge which is behind the community of Lanikai.  

Directions:  From Kailua, head southeast past Kailua Beach Park and the boat ramp.  Stay along the coast and head into Lanikai.  At the Y, stay to the right on Aalapapa Drive.  Then take a right on Kaelepulu Drive.  Find street parking here and then walk up the street.  Just before the road enters a gated community you'll see a road that goes off to the left.  Take this road to the trailhead which is off the right side of this unnamed road.

Parking:  Street parking along Kaelepulu Drive.

Facilities:  No restrooms or other facilities here.

Other:  As mentioned in the post, this trail is steep and has drop-offs in some locations.  Use caution and you'll have a fun and safe adventure.  I'd recommend taking water and wearing sunscreen.  If your kids are like mine, taking snacks will help you have happy hikers.

Cost:  Free

Friendship Garden in Kaneohe

A nice little hike can be found in Friendship Garden in Kaneohe.  We often head here in the late afternoon when we want to adventure outdoors but don't have a lot of time.  

Friendship Garden is on the side of a hill so you are walking uphill or downhill most of the time.  There are lots of beautiful trees to see along the way and quite a bit of shade.  The edge of the trail is a bit steep in some places but the last time we went our 3 year old hiked the whole loop on her own and only needed help in a couple places.

The trails in the park form two loops so you can choose to do the big loop (which incorporates parts of the small loop) or just do the small loop by itself.  We usually do the big loop and also add in a side trip to the ridge lookout where this is part of the panoramic view you will see:

From the lookout you can continue up the mountain and get up onto the ridge trail but the footing is tricky getting up onto the ridge and although we did it once I wouldn't really recommend that part of the trail for small children.

It's a short hike but our kids seem to associate hiking with snacking so we usually take some food along to enjoy at the ridge lookout or on the stairs near the garden's entrance.

Do it yourself on Oahu

Location:  This park is located on Kokokahi Place in Kaneohe at the top of the hill, just before the road curves and heads downhill.
Directions:  The turn for Kokokahi Place is off of Kaneohe Bay Drive between the Bay View Golf Course and the H-3.  Kokokahi Place is across from the YWCA and you will turn Mauka (toward the mountains).  Follow this road to the top and you'll see the stone sign (see top of post) on the mauka side of the road.
Hours:  Open during daylight hours.
Parking:  There is a pull-out in front of the garden that can accommodate a car or two.  There is also limited street parking in the neighborhood.  If you are going with friends, carpool or consider parking elsewhere and shuttling to the trailhead.
Facilities:  No restrooms or other facilities here.
Other:  There can be a lot of mosquitoes, especially near the beginning of the trail so I would highly recommend bug spray!  We also take water and snacks whenever we go.
Cost:  Free
More info:  Here's a link to a trail map which will help you find your way around since trail junctions are not marked.

Hiking the Old Pali Road

When you are at the Pali Lookout you can see the old road going down the mountain to the right.  It's a great place for walking/hiking with the family and has great views and nice breezes.  We enjoy this spot for an easy afternoon hike and our favorite way to do it is from the bottom up.  We did this again recently with our kids and one of our son's friends.

For this hike we always park at the lookout at the Pali Highway's hairpin turn on the Windward side.  Once we've parked, we turn around and walk back to the entrance of the lookout and take the trail that begins at the gap between the guard rails.



This is the same place that the Maunawili Demonstration Trail begins.  The difference is, turning right up these stairs at this junction leads to the Old Pali Road and the Pali Lookout.

The first part of the trail is uphill and is a dirt trail.  The majority of it is in the shade and has a real tropical feel to it with lots of different plants and trees along the way.  There are a few places where the edges of the trail are a little steep but all the kids did just fine hiking on their own.

Although the trail is an uphill climb overall, it's gradual enough that a lot of the time I couldn't convince my boy we were hiking uphill.  There are some great views to be enjoyed along the way and lots of opportunities for kids to explore.

Our family saw a wild boar beside the trail and it stuck around just long enough for all the kids to get a peek and then ran away from us.  Another highlight of the hike was a clump of hau trees that the kids enjoyed climbing.

Eventually the dirt trail leads to the paved end of the Old Pali Road.  Our girl was excited to get there because we let her out of the backpack carrier and she got to hike on her own.  She could have hiked the whole trail, and did hike all the way back to the car, but keeping her in the carrier helped us have a faster pace on the way up.

