This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Step 4 Park at the Moanalua Valley Park parking lot at 1849 Ala. 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). 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. Stowell's body was found roughly 400 feet below the third peak of Mount Olomana's hiking trail, officials said. Not runners, not tennis, etc. Bring ziplock bag to gather your trash respect the land & beauty of the island. The trail becomes quite steep from this point on with lots of tree roots to scramble up, boulders to clamber over and small rope sections to navigate. Thank you for sharing your experience and pics. Recommended. Just because you don't see or understand the damage you are causing doesn't make it right. If you don't want to do the illegal way, this way is worth it. Bring a cell phone, which can be a lifesaver during an emergency. The view is wonderful worth the hike. Be sure youre alright with heights, narrow ridges, and some minor climbing/scrambling. 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! At a few points I need to brace myself against the bark of an ohia tree to keep from losing my balance. A Mariposa County sheriff's deputy walks in a remote area near where a family and their dog were found dead . Theres also a legal way to reach the top of the mountain by climbing it from the backside via Moanalua Valley trail, which Ill explain in more detail later in this guide. Winds were rough as gusts reached up to 40 mph but not once did we feel our lives were threatened. Highly recommend, it was one of the best hikes I have ever done. I did this hike solo about a month ago. Plan accordingly. Definitely dont pay a guide for this hike like some people seem to. Let's stay updated! . Trudging up the slope, it takes about half an hour to scale the first hump. So long as you make the right turn in The Valley you can easily find your way up, assuming youre up to the effort. The trailhead is located in the back of the Moanalua Valley Neighborhood Park and crosses seven old cobblestone bridges while making its way up the valley floor. However, we wouldnt recommend running. Be advised that if you need emergency services you will be billed for the rescue equipment usage and personnel time. I'd recommend doing this hike early as possible to avoid the potential crowds. Lol ALOHAAAAA. Although extremely tempting, the hike down the Haiku Stairs is highly illegal and subject to fine, etc. 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. 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. I'm also attempting to educate people about how this place is being overrun by people who want to experience nature but are doing so at the cost of nature and for what? If someone is offering to take you on a hike for a fee, you should report them to the Division of Conservation and Resource Enforcement. All water should be . The 31-year-old native of New York was assigned to the 15th. Fun hike. I didnt need spikes but some good traction helps. Know your physical abilities and limitations; select trails that can be enjoyed safely. It is only accessible by hiking approximately 2.5 miles up the Kamananui Valley Road Trail, where a marked sign on the left designates the trailhead. Turtle Canyon Snorkel Cruise by Catamaran. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. ! The Moanalua Valley Middle Ridge Trail to the Haiku Stairs is a 10.7 mile (roundtrip) hike along varying terrains with several rope climb sections and very narrow ridge climbing. The first 2.5ish miles are flat and the next 2 miles are a pretty steep incline. Stick to the main trailfollow a tributary path, and you may wind up in Waimano Valley. Distress hikers rescued off Moanalua Valley Trail Friday evening By KITV4 Web Staff Mar 19, 2022 0 HONOLULU (KITV4) - Honolulu Fire received an emergency 911 call about hikers in distress on. Be prepared. The first mile on this trail climbs 900 feet in elevation and is primarily through trees. Trail reports are used to indicate a trails current condition and inform builders and other riders about any issues on a trail. Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use. All Rights Reserved. My husband and I are planning on doing this hike. Bring water & food. INDEFINITE CLOSURE: This trail is closed to the public and violators/trespassers are SUBJECT TO $1000 FINES, COMMUNITY SERVICE, BENCH WARRANTS, AND/OR ARREST. HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - U.S. Army officials have released new details surrounding the death of an Airman assigned to the 15th Wing. He served as the 15th Maintenance Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Maintenance Operations Officer while at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Your selfish Instagram post is at the expense of destroying the island's fragile eco-diversity. If you want to do a guided hike anywhere on State Lands, please ask the guide to see a copy of their commercial use permit, issued by the Division of Forestry and Wildlife. At the peak of the Moanalua Middle Ridge Trail, you will catch your first glimpse of the radio tower/satellite. