| An exquisite crest-hike atop the narrow Waianae spine with panoramic views of central and leeward Oahu. Gain the Waianae crest via one of the ridges (Kanehoa or Hapapa), then descend the other. |
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Description: One of the best crest trails in the southern Waianaes, the route looks more like a typical mainland trail than a muddy Oahu trail. It's named for the two significant peaks along the Waianae crest, Puu Kanehoa and Puu Hapapa. Leafy and shady, like its Kaua neighbor, the Kanehoa ridge is longer and takes more of your day than Kaua. When you get to the top, the route swings north and along the Waianae spine. The trail is ungraded along the crest and will lead you up and down its bumps a nd dips. The freedom and views on both sides are wonderful. Finally, the trail taps out at a descent from Puu Hapapa and ends up in the famed Kolekole Pass - entrance to Schofield Barracks to the east and Lualualei Naval Weapons Depot to the west. For more details on the Navy's presence in Lualualei, click More Info. What to Expect: A pleasant trail with no gripes or significant hardships. The angle-of-climb sharpens on several stretches, but it never becomes necessary to use four-point climbing. The nice uphill stroll through the woods and the wonderful views abound at the summit suggest that you make this a day-long one-way hike so you can take your time and soak in the experience. You can, however, "roundtrip" this trail if you can't stage two vehicles, start from either end, or intercept the Honouliuli Contour Trail (HCT) and work your way back to whichever entrance you used. Be aware that the latter option may be the most difficult as the HCT is usually unmaintained and suffers from fallen trees and trail blow-outs. Update: As of August 2003, The Nature Conservancy has installed a long length of fence along the Waianae Crest north of Puu Kanehoa. Its purpose is to help close in the Honouliuli Forest Preserve and exclude feral animals. For the hiker, this may render the crest more difficult to traverse. Trailhead Location: The trailhead (elev. 1,080 feet) is unsigned and unmarked except for ribbons which may or may not be present. It is directly behind and uphill of a medium-sized rectangular water holding pool which has a cyclone fence around its perimeter. It works up the slope until reaching the Kanehoa ridgeline. The long, red-dirt access road to the trailhead connects to Kunia Road just beyond Manuwaiahu Gulch. As you turn off of Kunia Road, a collection of antenna arrays and dish comprise a military reservation off to the right of the dirt road. From there, you need to close into the mountains as directly as possible, then begin to work toward the southeast slope of the prominent ridge to the left (Kanehoa Ridge). The ridge is made obvious by a large, green, billboard-like structure affixed halfway up the slope. In the area will be the water holding pool as mentioned. Accessing the Trail: To reach the trailhead, one must cross through extensive agricultural/plantation land, then enter the private and protected domain of the James Campbell Trust Estate. The Nature Conservancy (NC) works heavily throughout this area called the Honouliuli Forest Preserve. This particular trail is closed and currently not offered as a scheduled, guided hike open to the public but hiking groups may be able to arrange entry permission through the NC. Property/Access: Private & Government Owners, Conditional Access Trailhead/Access to: James Campbell Trust Estate Trail: U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, State of Hawaii Verified with City & County of Honolulu public records June 26, 2002. For detailed "property/access" info, click More Info. Dangers/Other Considerations: As always, be extremely careful with exposed ridge-walking. There's about a mile of up-and-down crest walking with great open and expansive views distracting you so keep your concentration on your footpath at all times. |
 Kanehoa Ridge (viewed from crest) |
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 Trail (atop Kanehoa Ridge) |
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 Trail (atop Waianae crest) |
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 View from crest (toward leeward coast) |
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 Hapapa Ridge (viewed from crest) |
| What the books say... | |
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| Hawaiian Hiking Trails Craig Chisholm |
Not Listed |
| Hawaii's Best Hiking Trails Robert Smith | Not Listed |
| The Hikers Guide to O'ahu Stuart Ball |
Danger: Medium Skill: Intermediate |