We hiked part way up the paved part of the Old Pali Road with the goal of making it all the way to the Pali Lookout.  But after awhile the kids started complaining that they were tired and when a snack failed to revive them completely we turned around and headed back toward our car.  We decided having them enjoy the journey was more important than making it to our destination and a fun afternoon was had by all, with more exploring and climbing on the return part of our hike.

Do it yourself on Oahu
Location:  The hairpin turn on the Pali Highway is on the windward side about halfway between the tunnels and the stoplight at the junction with Kamehameha Hwy.
Directions:  From the leeward side, go through the tunnels and look for a pullout on your right just as you begin the hairpin turn.  To get there from the windward side you have to go past the hairpin, through the tunnels, exit at the Pali Lookout and get back on the Pali heading back toward Kailua.
Parking:  The lot can fill up on weekends, but we've always managed to find a spot.  Hope you do too!  If not, park in the lot at the Pali Lookout and do this hike in the opposite direction.
Facilities:  There are no restrooms at either end of the trail.  Take your own water.  You may want to take bug spray too.
Other:  • For a stroller friendly version of this hike, start at the Pali Lookout and go down as far as you can with a stroller.  You'll get some great views along the way.  • You can hike this one way if you park a car at the other end of the trail, or have faster members of your group do a round-trip hike and then pick up the rest of the group at the other end.
More info:  This hike overlaps with both the Maunawili Demonstration Trail and the hike from the Ko'olau Golf Course to the Pali Lookout.  Click on those trail names to read about those hikes.

Makapu'u Tide Pools Shoreline Hike

We've hiked to the Makapu'u Tide Pools by heading up toward the lighthouse and then down the other side, but a few weeks ago we made an attempt at getting there by the shoreline route.  Yes I said attempt and yes I'm going to blog about a hike we didn't complete because I think hiking is about the journey as much as the destination.

We parked in the lot for the Makapu'u Lighthouse but instead of heading up the paved path we immediately veered off to the right on a trail that heads to the ocean.  There are a couple trails that go toward the shore and they all get you to basically the same spot.  With all the rain we've had this winter and spring that part of the island is extra green now.





When we reached the shore we headed around the corner to the left.  Any trace of a trail quickly disappears here.  There's a bit of bouldering to be done and a tiny bit of rock climbing as well.  At one point I turned around to see my husband had taken off the hiking backpack and it was being handed down a steep section with our daughter in it!  Yes, a few places on the hike are a little tricky but most of it is just walking over rocks.

We enjoyed the view of the ocean and the waves pounding on the rocks as we hiked.  We did our best to stay on the inland side of the tidal shelf in case any extra big waves came crashing in.  It was windy and probably high tide so not the best time to be hiking here but we were careful.

There were a few places where we had to time the waves right to get around certain spots without getting wet.  Those areas made me nervous.  I've known of people who have been swept to their deaths in similar situations, so I kept our son nearby and kept a close eye on the ocean and we kept our daughter in the backpack the whole hike.

All was well until we got to a spot with a big tide pool.  Just before we headed down to the pool a big wave came in and washed clear across the pool.  Had we been hiking down there when that happened it would have been a little sketchy.  That, and the fact that a couple groups of hikers we met said it was worse around the corner convinced us we'd gone far enough for the day.  We declared a snack break and all the kids ate while a few of the adults went on just a little farther.  While we sat there we didn't see any more big waves come in, but we had nothing to prove and decided to be safe.



All in all it was a fun afternoon and we all want to head back and try the hike again, but next time we'll do it at low tide on a day when the ocean is calm so we can safely make it to the blowholes.






