Summary: The Kuli`ou`ou Ridge Trail is a 2.25 mile trail that rises almost 1800 feet, before peaking on the spine of the Ko`olau Ridge. It’s a tough run, for it is steep, but it is very run-able and offers a great reward in the form of spectacular views. The locals say that you’re suppose to run to the top, come back down to the picnic table, and then run back to the top again.
The Good: The trail is in very good shape. Unlike a lot of other trails that go mauka on the Ko`olau Ridge, this one is wide and easily navigable all the way to the end. There are no ropes, there’s no forced hiking; you can run as hard and as long as your legs can handle. Being steep, there’s some erosion, but it’s been well addressed and should hold up well for a long time. And the views — wow, the views. Fantastic. From Diamond Head, all the way around to the Makapu`u Lighthouse and on to Kaneoha Bay, standing at the top of the trail lets you see everything from Honolulu to the Kona Brewing Company restaurant in Hawaii Kai. And the foliage is awesome; like the website says,
The trail traverses through an assortment of exotic vegetation typical of arid areas: Christmas berry, haole koa, formosa koa, ironwood, Norfolk pine and guava. Beyond the shelter and the guava forest, the trail breaks out of the canopy and into uluhe-o`hia-koa-lama forest.
The Bad: Are you OK with ascending about 1800 feet of elevation, in 2.25 miles? Because you’re going to do that. Are you happy only running on bike trails? This ascent features rocks and roots and stairs and all kinds of things that will make you question your footing, and question your sanity on the way down. Now, I happen to like that stuff, but hey, that’s me. And remember — this is an active hunting area, so be careful on the weekends.
The Ugly: Nothing.
Type of route: Trail Good to run in the rain? It’s be a tough one, especially the last little bit.
Length: 2.25 miles to the top.
Options for the route: Run to the top, come back down to the picnic area, then re-assault the top — that’s 10km once you get back to the car.
Elevation change on the run: 300 feet up to 2100 feet, and back down. Water used: I used 1.5 liters, but could have / would have used more.
Where to start: Kalaau Pl, Honolulu, Hawaii 96821S Where to park: Same. The very end of the street is marked no parking, and that seems to be enforced. Get there early, or your parking options won’t be close to the trail head. Point your car’s GPS towards: here.
Facilities Water? Nope. Toilets? Nope. Medical care? Nope. Ranger / park folks? Nope. Picnic areas? One. Mid way up, about 1.5 miles from the trail head and .7 miles from the top. A place to change afterwards? Nope.
You’d run this route when….it’s not actually raining Windward, and you want a nice view. When the skies are clear, and you think you can get up there for the sunrise. When you’re training for the DipSea. When old ladies call you out.
My rating: 9
Music: Some classic 80′s tunes. That is, assuming no one is close enough to you on the trails to actually hear what you’re listening to. If that’s the case, go with NWA.
Up the windward side, just south of the Polynesian Cultural Center and the mo’o of Lāʻie, is the town of Hau`ula. It’s home to two great ridges with state trails, and they’re both well worth the drive. The Papali Trail on the Ma`akua Ridge features great trail running, lots of ascent and descent, and great places to see the sun rise, while the Hau`ula Loop Trail skirts across from the Kipapau Valley and have some great ironwood forest. There’s lots of shade, and cool temperatures prevail in large part to the gentle breezes.
Summary: The Manana Trail is a state / country trail in the Pearl Ridge area, that heads mauka (towards the mountains) up the Koʻolau Range. While it’s close to six miles to hike all the way to the ridge, the lower first few miles of the trail make for some great running. It offers easy access, great views, rolling ascent and wide, safe paths.
The Good: The first three miles of this trail is good. It’s a nice, rolling climb from about 1000 feet of elevation, up to about 1600 feet of elevation. Nice wide trails, the route is well marked and easy to follow. It mixes lots of shade with open areas of panoramic views. And on a nice and sunny day, this is a beautiful place to go run. Mid way up, there’s even a camping area — a nice place to stop for a sit, though there’s no water or anything other than the clearing.
The Bad: There are a few stretches of the trail that are narrow, with a drop off on both sides. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing – it’s probably just not for everyone. Also, parking is at the end of a residential street — I always feel guilty, parking in front of someone’s house when I head out running (though I do try and police up the trash in the area, and leave it better than I found it). Did I mention dog poop? Yep — some of them, unfortunately. Did I mention pig hunting? I don’t see it as a problem — I’ve never had a bad experience with hunters on the trails. But it is a hunting area.
