After the first three miles, when you start to ascend, it could get really slippery, if youre not an experienced hiker, DO NOT do this hike after rainy days. Too many litterbugs on the island sadly. Significantly more roots are exposed as well. Fair enough. Microspikes are good to have to make it up/for traction. At minimum please wear proper hiking footwear and be prepared. 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. There's also a ton of street parking near by in the neighborhood. 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. You walk an easy trail for 3 miles before you start ascending to the summit, which is nearly 2 miles up. If the weather goes bad on you, you could get stuck for a while. The trail begins at the end of Moanalua Valley at Moanalua Valley Park. What can be earliest time to start this hike? Shortly after the 17th crossing, you should see a sign for the Kulana'ahane trail (note: Do NOT take this). You can read more here: https://www.haikustairs.org/. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. This trail is a national and state treasure, with amazing scenery and a cool bit of history behind it. It is for this reason that it is NOT recommended to hike this trail in heavy rains due to flash flooding. That means that if you purchase a product or service that I reccomend, I get a small cut of the sale. 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. While the first peak is the "highest and offers the best views," it's the mountain's third peak where Stowell fell to his death that "offers the greatest climbing challenge. Ill keep this blog post updated. The Moanalua Valley Trail is mostly flat and ventures through tropical forest but kind of stops in the middle of nothing. Theres a nature trail by the Botanic Library that takes you to a lake. This hike is long, and the weather can change quickly along the trail as you ascend to just shy of 3,000ft elevation. The Moanalua Valley Trail to Haiku stairs hiking route is one of the most adventurous hikes on Oahu. No such facilities are available within the valley itself. Thank for your continued support. There were plans to remove the stairs, but theres also been a lot of pushback from Hawaii locals wanting to keep the stairs. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Hey there! Ive done both hikes many times over the years, and I have to say there is really no comparison in terms of difficulty. He served as the 15th Maintenance Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Maintenance Operations Officer while at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Check out their website and consider donating if youre a fan. To begin the Moanalua Valley Trail you will first need to drive to the Moanalua Valley Neighborhood Park and park in the streets nearby. Not willing to change her identity to be part of the industry, Mahina Florence is at the height of her career because of her flawless Hawaiian complexion, strong athletic build, and friendly aloha spirit. The Stairway to Heavenhike on Oahu, Hawaii, also known as the Haiku Stairs, is possibly the greatest attraction on the entire island. It gave the mountains and everything a surreal touch that made us feel like we were walking up into the heavens. "Novices have no business being on that hike. For me personally, it was well worth any of the risks involved! The stairs were then opened to the public until 1987 when they were deemed unsafe because of disrepair. The weather today is just as my friend hoped for; hes been monitoring it daily since a week out to ensure the trail will be dry and moderately windless, opportune conditions for a hike that has us teetering across razor-thin sections with steep drops on either side. We recommend packing an external back-up battery. A guide to those volcanic terms: Pele's hair, caldera, volcanic ash -- learn what they mean, Suspect in deadly Kapiolani hit-and-run crash released from jail, Beware of counterfeit products this holiday shopping season, Homeland Security Investigations warns, Maui County residents asked to report property damage caused by massive weekend ocean swells, Thanksgiving travel should be less chaotic than summer, Sunday Morning Weather - Light Trade Winds Continue. The exact cause of the incident is still under investigation. Trudging up the slope, it takes about half an hour to scale the first hump. Relax, its not as scary as it looks here. a pic? Please be quiet and respectful of the local residents as you are parking, packing, and reaching the trailhead. Disappointed that I didnt have a chance to make that trek. Its Definitely challenging get rest water food. I lived for a few years in Kaneohe (graduated James B Castle HS) some 50 years ago and NEVER knew about the Haiku stairway. The Stairway To Heaven trail is located on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. To get to the trailhead, park outside the Moanalua Valley Park and the trail begins just after the green gate. Judd Trail is a loop trail that takes you by a waterfall located near Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii. Preview trail We did not have spikes or gloves and it was 100% fine, but it would have been a help especially if there has been recent rain. Plan accordingly. You definitely want good weather for this hike. Mahalo! Haiku Stairs Map How might someone prepare to hike Stairway to Heaven? 