Do it yourself on Oahu
Location:  The Makapu'u Tidepools are located on the east side of Oahu between Hanauma Bay and Waimanalo.  The parking lot for this hiking area is between Sandy Beach and Makapu'u Beach.
Parking:  As mentioned in the post, you can park in the lot for the Makapu'u Lighthouse trail.  When the lot fills up, people park along the road leading to the parking lot.  As always, do not leave valuables in your car.
Facilities:  There are no facilities here; no restrooms or drinking fountains.
Safety:  If you choose to take this hike, you do so at your own risk.  I cannot overemphasize the need to use caution when hiking along the ocean, here or anywhere.  I would highly recommend checking the tide and surf reports before making this hike.  Even under the best of conditions, keep an eye on the ocean for rogue waves.  If you feel unsafe, turn around!
Other:  I cannot recommend this hike for all children, but I can tell you about our group.  The two year olds in the group were carried the whole hike, the five year old in the group was carried at a couple of spots but the rest of the kids, ages 6 to 12, hiked the whole thing on their own with just a little help with some of the bouldering.  One of the kids did the whole hike in slippers, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend that.
I would recommend taking cell phones, water and snacks.  Wear sunscreen and, unless you're really good in slippers, wear comfortable reef walking or hiking shoes.
More info:  Related posts on Oahu Mom:  Hiking to Makapu'u Lighthouse and Hiking to Makapu'u Tidepools (the up and over route)

Jackass Ginger Pool

Oh my, please pardon the language in the post title, I know this is a family site.  But that's what everyone calls the spot we went to this past weekend.  I could make up a new name I guess, but that would just be really confusing.

To get there, we hiked the Judd Trail and then took a side trail down to the pool.  We had a group of teens and tweens with us and they enjoyed swimming in the pool, jumping in off the rocks and swinging on a rope swing and landing in the pool.  I'm not really an advocate of jumping into water when you can't see the bottom and I'm completely against diving into water when you can't see the bottom, but no one was injured while we were there.  Hooray!

There's a natural little rock slide on one side of the waterfall (water cascade is probably a more accurate description) and our boy enjoyed sliding down that into the pool a couple times.  Our girl waded in the water above the falls/cascade until someone pointed a crawdad out to her and then she wasn't so sure she wanted her feet in the water.  I think I'll wear my swimsuit and get in next time, crawdad and all!


Do it yourself on Oahu:

• If you hike the Judd Memorial Trail in a clockwise direction, the cutoff to Jackass Ginger Pool will be on your left after you've started on the downhill portion of the loop.  You can see the stream from the loop trail at the cutoff.  If your main destination is the pool, then hike the loop counterclockwise or head directly down the stream to get to the pool.
• Beware that leptospirosis can be found in Hawaii's streams.  We stay out of the water if we have open cuts and I remind my kids to keep their mouths closed when they swim in the water.

Judd Memorial Trail

My boy is wrapping up his third week of Kindergarten and we are back from a long-weekend trip to CA, so things should start getting into a routine around here again.  (Fingers crossed!)  Seems like if it's not one thing disrupting our schedule it's a million others.  But while we're having a brief lull I'll catch you up on the fun we had over the summer.

We did a couple middle of the week hikes with friends, including one on the Judd Trail.  The Judd Trail is a one mile loop hike (my favorite) that goes through bamboo, eucalyptus, and Norfolk pine trees - a surprising amount of variety on this short Oahu hike!

We parked along Nu'uanu Pali Drive, covered ourselves with bug spray and headed out.  The hike begins with a stream crossing which my boy enjoyed so much he did it a couple extra times for good measure.  Some of the rocks tipped a bit and others were slippery, but our group made it across with only a couple wet feet.

The bamboo forest came first.  I love bamboo - as long as it's not trying to invade my yard and/or garden, but that's another story.  Back to our hike.  The bamboo forest:

You'll have to do the hike yourself to see the eucalyptus trees, but here are the Norfolk pines.  Cool looking trunks!

The trail changes elevation a bit (200 feet according to one trail description I found), and it intersects other trails along the way, but there are signs posted at most of the junctions so if you just pay a bit of attention you'll manage to stay on the loop trail.  My girl rode in the backpack but my boy hiked the whole thing on his own in his favorite footwear - island style slippers (aka flip-flops for my Mainland readers).  Most of the hike is in the shade which was nice on a hot summer day.

The last part of the hike (or first, if you decide to do the loop the other way) goes along this stream.  So pretty!

I plan to do this hike again and I'd definitely recommend it to hikers of all ages!

Do it yourself on Oahu:

Getting there:  Located off of the Nu'uanu Pali Drive, with the trailhead on the east side of a cement bridge.  Here's a link with driving directions.

Parking:  Parking can be a little tricky, but is doable.  There are a number of small pull-outs along the road as well as some neighborhood parking a little bit below the trailhead.  Don't leave valuables in your car!

Misc:  Take water and bug spray.  There are no restrooms at the trailhead or along the trail.

