Many people come unprepared for hiking on Oahu and thats why there are so many rescues. To get to the trailhead, park outside the Moanalua Valley Park and the trail begins just after the green gate. Hike the Moanalua Middle Ridge Trail to the Haiku Stairs Peak If you receive a citation you will be required to appear in court. 30 BEST HIKES ON OAHU, HAWAII - Journey Era You can read about it in this SFGate article. At some points, the stairs of death are almost vertical, clinging to the side of the steep mountain. Tripadvisor performs checks on . Theres the potential for a criminal charge of second degree trespassing (a misdemeanor record), which could be a big problem for some people who have security clearances, sensitive employment, professional licenses, immigration applications, etc. Really bites that we struggled through mud for miles and never found the trail. Thank you for sharing your experience and pics. Generally considered a challenging route. The trailhead begins at Moanalua Valley Park. Looking to hike this any day in next week .if anybody's down, msg me in insta @allispichkooo:), Anyone want to do this on 11/24 or 11/25? The cool, breezy path goes through a lush forest and contains seven bridges with stream fords. Hold tight and watch your footing. To stay safe on this hike, just wear shoes with good grip and remember to keep three points of contact at all times. The hike follows the Moanalua Valley Trail before connecting up the Moanalua Middle Ridge, which is the legal 'backway' to reach the Stairway to Heaven (Haiku Stairs) satellite summit. However, it is infrequent and often there is no one up there and you can explore if you choose to. 2023 The Outbound Collective - Terms of Use - Privacy Policy. Please find another hike. Moanalua Valley Trail (Honolulu) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go As we continue on for the next few hours theres something encouraging about being able to zero in on where we started at Moanalua Valley Park and the remote summit before us, to visually track our progress. Werner Karl, you're right. After graduating with a journalism degree, I set off to explore the world while creating adventure travel guides featuring hikes, waterfalls, beaches & adrenaline activities. But is the solution to shut everything down? Did this exact hike. Bring water & food. I lived on Oahu for two years and loved adventuring from the beaches to the mountains to the waterfalls! Liability is the main reason theyre closed. There is no legal way to the stairs. How to Legally Hike to the Haiku Stairs | All Things Kate No experience and with a 8 year old. Disappointed that I didnt have a chance to make that trek. Good hike, perfectly legal way. However, if you cross over and set foot on the platform of the satellite or venture onto the stairs you are now in an illegal area. If you are confused follow the AllTrails map. In this blog post, I will share with you all of the details about the Moanalua Valley Trail to Haiku Stairs including distance, elevation, legalities, what to bring, and how to avoid trouble on this route. We hit the stairs and then disappeared into the jungle before we could find out. WHAT IS THE BEST CHEAP BACKPACKER TRAVEL INSURANCE? Theres a tree branch that has Middle Ridge carved into it as a reference point. The small section damaged by the storm is not steep. -Food. -Dogs and babies not advisable on this trail. ", "You were one of the most out going [sic], funniest, and happiest people Ive ever had the chance to get to know and call a friend," wrote friend Greg Glawatz in another Facebook post. HFD suspends search for missing hiker - Hawaii News Now To watch your footing. All water should be . Most of the time it will be muddy, so be prepared to get dirty. Moanalua Valley Trail - Moanalua Valley Trail - Tripadvisor More advanced hike along the ridge line. In 2015, a man from Florida man died after falling about 200 feet from the trail. The trail will cross the stream 28 more times before the last 1/4 mile of trail. ! 