The Ugly: Have you noticed that I’ve been talking about the first three miles of this trail? Well, after the three mile mark is stops being running and turns into hiking. Or mountain climbing. If you’re wanting a run longer than 6 miles round trip, this isn’t it. If you want to run to the top, this isn’t the trail for you.
Type of route: Trail run Good to run in the rain? Yes, for the first 3 miles. After that, no.
Length: 6 to 12 miles; I recommend just the 6.
Options for the route: Yes — one. There’s a split off, to go down to the Waimano Pool. Take caution, though — it’s a steep hike down, and a mean hike back up. If it’s raining, or been raining, it’ll be slick. More info, here.
Elevation change on the run: Three miles will be about 600 feet of elevation gain. Water used: A solid two liters.
Where to start: At the end of Komo Mai Drive Where to park: Same. be sure not to block the circle at the end — emergency vehicle access, so you’ll get a ticket / towed. Point your car’s GPS towards: Komo Mai Drive, Pearl City, HI 96782 (here)
Facilities Water? No Toilets? No Medical care? No Ranger / park folks? No. Picnic areas?Yes (via). Mid way up, at the camp site. A place to change afterwards? No. Which is a bit awkward — doing a deck change outside someone’s house is, well, awkward.
Rewards in the area:Try Miki’s (1001 Lehua Avenue, Pearl City, HI 96782-3334) for some grinds.
You’d run this route when….it’s a sunny, sunny day with some clouds that are mauka.
My rating: 8. I look forward to running this one a few more times.
Music: It needs to be something older, like the Squeeze (try this).
Summary: For as long as I have been running up and down from Nuuanu Pali State Wayside, aka the Pali lookout, I’ve had my eye on a run from the beach in Kailua to the Nuuanu Pali and back. From my best guesstimation, I figured it’d be about 13 miles to do it. Starting at the Kailua Beach Park in Kailua seemed like a perfect fit; I’d used it as a base of operations for a number of runs up to the pillboxes, and to the area around Kailua and Bellows Air Station. The run from there up to Nuuanu Pali is a mix of nice, flat road running, with a moderate climb up the old road to the lookout itself. One key appeal of this route is the shade, while the other is in running roads — old and new. All told, it worked out to be just about 13 miles on the nose, and it’s as good a run in the rain as it is on a sunny day.
The Good: Right distance, right difficulty. I’ll be honest — 13-15 miles is where I’m happiest. And really, I’m not a gazelle, so a good climb works just fine for me, too. I think I was no more than 20 minutes off my normal time for a half marathon, a lot of which was due to the shade and the road. The roads are a real plus — the old Pali Highway is a great escape for running, a chance to run an abandoned road that is still in very good shape (and that features some great scenery). And the park in Kailua is a great place to start and finish — plenty of parking, plenty of water, nice showers, clean bathrooms, and nice changing rooms.
The Bad: I don’t know if there’s such a thing as rush hour in Kailua, but if there is, running along Auloa Road might be tricky — no sidewalk, and the shoulder drops off quickly. But we are talking about Maunawili, after all — if three cars pass, I think that’d be the rush. There’s the one stretch on the old Pali Highway, where the trail goes under the new highway and careful footing is required; I can’t see it being fatal to anyone, though. Also, there’s no water along the way, nothing at Nuuanu Pali that I’ve ever found. So, you’ll need to bring whatever you may need (and with all the shade along the way, 2 liters should be enough for most days).
The Ugly: None, that I know of. Nice route, nice climb, nice quiet.
Type of route: Road Good to run in the rain? Excellent place to run in the rain.
Length: 13.1 roundtrip
Options for the route: Yep – the Waimanalo trail instead of along the roads. makes the run about 22 miles total, instead of the 13.1 miles.
Elevation change on the run: ~1100 feet up to Nuuanu Pali. Water used: 2.5 liters.
Where to start: Kailua Beach Park Where to park: Kailua Beach Park Point your car’s GPS towards: 526 Kawailoa Road at Alala Road, Kailua, Hawaii 96734
Facilities Water? Yes, at the start / finish point Toilets? Yes, at the start / finish point Medical care? No. Ranger / park folks? No. Picnic areas? Yes, at the start / finish point A place to change afterward? Yes
Rewards in the area: Step into the ocean. That works for me every time. If that’s not enough, swing my Moke’s Bread and Breakfast for some grinds; me, I’ll stick to the dip.