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. Posted on Last updated: February 22, 2022. The cause of the airmans death is under investigation. (Facebook). Know your physical abilities and limitations; select trails that can be enjoyed safely. The Moanalua Valley Trail to Haiku stairs hiking route is one of the most adventurous hikes on Oahu. per adult. We are deeply saddened by the loss of Capt. Wyatt Olson is based in the Honolulu bureau, where he has reported on military and security issues in the Indo-Pacific since 2014. If people cared more about the "nature" that they so desperately enjoy in this valley, then I wouldn't even be on here. listen to flash flood warnings. 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). The valley itself is historical, with the earliest human inhabitants dating back to the 1500s. . I appreciate the outpouring of support from our ohana.. Turtle Canyon Snorkel Cruise by Catamaran. -Headlamp. 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. Both times I did the hike, the security guard yelled at us from a distance but didnt seem to chase after us or call the police. Our biggest priority is taking care of his family and supporting his fellow Wingmen. The Kulana'ahane Trail offers unparalleled hiking through native Hawaiian forest to a scenic overlook. Hawaii, like any other state, has property laws. Thousands of people hike this trail every year and no one has ever died by falling. The Stairway To Heaven hike is much longer, steeper, harder, and scarier than the Koko Stairs. Werner Karl, you're right. This trail in Oahu, also known as the Haiku Stairs, takes you to the top of the Koolau mountains via 3,922 metal stairs of pure adrenaline and doom. Fun hike. The Stairway To Heaven also has much more epic views than Koko Head in my opinion, but Koko Head is still a great hike in its own way, and its completely legal, so its a good choice if you want another challenging hike with some fantastic island views. -Dogs and babies not advisable on this trail. Youll encounter a couple more ropes (as you did during the Moanalua hike) which will be instrumental in getting down some of the slopes. Not a must, but its often raining, and windy. One of the main challenges of climbing the Hawaii Stairway To Heaven trail is just finding where it starts. Feel free to reach out to me on Instagram @mike.karas or email me at mikekarasphotography@gmail.com if youd like to join or like gear for the hike I have plenty of microspikes and gloves. Additionally, along the trail there are several ropes which people have tied tied to help with the hike. Date of experience: June 2019. Loving all your content and guidance! 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. This trail suits two- and four-legged hikers of mostfitness levels. You just keep heading straight up and you will eventually reach the satellite dish at the summit. There are a few rope sections and some very intense drop offs on the sides for lots of the trail, so this is not for the faint of heart. Amazing! Furthermore, Hawaii State Forest Reserves have other rules, such as what time they open and close, yes you read that correctly, Forest Reserves are only legal to hike in 30 min before sunrise to 30 min after sunset. Give me a break!, its a hike, and a damn good one at that! We put on our microspikes at the riverbed and they were handy all the way to the summit. The trail was washing away. At a few points I need to brace myself against the bark of an ohia tree to keep from losing my balance. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Legal Statement. Can be very muddy like lots of the ridges out here on island. Make sure you at least have the basics and you will be prepared for bad weather or any mishaps on the trail. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. There are notable repeat offenders that continue to make 4 or 5-digit profits in a single week, none of which benefits the environment which they are degrading. Spikes and gloves definitely help but arent 100% necessary. Do NOT take this route. If you look closely, you can see the winding stairway. This is classic government stupidity for you tax people to build them, tax more to fix them, then tax to take them out because they are dangerous when actually they are much safer than no stairs. There is also a cliff diving spot at one of the falls. The stairs are priceless to many of us, and we all hope the staircase hike can be saved. Usually trail run in the valley or hike up the ridge a couple times a week. Keep your personal fitness and skill levelin mind, and always take proper precautions when venturing off road. Theres a lot to do here, you can even camp and fish. The stairs are hiked by thousands of people every year, but the status of the trail is still in limbo because the state of Hawaii is afraid of liability and cant decide what to do with the stairs. Make sure you have done your research (YouTube) and you should be ready to are some awesome views. I appreciate the outpouring of support from our ohana.. from. Many residents of Oahu have fond memories of hiking up the Stairway to Heaven years ago (legally). There is no legal way to the stairs. Youll cross the streambed immediately and then begin to climb quickly.