2 Thank bognarofsydney . Im not easy to sunburn, but he tosses me the bottle anyway, a suggestion to rub in a little more than I already have. Many residents of Oahu have fond memories of hiking up the Stairway to Heaven years ago (legally). Though the trail is not particularly hilly, it is also not paved and there are muddy spots that should be approached with caution. As someone who grew up in a nearby neighborhood in the 80s and still has a good family friend that lives IN the Haiku stairs neighborhood Ill tell you one thing hiking blogs and social media posts dont seem to mention the history of bad behavior from young, disrespectful hikers who arrive at 4am, dont even try to keep their noise levels down, cut through the backyards of residents, and use residents hoses to rinse off after hiking the stairway. Super muddy, have to cross the river to complete. The view from the tower is the most spectacular although there will be lookouts before which are gorgeous as well. Its actually one of the safest parts of the hike IMO. If you want to go hike, I'm not stopping you. -2L water MINIMUM. Ghosts and Night Marchers in Moanalua Mysteries of Hawai'i The stairs were then opened to the public until 1987 when they were deemed unsafe because of disrepair. Mahalo for reading this. Start at the parking lot at the end of Moanalua Valley Road. All rights reserved. The Stairway To Heaven trail is located on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. Hike the Moanalua Middle Ridge Trail to the Haiku Stairs Peak. There should be more information about this soon. Preview trail Love this hike! Fun hike. Be prepared. Pass all the crossings and continue to follow the trail. Heed no trespassing and other warning signs. Be careful. Gallantry: Biden presents Medal of Honor to retired Army Col. Paris Davis for his heroics in Vietnam, US to send bridge-launching vehicles for tank deployments to Ukraine in new $400M aid package, Japan complains to US over Utah senators remarks on imprisoned Navy officer, Military, VA provide troops, vets more gun safety options to help reduce suicides, Pentagon tells service members to stop displaying giant US flags at major events, K-Town Now features the latest news from the Kaiserslautern Military Community. Not muddy today. Ive done both hikes many times over the years, and I have to say there is really no comparison in terms of difficulty. At the peak of the Moanalua Middle Ridge Trail, the view of the abandoned Radio Tower comes into view. Here are my hiking essentials. Its not quite the same experience as climbing the stairs from the bottom up, but you can still reach the Hawaii Stairway To Heaven trail at the top and go back down in either direction when youre done. Finiahed in 10 hours. If you have all trails just follow that! Well worth that investment of time sweat & tears! All anyone posts on here is about hiking the "legal" way, its not. The Moanalua Valley Trail to Haiku stairs hiking route is one of the most adventurous hikes on Oahu. Similar to the Angles Landing Hike in Zion National Park. So long as you make the right turn in The Valley you can easily find your way up, assuming youre up to the effort. Monalua Ridge offers legal access to the top of the Haiku Stairs (note: they are illegal to go down). Moanalua Valley Trail Hiking Trail - Pearl City, HI - Trailforks This trail is a national and state treasure, with amazing scenery and a cool bit of history behind it. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Judd Trail is a loop trail that takes you by a waterfall located near Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii. She was . That means that if you purchase a product or service that I reccomend, I get a small cut of the sale. The views are incredible and worth every minute and mile of this trail. Moanalua Valley Trail To The Haiku Stairs (Stairway To Heaven Choose wisely! (Damon was the son of Bernice Pauahi Bishops husbands business partner. On my hike up the Moanalua Valley Trail, I went halfway down the stairs and back up just to explore and then returned via the Moanalua Valley Trail although I met some people who were going to try and exit via the stairs. The back way to the ever popular and still somewhat illegal Haiku Stairs, the Moanalua Middle Ridge hike brings plenty of beauty and even more challenges than the path down the Haiku Stairs. olson.wyatt@stripes.com Twitter: @WyattWOlson. It has some sections of nearly vertical, rope and muddy sections. Crouching Lion and Sacred Falls are other examples. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. Also, it's a ridge..which could mean wind. Honolulu Watershed Forest Reserve (Moanalua section). Go past it about 20 paces. Maybe we miscounted the 4 wheel drive crossings because we were at 15 or 16 when we hit the Kulana'ahane trailhead (on the left). BLOG POST: If you are interested in my experience (many years ago) hiking the Stairway to Heaven the regular way you can check out my blog post here: STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN HIKE ON OAHU, HAWAII: UPDATED 2021, OAHU HIKING GUIDE: Ive written a guide for the top hikes on Oahu that I am sure you will find useful: TOP 10 HIKES ON OAHU, HAWAII. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Hi! We explored a few hundred meters down an abandoned set of stairs, quite sketchy and not recommended before turning back and returning towards the radio tower. Check out their website and consider donating if youre a fan. At another, I cut up my knuckles clawing for exposed roots to keep from tumbling down the rugged spine. It all goes back to a history of lawsuits from people getting injured while hiking in Oahu and then suing the state. INDEFINITE CLOSURE: This trail is closed to the public and violators/trespassers are SUBJECT TO $1000 FINES, COMMUNITY SERVICE, BENCH WARRANTS, AND/OR ARREST. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Can see the water on both sides of the islands the further up you hike. Hoomaluhia means "to make a place of peace and tranquility." This is quite the work out and worth the view. Firefighters said that the rivers crossing the trail were at a dangerously high level. Beyond the legality of this hike, whether you are a local or just visiting Hawaii, doing this hike shows great disrespect to Hawaii, its people, its natural resources, and our culture. When I did the Haiku Stairs Oahu trek for the first time on my birthday in 2016, the weather started out clear but then some clouds came in. The Moanalua Valley Trail to Haiku stairs hiking route is one of the most adventurous hikes on Oahu. Judd Trail Mountain View is an out-and-back trail where you may see beautiful wildflowers located near Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii. The Kamananui Valley Road is a perfect hike for all ages and offers access to many other hiking trails in the Moanalua Valley. It definitely is not legal to set foot on the Haiku Stairs or the satellite area at the summit. It may never be surpassed! I was wondering 10.4 miles is it a round trip? Usually trail run in the valley or hike up the ridge a couple times a week. I'll save you some time and note that it goes nowhere :). Affiliate Disclosures Privacy Policy Terms Of Use Future Of The Haiku Stairs Open / Closed? This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Moanalua Valley Trail to the Haiku Stairs (Stairway To Heaven) [CLOSED Nowadays, the Honolulu Board of Water Supply owns the Hawaii Haiku Stairs, and theyve repeatedly talked about the idea of tearing them down for political (liability) reasons. Aloha, for those that think this trail is legal and open to the public with no repercussions, you are wrong. I'm providing information that is factual instead of perpetuating a myth. Wear spikes if you have them, makes most of the trail up the ridge line easier. The hike is four miles each way, making it just 0.15 miles shorter than the Great Aloha Run. There were 2 other parties of 2 hiking that day, plus a group at the top who came from the other trail that made them muddy and take much longer. Preview trail Dogs on leash Hiking Walking Bird watching River Views Waterfall Wildflowers Over grown Scramble Description Parking is at the Moanalua Valley Park (open from 7am - 7pm) at the end of Ala Aolani Street. Distress hikers rescued off Moanalua Valley Trail Friday evening. Legal climbing of the stairs would mean providing a non-intrusive access route through the neighborhood below, but that could easily be accomplished with the millions of taxpayer dollars that have been spent on security over the years. Keep in mind, the adventurers MUST be respectful to neighbourhood residents living in this area. One hiker, Dale Yoshuizu, told the station that while he'd done the hike "a lot of times it makes you aware that no matter how many times you've done the hike you need to be careful. We rest here for a while, towering above the island. ", Hikerstold KHONthe trail was muddy from rain this past weekend. That wouldnt be cheap. Once you get through the initial flat part, there is a really difficult part - but I promise it gets better after about 20 minutes. Date of experience: June 2019. Trailhead Coordinates - Latitude: 21.37409 | Longitude: -157.880509. After all, well be inching closer to the sun at an elevation gain of about 2,585 feet from where were currently standing. My issue is with the degradation of the endangered Elepaio habitat that exists in that valley. Bring a cell phone, which can be a lifesaver during an emergency. UPDATE 02/2023: Theres still hope that the Stairway To Heaven Hawaii trail may be saved after all. a pic? Moanalua Valley Trail to the Haiku Stairs (Stairway To Heaven) [CLOSED / PRIVATE PROPERTY] Hard 4.7 (2199) Honolulu Watershed Forest Reserve Photos (5,275) Directions Print/PDF map Length 10.5 miElevation gain 5,029 ftRoute type Out & back Bummer, this trail is closed. ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. Stowell's body was found roughly 400 feet below the hiking trail, where he was pronounced dead. Make sure you bring snacks and lots of water. We will be hiking in later June so probably drier. So windy with no microspikes, gloces. The Haiku Stairs Hawaii trail was officially closed in the 1980s, and its been damaged a little (and repaired) on and off in the years since then. (Phi Phi Leh), Santorini Greece Travel Guide: Things To Do In Santorini Island, Navagio Beach Greece: Shipwreck Bay In Zakynthos Island, Zakynthos Greece Travel Guide: How To Visit Zakynthos Island, Phi Phi Island Thailand Travel Guide (Koh Phi Phi Islands), Huayna Picchu Hike: The Machu Picchu Stairs Of Death, Utah Hiking Guide: 17 Best Utah Hikes & Trails, 35 Best Things To Do In Oahu Hawaii (Fun, Couples, Free), 25 Best Hikes In Indonesia: Volcanoes, Waterfalls, & Jungles, Koko Head Hike: Koko Crater Trail & Stairs In Oahu Hawaii, Angels Landing Hike: Epic Chain Trail In Zion National Park Utah, Komodo Island Indonesia: National Park & Dragon Tour. Additionally, along the trail there are several ropes which people have tied tied to help with the hike. Criminal penalties and EMS fees are charged as well due to the illegal nature of the hike. With alternate trails and surrounding hunting grounds, its easy for dogs to get lost. Turtle Canyon Snorkel Cruise by Catamaran. To put it another way, THIS HIKE IS ILLEGAL. The trail to the top of the Haiku Stairs (Stairway to Heaven) is prohibited. Firefighters hiked up the trail and made contact with the woman at 10:12 p.m., and determined both hikers were uninjured so, it was decided to escort the hikers on foot. The steepest section of stairs is actually near the start of the hike, right before you reach the first platform. All Rights Reserved. The first 2.5ish miles are flat and the next 2 miles are a pretty steep incline. The fine is reportedly $1000 if you are ticketed at the summit or on the stairs. Our biggest priority is taking care of his family and supporting his fellow Wingmen. Sign up to receive a daily email of today's top military news stories from Stars and Stripes and top news outlets Posted on Last updated: February 22, 2022. Keep your personal fitness and skill levelin mind, and always take proper precautions when venturing off road. There is a security guard at the beginning. Speaking of which, please be respectful of the local neighborhood and dont make noise or throw trash, and definitely dont jump any fences or go into anyones yard. Anthony J. Polizzi, 31. I appreciate the outpouring of support from our ohana.. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. We did this trail in about 6.5 hours (both of us experienced hikers) with stoping for many photos and breaks. My husband and I are planning on doing this hike. A City and County park provides bathrooms, potable water and garbage cans at the trail head. Many of the best hikes in Oahu have been closed preemptively to avoid more of these unjustified lawsuits. Anthony Polizzi, said Col. Dan Dobbels, 15th Wing commander. I will never endorse anything fake or not worth considering. (iStock). Unfortunately, in September 2021, the city administration randomly reversed this decision and decided they would rather spend $1.3 million to remove the stairs, which could happen as soon as 2023. Moanalua (Kamananui) Valley Trail - YouTube This hike is just one trail located in the Ewa Forest Preserve. Are there hand-holds on the places that were sheer drop off on both sides? The first 2.9 miles are fairly straightforward with only 100ft of elevation each mile. The seemingly level elevation from point A to point B can be misleading and the giddy nature of being so close can come with a lack of focus. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! The exposed ridges have more space on the sides than the pictures seem. Well kept trail for the island, but still challenging. a view? This is a fun hike in central Oahu that leads to multiple water falls! While you cant legally step foot on the stairs or satellite summit area, you can make it all the way up to that area so this route is a great alternative to the controversial and heavily regulated Haiku Stairs (the front way). For more information, visit: Moanalua Valley and Tripler Ridge Trail Loop, Kalihi Ice Ponds [CLOSED / PRIVATE PROPERTY]. That hasnt stopped locals, hikers, and tourists sneaking past a guard who is posted at the bottom of the stairs to experience the thrilling 4000ft long climb along an 18-inch wide staircase reaching heights of above 2000ft. The left goes to the valley. IG: @ lis.aloha. I hope you enjoyed this guide to the