Maunawili Demonstration Trail

Another weekend, another hike!  This time we went on the Maunawili Demonstration Trail, sometimes called the Pali Trail.  We also call it the Hairpin Hike because you park at the hairpin turn on the Pali Hwy (see "Do it yourself" below).

We've been on this trail before but I had forgotten that it starts with a short uphill section.  I remembered correctly that most of the hike (the first few miles anyway, I haven't hiked the whole thing) is shaded and you hike between trees and see lots of tropical plants like these wild orchids.

But I had forgotten all about the great views of the windward side from the trail.  In fact, I'd told the visiting relatives we took on the hike that there weren't many/any views.  How could I forget seeing great vistas like this?!

I have to say, blogging has helped me pay more attention and notice the details more in life.  A benefit of blogging I hadn't expected!

We barely saw our boy the whole afternoon.  He assumed his favorite place in the lead and let me tell you, his pace has definitely picked up.  I think he was afraid the teens in our group would pass him if he didn't keep a move on it so he rose to the occasion and kept up with them the whole hike.  They put up with him and even made him feel like part of their group.  Anyone who has a negative perception of teenagers hasn't met the ones I know!

The trail is mostly level and the majority of it is smooth so we let our boy wear these, knowing he would come begging for the socks and closed toed shoes we wise parents stuck in the backpack.  But nope, he happily wore these the whole way.

I used to be a reluctant hiker but I have to say, lately I've not only enjoyed, but looked forward to our hikes.  So stay tuned for more hikes to come I'm sure!

Do it yourself:

• No restrooms at the trailhead or along the trail.

• This trail is 10 or 11 miles long and goes all the way to Waimanalo.  We always hike until we are half worn out or half out of time and then turn around and head back.  I'd like to do the whole trail one of these days and have someone pick me up at the other end but I'm not sure the kids are ready for that long of a hike.

Parking for this hike is at the hairpin turn off the Pali Hwy on the windward side.  From the leeward side, go through the tunnels and look for a pullout on your right just as you begin the hairpin turn.  To get there from the windward side you have to go past the hairpin, through the tunnels, exit at the Pali Lookout, and get back on the Pali heading back toward Kailua.  The lot can fill up on weekends, but we've always managed to find a spot.  Hope you do too!

To get to the trailhead, walk up the Pali behind the guardrail.  Pass the sign warning you about the water and at the end of the guardrail you will see the trail head into the trees.

When you get to this junction, a turn to the right and up the stairs will take you to the Pali lookout.  To go on the Maunawili Trail, keep to the left.

Hike: Ko'olau Golf Course to Pali Lookout

The weather was beautiful this weekend and we got out and enjoyed it Saturday afternoon with a hike.

We started at the Ko'olau golf course and headed up toward the Pali Lookout.  We've done this hike before and I wrote about it here, but last time we just hiked up to the Pali Highway and turned around there.

This time we went under both lanes of traffic and up these stairs.

That got us onto another trail that we headed uphill on and soon we were on the upper part of the Old Pali Road.  The views were beautiful!

We hiked up the road for awhile but the grumbling from the kids started to grow and so the group split and the kids and some of the adults started back down while the rest of us continued on up the road all the way to the Pali lookout.  It was really windy up there and our girl remembered our last visit and decided she liked it even less this time.  She started crying and would not be consoled so we headed back down the old road and she promptly fell asleep in the most uncomfortable looking position.

We caught up with the rest of our group and continued on down the road until we got to this little bridge, where we headed up over the bank to our cars.

Do it yourself:

I paid better attention to the trail this time so I can be a little more specific with my directions than I was last time.  

Park at the Ko'olau Golf Course and head up the road that leaves from the back left corner of the parking lot as you're facing the mountains.  

When you get to a big water tank, take a left on the trail that leads through the trees there.  This trail will later become an old stone road and then turn back into a trail.  

Later you'll come to a junction of trails.  Turn left for a short walk to a lookout point or go straight to continue on the trail.  

You will eventually come out at a junction of three old roads.  Take the highest (and least cleared) road and go up toward the Pali Highway.  

After you go under the Pali Highway, you will come to another trail.  Take this to the right to get up to the Pali Lookout.

On the way back down, when you get to the junction of the three old roads, instead of going back on the small trail you can take the road on the left (as you're facing the ocean) and it will get you back to your car.

Happy Hiking!!