You’d run this route when…. you’re in the mood for a nice climb. Or you’re nursing an ankle and want to stay off the trails. Or there’s a full moon out, and not a cloud in the sky.
Though it lays dormant and seemingly forgotten, the Old Pali Highway is still in great shape, and still makes for a great place to run — so long as you’re OK with hills.
Summary: At the South end of Kailua, on the Windward side of the island, is a single ridge that divides the town from the restricted space of Bellows Air Force Base. It’s not a complicated run, or even a very long run, but it offers glorious views, nice hills, a decent enough path, and not a lot of traffic. It’s in a beautiful area of the island, and is as beautiful a place to run at dawn as it is in a rain storm.
The Good: Good, good running. Steep at times, but the trail along the ridgeline is just fantastic. Low, low traffic — mostly hikers, and mostly folks just going up to the pillboxes. The trail is very run-able, with only limited sections that mandate slowing to a near-stop. On the right parts, it is ideal ridge-running — good trail, up high, right along the spine, with great views and few people, but plenty wide so make death unlikely. With the trail head located so close to the Kailua Beach Park, there’s great support for the post-run — showers, drinking fountains, mostly-safe bathrooms, etc. And did I mention the scenery? Holy smokes — beautiful.
The Bad: Once you get past the pillboxes, well, the quality of the trail drops. Really, it’s just a matter of not really being able to see the trail as much as you’d want or need. Yes, this is running country, just not a sprinting trail. And once the sun comes up, if the clouds are gone, you will heat up.
The Ugly: There are a few places where you can fall to your death. No, they don’t sneak up on you or anything — but they are there. Also, the path down the western descent is poorly marked; it gets the least use, I suppose, so it’s not likely to get better any time soon.
Type of route: Trail. Hiking trail, but trail. Good to run in the rain? Um, if it’s a light rain, sure. Large parts of the trail, though, route the water off the ridge when it’s a heavy rain, so you’d be on slick rocks in water. I ran here in a heavy but short rain, and that was OK — just slick and muddy coming down.
Length: 2.2 miles from the Kailua Beach Park, to the far point overlooking the ocean.
Options for the route: Yes. Two of them, actually. Option one is to drop down to the west side, and emerge onto Kamahele Street, on the far side of the (closed) road along the golf course. From there, it’s a run back up the hill (blah) or a run around the canal and back to the beach (easy run, nice neighborhoods). Option 2 is to keep heading down along the ridge, and head for the water tower. From there, it’s a street run back as well. Option 2 is the most poorly-maintained part of the trails — hands down. Option 3, I suppose, would be to drop down to Bellows Air Force Base, and get arrested for trespassing. Not something I’d suggest, though.
Elevation change on the run: From beach up to about 650 feet at its highest point. Water used: Just going out and back is a 1 liter run. Plan on 2 liters.
Where to start: Here. Just past the Mid Pacific Country Club, on Kaelepulu Drive. Where to park: Kailua Beach Park. Point your car’s GPS towards: Kailua Beach Park, Kailua, Hawaii, 96734.
Facilities Water? Yes– at the Kailua Beach Park. Good fountains, clean water from the tap, and showers — cold, but wonderful. Toilets? Yes — at the Kailua Beach Park. Medical care? No. Ranger / park folks? Have not seen any — at the park, or on the trail. Picnic areas? Yes– at the Kailua Beach Park. That, or eat on top of the bunkers. A place to change afterwards? Great changing areas — at the Kailua Beach Park.
Rewards in the area: A swim to Flat Island. What — you wanted more?
You’d run this route when…. you’ve had your fill recently of speed drills, or tempo work, or other serious training efforts. This is a great run to do with just you and your iPod and some water. It’s enjoyable — a fun, fun run.
Summary: Running the Kamananui Valley Road through Moanalua Valley is a nice, shady run through relative quiet. Having been closed to the public for so long as part of the Samuel M. Damon Estate, its recent recent transition to public land makes this a great and still underutilized trail for a morning run. There are a number of trails in the valley (see below), but running the road itself offers a chance to zone out and enjoy the beauty of this valley. Add to that the length of the run, and the great infrastructure at the park at the entrance, and this is a great place for a run.