Moanalua Valley Trail (backway to Stairway to Heaven) and have good luck and good weather on your journey! Park in the Moanalua Valley Neighborhood Park parking lot at 1857 Ala Aolani St. As you walk up the dirt road, you will reach a chain link gate leading to the dirt road. This is the trailhead for the hike and you will follow this path until you reach the middle ridge. The Associated Press contributed to this report. He served as the 15th Maintenance Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Maintenance Operations Officer while at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Keep in mind, to stay 100 percent legal on this hike you will have to go back the same way you came. Foster Botanical Garden is a loop trail that is used for walking and nature trips located near Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii. Instagram @dblock55. A man who was hiking Hawaii's Olomana Trail reportedly plummeted hundreds of feet to his death on Sunday after he reportedly tried to grab his hat, marking the fourth death linked to the dangerous trail since 2011. Ethical? the city administration randomly reversed this decision, Best Things To Do In Oahu Hawaii - Fun, Couples, & Free, Best Hikes In Oahu Hawaii - Most Epic & Beautiful Hiking Trails, 16 Great Zion Hikes: Best Hikes In Zion National Park, James Bond Island Thailand: Phang Nga Bay Tour (Phuket), Maine Lighthouses Map: The 15 Best Lighthouses In Maine, Breckenridge Troll Hike: Isak Heartstone Location & Directions, Acatenango Volcano Hike: Volcan De Fuego Guatemala, Tikal Guatemala Ruins: Map & How To Visit Tikal National Park, 15 Best Things To Do In Singapore Airport (Changi Layover), Maya Bay Thailand: The Beach Is Open! It was beautiful! This was one of my favorite sections of the hike and the backdrop over the shoulder gave great views of the ridge we had just hiked up. Staying on the trail greatly reduces your chances of getting injured or lost. If you have further questions about the legality of this hike, you can contact the Division of Forestry and Wildlife. 6 rides; 11 miles avg distance; All. They are fairly obvious when you cross over them and from the time you start there will be 17 crossings prior to the Middle Ridge Trailhead. For me personally, it was well worth any of the risks involved! Though theres no ocean view at the end,this trail is a journey through a bunch of natural beauty and history. This is the end of the Middle Ridge Trail. This is incorrect. Recommended. Hawaii Camping Reservation - Reservations The last crossing is allll the way at the end, and immediately after that last crossing, it's dense 12ft tall grass and the trail disappears. Oahu Small Group Circle Island Sightseeing Tour. Kulana'ahane to H-3 Summit Saddle | Map, Guide - AllTrails The Best of Hawai'i's Great Outdoors: 20 Great O'ahu Hikes My issue isn't with people hiking to the stairs, its with people using Moanalua to hike to the stairs and not caring about the impact they are leaving while doing so. The Moanalua Valley Trail to Haiku stairs hiking route is one of the most adventurous hikes on Oahu. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. However, we wouldnt recommend running. Someone needs to find a better means of access that bypasses the neighborhood totally. TEEN GIRL DIES IN FALL FROM CLIFF HIKE AT ZION NATIONAL PARK. Personally I think hikers should decide for themselves what kind of risks theyre comfortable with, but bear the responsibility themselves if they have an accident. The Stairway To Heaven Hawaii hike is epic, dangerous, and illegal. More recently, Honolulu Mayor Blangiardi has publicly stated he may be willing to consider new options to save the Haiku Stairs, and Hawaii Senator Schatz has pitched the idea of handing it over to the federal government to renovate and operate, with a different entrance so all parties are happy. Once you are inside the Moanalua Valley Neighborhood Park, you will find the trail at the back of the park. Good luck and enjoy! Overall, I think the risk of death on the Stairway To Heaven in Hawaii is greatly overstated, and as long as youre careful you should be fine. Best time for Moanalua Valley Trail to Haiku Stairs in Hawaii 2022 In this web series,we bring you our favorite Oahu trails once a month. This breathtaking gem was built in 1982 by the US Army Corps of Engineering to prevent flooding. Did this hike last week started at 6 AM. . ", James Keener, of Hawaii Fresh Farms where Stowell worked, according to his Facebook page, wrote that the 24-year-oldwas like a son to himand "died the way he lived, taking chances, and living everyday to its fullest.". If you decide to