Oahu Exploration: Manoa Falls

Mānoa means: thick, solid, vast, depth or thickness. I'd say these same words apply to the Falls Trail. 


My hiking explorations now include one weekday hike. At first, I was just hiking on the weekend with my boys (hubby, 13 year old, 5 year old). Now, I have roped another mom into joining me one morning a week to explore Oahu...one hike at a time. 


For our inaugural week morning hike, we chose Makapu'u Lighthouse---familiar and kid friendly, since our other hiking partner is my five year old Zach. This past week (week two if you are keeping track) we chose the opposite of Makapu'u---Manoa Falls. Wet. Muddy. Shaded. Mosquito Heaven. Thick. Solid. Vast. 


We arrived in the early morning and parked in the pay lot adjacent to Treetops Restaurant. The fee for parking is five dollars. You can make a pitstop to the restaurant bathroom and pay for parking all in the same place...you can even grab a snack from the gift shop if you forgot to pack one for your hike. 


Manoa Falls is a hike I have done several other times. There were the times I was much younger and in college and I rode my moped there. There were the times before my second son was born, and it was a family hike of three. And now I am forty and hiking during the week with anyone who is willing. 


The good things about this hike: 

1. It's green. Manoa Falls is what comes to mind when I invision a "nature trail".
2. It's easy. There's not too steep of an incline, it's not that far to the end, and the path is well maintained.
3. It's a waterfall. When you reach the end of this trail you are greeted with a clear, crisp, running waterfall. It is beautiful. 
4. It's close to a bakery. I picked the best weekday hiking partner. She suggested fresh chocolate croissants as a treat after our hike (Manoa Marketplace, bottom floor near Longs for those who may want to skip the hike and head straight for warm, flaky goodness.) No, these are not on my special eating plan, but I'm not opposed to trying a bite or two for the sake of being social! 😉
5. It's kid friendly. Most kids will enjoy all the different trees, the stream, the rocks, the bamboo, and the waterfall. This hike has a lot of "nature eye candy" for young hikers to take in.



The bad things about this hike:

1. Paying for parking isn't my favorite, but at least it's a nominal fee.
2. There are a ton of folks on this trail. Sometimes I prefer a little less interaction on the nature path.
3. Mosquitoes. Mosquitoes. Mosquitoes.
4. Slippery when wet. (You won't see Bon Jovi.) There can be a few rough to navigate, wet, rocky portions of this hike. 




But that waterfall...

So glad we made the drive across the island to re-experience my old stomping grounds. Manoa never gets old. It gets wet, but never old. 





Tip: Go on a Thursday morning and afterward you can hit up the Manoa Farmers Market---I found some great jalapeños!

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