The Good: It’s quiet. Though the entrance to the valley, the lower part, is residential, sound does not penetrate up into the park area. The high walls on both sides keep out both sounds and direct sunlight (for much of the day, anyway); it’s not just quiet, it’s cool. The road is wide, and well worn; getting lost would take either talent or work. Early on, there are a few old bridges along the way; eye candy for the kids, I suppose; I’m OK running over them, but I sure wouldn’t try to drive over them. If you have an eagle eye, there are some petroglyphs (see this) worth checking out, and scattered here and there are remnants of the old estate.
The Bad: It’s an old unpaved road. Really, if you’re not paying attention, I suppose you could twist an ankle or something. And there is hunting in the area; try not to look, sound or smell like wild pig. If you’re one of those runners who wants to strip down and run naked through the woods, this is not the place for you; if the ghosts don’t get you, the packs of Korean Aunties will. Want to hear another horrible thing? There are numbered signs along the way — and no corresponding guide sheet (they are from long ago). I can tell you that #3 marks the path to one of the old homes, if that helps anyone’s OCD issues.
The Ugly: Nothing. The worst of this whole thing is that there are only 15 parking spaces at the park at the trail head, and between a few hikers, a few dog walkers, and the packs of Korean Aunties that are out in force before 9 AM every day, it can be tough getting a place to park. Oh, boo hoo. But really, if that’s the worst of it all, this place is pretty damn good.
Type of route: unpaved road Good to run in the rain? Oh, hell no. This place would be a death trap if a flash flood, um, flashed. Those signs at the entrance, about the dangers from flash floods, are clearly there for a reason.
Length: Running the road is 7.5 miles, round trip. That’s just the road, nothing else. Options for the route: Yes. You could split off at around the 2.5 mile mark, and head up the Kulana’ahane Trail. I have not done this, but looking at the map, and at Google Earth, and that it goes up to the top of the Ha`ikū Stairs, I’m betting that it is 1) not ideal for running; 2) probably a hell of a steep hike; and 3) you would very likely be at risk of falling or something along the way. At the wide bend, there’s a trail that heads off to the right (East) and up; rumor is that it goes up to Trippler.
Elevation change on the run: Around 600 feet. It does not feel like it. Water used: Out and back, about 1.5 liters. Without the direct sunlight, and the cooler temperatures of this time of year (winter), this would have been a great run to do sans camelbak.
Where to start: Moanalua Valley Park Where to park: Moanalua Valley Park (21°22’26.45″N 157°52’50.03″W)
Point your car’s GPS towards: 1880 Ala Aolani St, Honolulu, HI 96819
Facilities Water? Yes, at Moanalua Valley Park. Toilets? Yes, at Moanalua Valley Park. Medical care? No. Ranger / park folks? No. Picnic areas? Yes, at Moanalua Valley Park. Two picnic tables, and a kiddie play set. And lots of grass. A place to change afterwards? Yes, at Moanalua Valley Park. It means changing in the stall of the public restroom, but this place is low use and well maintained. Trust me — it’s not Candlestick Park at the end of the double-header (and wow, I just showed my age).
Rewards in the area: Wow, no, not really. For me, it was sitting in the shade of the giant trees and cooling down. At 9 AM, the sun was just then trying to peak over the ridgeline, and the breeze was still blowing and keeping things cool. But no, there’s no shaved ice place down the street, no Hooters, not even a guy selling Tijuana-style hot dogs from a cart.
You’d run this route when…. you want to run and totally zone out. Or, when you want some hill, but not too much — like maybe after a hell hill run the day before. Or, when you’re looking to do around 10km, but also need to do some other par-course-like exercises.
My rating: 9
Music: Social D. You can run all your life, but not go anywhere.
More reading: here and here. Info on the recent plane crash, here and here. Flickr: here and here. More photos: hereState Park Info: here and here.
That brown spot is where the plane recently crashed.
Odd facts:
H3 was suppose to go through this valley; the estate fought the proposal, citing the need to preserve the valley as a sanctuary;
The US Army helped to buy the land, in the effort to transfer it from private to public lands. Why? Well, I’ll let you read it, here.
The Damon Estate? Old money. Seriously old money. Damon was a member of the Committee of Safety that overthrewQueen Lili’uokalani. The estate had ties into First Hawaiian Bank from way back, and lots and lots of real estate. “The missionaries came to do good, and in the end, they did very well.” The estate dissolved in 2004, when Samuel Damon’s last grandchild passed away.