bring Fido, keep him leashed. Your selfish Instagram post is at the expense of destroying the island's fragile eco-diversity. We were SO excited to find a legal way to hike the Haiku Stairs. Cool ridge hike, 4hrs at 28 mins moving time. I wouldnt recommend this trek if you have a big fear of heights, but most people who do the hike will agree its not nearly as bad as they expected. Drone shot of the mountain. This is a small playground area for children and at the back of the grass area, the paved trail begins. Don't. Spikes and gloves definitely help but arent 100% necessary. The trail becomes quite adventurous with many sections becoming quite narrow and requiring a rope to pull yourself up the slippery, gravel surface. There are dozens of other legal trails that give you a similar view that you can hike. Definitely dont pay a guide for this hike like some people seem to. Friends also took to social media Thursday to share their memories of Polizzi. If its your first time on the trail and you lose sight of other hikers, take care to keep to the right once youre about two miles in, as heading left will take you to a different trail. Have some light. You can read more here: https://www.haikustairs.org/. Non-potable stream water can be found through out the valley. No skate shoes.) Mahalo! Every time I turned around to look back towards the city, the view just kept getting better and better. Hunters frequent the surrounding area, so, when in doubt, follow the stream! The path is quite wide and at many points there are forks in the road which come back to the same point after about 20 yards. We dont know for sure what happened, but its more likely his death happened on the steep and muddy Moanalua trail, not the stairway. This trail suits two- and four-legged hikers of mostfitness levels. In terms of cardio its definitely a workout. Every trail I hike on this island and other islands is overrun, regulate yes, shut down no and certainly dont be a condescending dick about something you have zero authority over. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Hey there! Lol ALOHAAAAA. The trail is quite easy to follow for the first few miles with a wide path, winding you through lush forest and warming up your legs. In any case, just be aware that fines of up to $1,000 have occasionally been given out to people caught climbing the staircase. Anthony J. Polizzi. Native plants along the ridge and rare apapane (Hawaiian honeycreeper) sightings aside, the hike has grown in popularity over the years because of its whispered status as a legal access route, the back way, to the infamous HaikuStairs. You can see the windward side of Oahu island with Kaneohe Bays sandbars, and an amphitheater of mountains surrounding you on all sides. Whether climbing Stairway to Heaven illegally or legally via Moanalua Valley Trail, know that this hike is not for the faint of heart. If its handled right, this solution could resolve many of the issues associated with the Stairway To Heaven. At a few points I need to brace myself against the bark of an ohia tree to keep from losing my balance. Dont sue the state. Not a must, but its often raining, and windy. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. Please be respectful to the place we call home and follow the rules. Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use. One way to reach the off-limits Stairway to Heaven is to start on a different trail from Moanalua Valley. Lastly, you could also be billed for emergency services if youre somehow injured and need to be rescued while doing this hike. Stairway To Heaven Hawaii Hike: Epic Haiku Stairs Oahu Trail The view is wonderful worth the hike. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. The walk would be a little longer but easy on the flat road. The city of Honolulu spent almost a million dollars repairing the stairs and was considering re-opening the stairs in 2002 but resident complaints and safety concerns halted the re-opening and the stairs have been closed ever since. The ground can get dangerously slippery and muddy. The trail was washing away. I hope you enjoyed this travel guide for the Stairway to Heaven Hawaii hike. People claim the stairs are dangerous but they are a lot safer than climbing the mountains without stairs which is what people are doing to avoid breaking the law (but then they get on the stairs at the top for photos). As the years have gone by and patience thinned then disappeared completely, hikers have tried to be more stealthy but its a little too late I dont know about you but if all that was happening on a near daily basis to my neighborhood, Id be pretty upset too!