Na Pohaku O Hauwahine

Awhile ago some friends told us about a spot off of Kapaa Quarry Road (i.e. Dump Road) that they liked to visit.  We had some time one weekend afternoon and went and checked it out.  Calling it a hike is probably a bit of an overstatement – it’s more of a walk, but there are some slight elevation changes and you walk over varied terrain so that’s the hike part of it.

There were a number of trails to choose from and we started out by hiking up to the highest spot we could.  Our friends said they call that spot Pride Rock and as we stood on the top we could see how they came up with that name.  

We told our boy, a huge Lion King fan, that name and he got super excited and immediately tried to assign each of us roles from the story and wanted to act it all out right then and there.  We declined and instead enjoyed the view of the marsh and Kailua in the distance.

We continued to follow various trails and made our way down to the marsh and found a trail built out over it. 

Walking on that reminded me of walking on tundra.  It was really neat.  Our boy quickly headed up to higher ground though to find more rocks to boulder on.  That was definitely his favorite activity!

We didn’t take our backpack carrier and instead let our girl walk when she wanted and carried her in our arms when she wanted up.  The trails were short enough that worked out okay.

This was definitely a neat spot, and quite a surprise.  It felt like we were much farther away from the road than we really were, and the view was different than I’ve seen from any other place.

Do it yourself:

The trailhead for this spot is between the Pali Hwy and the Kapaa Transfer Station (the dump) on Kapaa Quarry Road.  There are pull-outs on both sides of the road and a sign marking the trail.

Aiea Loop Trail

I love hiking loop trails! There's just something about not having to turn around, not having to go back up hills you've gone down and vice versa that I really like. Yesterday we hiked Aiea Loop with some friends and visiting family. It was our first time on the trail with kids and they did great. Our boy found himself a walking stick, declared himself the leader and led us around the loop.

Our girl rode in the backpack where she practiced new words, ate snacks and even took a nap. This is how she fell asleep. It looked uncomfortable so we cushioned the strap with a clean diaper and continued hiking.

There are usually some great vistas on this trip but the vog (basically smog from the volcano on the Big Island) was bad so we enjoyed the close-up scenery instead. Much of the trail is in the shade and there are a lot of beautiful trees to see.

We came across some wildlife while we were hiking. A couple of feral pigs were rooting around next to the trail and we caught a quick look at them before they ran off when our boy scared them when he gasped in surprise.
With our boy in the lead our pace was very leisurely and somewhere along the second half of the loop we realized we needed to pick up the pace or our cars were going to get locked in when they closed the gate at 6:45. The hike ended with our boy riding piggy-back and all of us doing our best to keep up a good pace without slipping or tripping in the dark. We made it back to the cars happy and tired and out of the park before the gates closed.

Do it yourself on Oahu:

• The trail begins and ends in the Keaiwa Heiau State Recreation Area which is at the top of Aiea Heights Drive.

• Many people park at the second lot at the top of the hill which is closest to the trail head. We like to park in the first lot after you've entered the park and driven past the Heiau. This is closer to where the trail ends. It lets us start with a walk up to the top parking lot rather than having to do that at the end of the hike when we are more tired.

• This loop is about 5 miles long. If you don't have time to do the whole loop, going out a ways and back still makes for a very enjoyable hike.

• Roots, some downed trees and places where the trail is narrow and steep on one side do not make this a stroller-friendly trail, but mountain bikers like to ride it and it's a well maintained hiking trail.

• This trail can get very muddy in places, so might not be the best choice after a big rain.

• There are bathrooms at both ends of the trail.

Hiking to the Pali

We have been doing quite a bit of backyard adventuring lately, a.k.a. yard work. The kids actually enjoy the extended time outdoors as a family but it doesn't make for very exciting blogging, so I haven't had much to write about.

We did do a little hiking this past weekend though, so here's a new post finally. I can tell we've been hiking more consistently because it's taking us less time to get everyone ready and out the door than it used to. Backpack for our girl to ride in, check. Backpack with sunscreen, camera, water and snacks for everyone, check. Backpack for our boy to wear and fill with whatever he so desires, check. Shoes and socks for everyone, check. And off we go! Although this hike convinced me we need to add: mosquito repellant, check. Live and learn!