The Waimano Trail is one of the Na Ala Hele trails maintained by the city / county of Honolulu. There is an upper and a lower Waimano Trail; the lower is on the floor of a valley, and heds in the direction of a waterfall, and the upper trail mostly stays up on the ridges and heads farther up towards the Ko`olau ridgeline. The lower trail does link back to and connect with the upper trail, forming a loop and allowing access in the direction of the Ko`olau ridgeline.
This is trail running. There’s not a lick of cement anywhere along this; no sidewalks, no bike paths, nothing but dirt and the wilds. In fact, it’s hiking country — it’s not even very good running terrain. As a hiking trail, it’s probably fair to decent; as a running trail, well, it’s slightly above average.
It’s good, in that it’s shady and features cool temperatures. It’s good in that some stretches of it are nice and wide with long views of the trail ahead. It’s good in that it’s a nice climb that it’s a killer. But it suffers for all the roots and rocks and uneven footing. It suffers for the overgrowth that now (JAN 2010) hide the trail itself out past the 3.3 mile mark; the grass and plants are so thing and high, you can make out the general direction of where to go but can’t see the ground well enough to know what your footing will be (it’s described by the country as only being “periodically maintained”). And it suffers for the thin, thin sections that make swift footed movement a challenge, and it suffers for its mud and slippery surfaces.
This is a route for a Saturday morning 10km run, when all you’ve been able to do is run streets during the week. It’s a place to go when it’s cloudy without a threat of actual rain. It’s a place to go when summer is starting to settle in and the temperatures are rising, and you want / need someplace cool to go for sanctuary. It’s a good 10km running route, and it’s a route that will let you run some as you hike the 15 or 16 miles up to the peak (much less running after the initial 3.3 mile mark). It is not one to run in the rain.
The 10km route — out 3.3 miles and back, all on the Upper Waimano Trail route, I’d give a 7. Not hard, not in too bad of shape, not too dangerous. The route I initially did — out and back 6 miles — is a straight up 5; sure, I do it again, but if there was something better or something else I had not tried, I’d just as soon go do that.
A word of caution. Not only does this route pose risks from the running surface — you’re very likely to fall off the trail, or trip on something, or encounter aliens — it’s also adjacent to a hunting area. Between the Waimano Trail and the Manana Trail across the valley is a seasonal hunting area; it’s well worth checking not only the weather forcast for rain / flash flood chances, but also to see if the hunt is on. A sprained ankle sure ruins a run, but a bullet to the gut would probably be worse.
Oh, and bring whatever you need; there’s no support for this route. No toilets, no faucets, no nothing. If you’ve got the trots, this isn’t the run for you. In 12 miles, I went through my 100 ounces of water.
Here’s the Garmin file (here) and here’s the Google Earth file (here). Parking is on Waimano Home Road, in Pearl City. The path is to the left of the gate; you can’t miss it. There are few signs for the trail along the way, but there’s ample ribbon / tape marking the way. The Upper / Lower Waimano Trail split happens pretty early on, and the loop itself is not more than a couple of miles total.
Here’s where the trail splits. Note the chain link fence; the initial part of the Upper trail is run right along the fence and the road. No, there’s no way to cheat and run the road instead.
There are some stretches of the trail, like this little piece early on in the route, that are downright scary. This is all of a foot or two wide, with drop offs on both sides — cliff on the right, and water canal on the left. If you’re sure footed, sure, you can just haul ass right on through this part; those rocks, though, get pretty slick with any moisture.
These two stretches are considered good parts of the trail. Easy enough to see where you’re going to spot your foot, visibility far enough ahead to keep moving at a decent speed. This is good running.
And this is bad running trail. Shoot, this isn’t even good hiking trail. Any time you need to cling to a rope or wire — and there are several places on this route like that — it’s kind of hard to maintain your running form. High adventure, sure, but less than stellar running.
And this is the stuff that just plain sucks. Yeah, you can generally see the direction you’re headed, but there’s no way to move at any speed and see where to put down a foot. It was in sections like this — several times — that I found myself facedown on the ground, hugging the trail, after putting my foot down over the edge and onto nothing.
But mostly it was like this:
Yes, that’s about one meter across, from the wall of the cliff on the right, to where it drops off again on the left. There’s some trail to see, but not a lot. It’s not smooth, but instead has lots of rocks and roots and stuff. You can run, but not at full throttle, not if you want to ensure you don’t go flying off that cliff on the left (those thin trees won’t stop your plummet).
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