Kane'ohe Exploration: Pu'u Ma'eli'eli



First day of school intersession, we laced up our oldest, dirtiest sneakers, filled our water bottles, packed our snacks, and headed over the mountains to windy and cloudy Kane'ohe for a hike!


Pu'u Ma'eli'eli or the digging hill trail, was an uphill, muddy at times, root filled, berry filled, view filled hiking adventure. We had a large group by our standards---three adults and three boys (two teens and a preschooler). We made it up in pretty good time (under 45 minutes) and cruised on top of the Pillbox at the end of the hike for a long time taking in the sweeping coastline view. To our left, Chinaman's Hat (Mokoli'i), to our far right Rabbit Island (Manana), in front of us Kane'ohe Marine Corp Base and Kane'ohe Bay. 



Although the weather was good for hiking, not too humid, not too hot, it made for a slightly blurred and overcast view from the top. We were all already wowed with the view on a drizzly gray day---a testament to how amazing this view must be on a perfect clear day. So you know we will be going back!



I'm guessing this hike was around three miles. I'd read online anywhere from 1.5 to 2.5 to 3 miles. The mileage doesn't really matter, it's the terrain on this hike that can cause some slight distress. The beginning mud hill was fairly easy to get up, but coming down---let's just say we would have made the winning tape for "America's Funniest Home Video". Almost everyone in the group fell at some point. No injuries, just shaken pride and muddy butts. 




There were also sections of the trail with many roots (my nemesis from the time I had to be valiantly escorted by firefighters off a trail...)

Thankfully there were no firefighters involved in yesterday's hike.

 


Like all the Pillbox hikes on O'ahu, we got to enjoy some serious graffiti art. Wolves were the specialty for this set of Pillboxes. 



On the hike down we discovered a rustic tree swing that none of us could resist swinging on. The perfect carefree way to end a trail that I fell in love with. 


We all really dig...the digging hill in Kane'ohe. 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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