Don't know the official name of the hike we did. We started at Ko'olau Golf Course and hiked like we were heading to Likeke Falls but instead of turning to the falls we kept going up the old rock road. It turned back into a trail that we followed for quite a ways. We passed a tour group and felt lucky/happy to be hiking for free, even though we didn't have the narration about the trees we were passing and the official reminders to hydrate.

We eventually came out onto a junction of old, abandoned roads. We headed uphill there and hiked until we got to the Pali Hwy. It was very weird to be between the lanes of opposing traffic. From one place I stood the downhill traffic was aimed right at me for a second before making a right turn. When I imagined what would happen if a car didn't make the turn I quickly moved to a different spot where I wouldn't be a distraction to the drivers and I wouldn't get hit if they failed to navigate the turn!

We could have gone under the second part of the highway and connected in with another trail but we turned around. I think the other trail would lead to the Pali Lookout, which is where many people seem to start their Likeke Falls hike from. Personally I prefer hikes that go uphill first and downhill on the home stretch, but maybe that's just me.

On the way back we stayed on the abandoned road rather than hiking through the jungle. I wasn't leading the hike but it was my lucky day - uphill first, downhill last AND a loop trail, another hiking favorite! A little trail connected the end of this road with the parking lot at the golf course.

Our boy was a happy hiker the whole afternoon, even when he took a couple falls on the road which was slippery in a few places from last week's rain. He and a friend who was also on the hike turned more and more red from the red dirt as the afternoon wore on, and they sure had fun in the process. Our girl had missed both her naps but she was happy and especially enjoyed getting a chance to escape the backpack and walk down the road for a ways.

I've sure enjoyed the hiking we've been doing and want to keep it in the activity mix! There's just something about spending time being active in the great outdoors that leaves me with a very content feeling at the end of the day. And I'm hoping that by doing it a lot now while our children are young they'll just consider it a part of life and not whine about it when they get older. Wishful thinking? Maybe, but so far they're enjoying it.


Do it yourself:

We did this hike again in April and went all the way up to the Pali Lookout.  Click here to read about our second time on the trail, complete with much better trail directions and descriptions than I included in this post.

Makapu'u Lighthouse

This weekend we hiked/walked up to Makapu'u Lighthouse. The first part of this trail is the same one we took to get to the Makapu'u Tide Pools a few weeks ago, but instead of making the turnoff down to the tide pools, this time we went all the way to the top to see the lighthouse and enjoy the views.

We went late in the afternoon and had no trouble finding a parking spot in the parking lot. You can see the start of the trail on the far end of the lot in this picture.

The first part of the hike is usually a little warm, but once you get up to the ridge there is almost always a breeze and sometimes it's downright windy up there.
The trail/path is paved which makes it great for strollers and for the littlest hikers.

We saw a lot of strollers as well as a lot of dogs on the walk. Careful about taking dogs on really hot days though, we once hiked with friends who had to carry their big dog all the way down the trail after the pavement started to burn the pads of his paws.

As you near the top you get a good view of the lighthouse as well as some unusual (for Hawaii at least) plant life. Yep, cactus on Oahu!
I think the highlight of the hike for my kids are the snacks they get to eat at the top, but for me it's the great views. The first viewpoint is easy to get to and has a beautiful view of the windward side, but you can't see the lighthouse from there. The paved trail doesn't quite make it up to the second viewpoint, but it's not as treacherous as it looks in this picture.

From the second viewpoint you can look down at the lighthouse. It is still a functioning lighthouse and you cannot actually hike to it - something that often surprises first-time hikers on this trail. The lighthouse isn't as big and impressive as those found in other places (the Outer Banks in NC come to mind) but I think it's red roof makes it very picturesque.

The view of the windward side is great from up here. You can see the coast from Makapu'u Beach and Sea Life Park all the way along Waimanalo and out to the end of Kaneohe Marine Corp Base. There are also a number of islands off-shore to see including Manana Island, more commonly known as Rabbit Island.

The view would probably be better in the morning when the sun shines on the mountains, but we made up for that with a beautiful view on our way down of the sun setting behind Koko Head Crater.

Do it yourself:

• The parking lot and trail head are located between Sandy Beach and Makapu'u Beach.

• There are no bathrooms at the trail head or on the trail.

• There's no shade on this trail, so morning or afternoon are better than midday. And don't forget the sunscreen and lots of water no matter what time you go.

• If you're going in the winter, take binoculars if you have them. This is a good place for whale watching!