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. There is an entry along the fence that will go through. Please see J T s comments below before attempting this. UPDATE 02/2023: Theres still hope that the Stairway To Heaven Hawaii trail may be saved after all. -2L water MINIMUM. Army: Airman assigned to 15th wing died after collapsing while hiking, Furnishings, appliances from Shirokiya Japan Village Walk up for auction, Former Mililani High athletic director indicted, 'The Other Side of Paradise' with Lynn Kawano, KHNLPUBLICFILE@HAWAIINEWSNOW.COM (808) 847-3246, KGMBPUBLICFILE@HAWAIINEWSNOW.COM (808) 847-3246, KFVEPUBLICFILE@HAWAIINEWSNOW.COM (808) 847-3246, KSIXPUBLICFILE@HAWAIINEWSNOW.COM (808) 847-3246, KOGGPUBLICFILE@HAWAIINEWSNOW.COM (808) 847-3246. $125.33. Once at the summit of the Moanalua Valley Trail you will essentially enjoy the view and then turn back around and head down the way you came. Amazing! Oahu Small Group Circle Island Sightseeing Tour. The Moanalua Valley Trail to Haiku stairs hiking route is one of the most adventurous hikes on Oahu. If you want to go hike, I'm not stopping you. Well worth that investment of time sweat & tears! Really bites that we struggled through mud for miles and never found the trail. Whoever JT is he needs to lighten the hell up. Have some light. This is incorrect. Aloha, for those that think this trail is legal and open to the public with no repercussions, you are wrong. I will never endorse anything fake or not worth considering. If people cared more about the "nature" that they so desperately enjoy in this valley, then I wouldn't even be on here. The Haiku Stairs Hawaii hike is steep and strenuous, but the toughest part is the first 1/3rd of the stairway leading up to platform one. Haiku Stairs Map How might someone prepare to hike Stairway to Heaven? The area escorts us into a network of trails here, where the middle ridge opens up upon crossing a streambed found just after the marker for the Kulanaahane Trail. There are four pieces of gear that I simply never forget when I go on a hike. Stowell's body was found roughly 400 feet below the third peak of Mount Olomana's hiking trail, officials said. The terrain can be quite crumbly, with steep drop-offs so you do need to keep your focus throughout this hike. Try hike the Lanikai pill box brah. Though theres no ocean view at the end,this trail is a journey through a bunch of natural beauty and history. The great part about this trail is that you have incredible views along the way and not just at the summit. Wear proper foot ware, including hiking boots, spikes, and gloves. Hiking sandals are ok IF you're experienced hiking in muddy slippery conditions in them. This blog post will explain some of the details and history of the Hawaii Stairway To Heaven hike, and then Ill discuss some of the politics behind the stairs and plans for their future. Moanalua Valley is a Forest Reserve. There was also a hiker named Daylenn Pua who disappeared on the Moanalua Valley trail (the backside route that intersects with the Stairway To Heaven) and was never seen again. In 2015, a man from Florida man died after falling about 200 feet from the trail. -Rain jacket/windbreaker . Accessing the Trail: The trail starts at Moanalua Valley Park, about 20 minutes away from Waikiki. It was a beautiful day, not too muddy to complete this hike. If you'd like to help even more, be sure to check out my Patreon as well. My wife Intan and I are usually in our second home Bali, but our journeys take us to destinations all over the world. Thank you. I lived for a few years in Kaneohe (graduated James B Castle HS) some 50 years ago and NEVER knew about the Haiku stairway. An absolutely amazing experience. 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. If you are interested in climbing the back (legal) way up to the summit you can contact @mike.karas on Instagram and chat with him about when his next tour is running as he hikes the trail most weeks. The Stairway To Heaven hike is much longer, steeper, harder, and scarier than the Koko Stairs. Talk Kaimuk Has Coffee Drinks by Day, Cocktails at Night, Where to Find Mochi and Other Sweet Treats for Girls Day in Honolulu, The Bowl that Converted Me: Saimin at Janes Fountain, AYCE Nights: My Favorite All-You-Can-Eat Hot Pot Spots in Honolulu, Photos: 2023 Best Dentists in Hawaii Reception, The Top 5 Whiskey Drinks to Order at ELEVEN, The HDS Tooth Fairy is Coming Back to Kakaako, A Locals Guide to an Oahu Road Trip: Wahiaw to Salt Lake, Spring Fashion Feature: Proud Hawaiian Model Mahina Florence Inspires Murals, 10 Local Ocean-Friendly Restaurants on Oahu to Try Now, February 2023: Our Top 3 Most-Viewed Posts About Oahus Food Scene, Your Guide to the Perfect Weekend in Honolulu: March 28, 2023, 28 Irresistibly Cute Girls Day Gifts for Women and Keiki, Why We Eat Mochi and Display Dolls on Girls Day in Hawaii, My 12 Favorite Restaurants Off the Strip in Las Vegas. The trail takes you to the same lookout as the Haiku Stairs. He was taken to Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, where he was pronounced dead, the Air Force said. Anthony J. Polizzi. -Good shoes. Relax, its not as scary as it looks here. I hope it will be repaired and preserved for people to enjoy forever. it's not. No more news yet. Part of being outside and in nature is the lack of rules and the BS! a pic? Lastly, you could also be billed for emergency services if youre somehow injured and need to be rescued while doing this hike. The Moanalua Valley Trail is mostly flat and ventures through tropical forest but kind of stops in the middle of nothing. 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. I feel surprisingly renewed by this and take a moment to find my center of gravity before retracing the long way back. Editors Note: We love hiking! When she willed the entire ahupuaa of Moanalua to Damons father in 1884, the luxurious valley home was built.) Moanalua Valley Trail is the back route and legal access to the Haiku Stairs, which is illegal to access from the front stairway. It all goes back to a history of lawsuits from people getting injured while hiking in Oahu and then suing the state. I would have liked to investigate an entry from the south if time permitted. Judd Trail Mountain View is an out-and-back trail where you may see beautiful wildflowers located near Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii. Charges usually start at about $10,000 and go up from there. You can see everythingKaneohe, Kailua, Mokolii (akaChinamans Hat), Olomana and the H-3 snaking its way through it alland Im basking in the extraordinary sight of how miniature life looks from up above. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash. We will be hiking in later June so probably drier. Ownership of the stairs was given to the city of Honolulu, and supposedly they were planning to turn the Haiku Stairs hike into a paid attraction. age 94, passed away on Wednesday, February 22, 2023 at the St. John of God Retirement Center in Los Angeles, CA. However, the whole Haiku valley is surrounded by a residential area with fences, yappy dogs, and a security guard, with only a few possible entrances. The Stairway To Heaven Hawaii hike is epic, dangerous, and illegal. Loving all your content and guidance! The Kulana'ahane Trail offers unparalleled hiking through native Hawaiian forest to a scenic overlook. In this section, I will explain a little bit about each area and share with you the details for exploring this summit area. If you think about it there is a large number of people on 24/7 neighborhood watch and some are very angry and extreme. 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. Get an early start, because parking fills up fast. We won't share it with anyone else. Future Of The Haiku Stairs Open / Closed? adventures and follow local regulations. A grueling 3,922 stairs lead up the imposing mountain ridge, often at an almost vertical incline, with only a handrail to catch you from falling into the valley below. It was actually easier to me than Mount Olympus , just a LOTTTTTT longer. The Moanalua Valley Trail to Haiku stairs hiking route is one of the most adventurous hikes on Oahu. Im 100% in favor of keeping the stairway and letting hikers continue to hike it, but, David, you might want to add another item to bring with you on this hike a respectful & considerate disposition. Make sure you bring snacks and lots of water. Access to the public is restricted. I hope you enjoyed this travel guide for the Stairway to Heaven Hawaii hike. August 10, 1928 - February 22, 2023 Sister Mary Ellen Sprouffske, C.S.J. We celebrated National Take a Hike Day (Nov. 17), with a round up of our top picks for the best hikes on the Island. Make the risks known to people, but dont close all the hikes. When people refer to it as the legal backway to get to the Stairway to Heaven that refers to the legal route to the top of the Moanalua Valley Trail but you still arent allowed to actually go on the stairs or the satellite area.