Kawainui Marsh Trail

Ran this with the first time with our puppies tonight! Love love love! It has a paved side walk but also a lot of grass and gravel road. Nice and wide for people to pass and everyone was so friend out there. I was trying to get my pups better around other dogs and running on a leash and this was the perfect place not to mention the amazing scenery! Highly recommend!

I’m always looking for interesting nature scenes that’s family friendly. This was an easy find right off Oneawa St. Plenty of parking and the trail was mostly stroller friendly, paved and gravel. The mountains are gorgeous with the clouds hugging the tops. No shade as this walk is in the open. I enjoyed watching the ducks and birds as we strolled along. There was people jogging and walking their dog’s but overall quiet atmosphere. I found out this marsh area has a dam that a couple days of the month is opened and allowed to drain into the ocean. One of the openings goes to my favorite beach, Kailua Beach Park.

I love going for walks here. It’s so serene, and I enjoy looking at the birds, the marsh and the mountains. You can see turtles popping their heads out of the water, and families of ducks waddling around. It’s a great place to take the kids on a walk because you don’t have to worry about traffic or cars. All the people walking and exercising there are super friendly and say hello, good morning, nice day, etc. It’s just a nice place to go.

Paved, flat, easy, 1 mile each way. Good for going on a leisurely walk or run. No shade, so I would avoid it high noon.

This is a good place to do some walking or jogging if you are looking for a good place in the Windward Side that offers beautiful scenery of the mountains and valley. The entire 2 mile stretch is half concrete and half gravel. Marshes are nice and well-​preserved. You might even see some ducks and geese roaming in the area. Overall, a good place to take the family or go by yourself.

I’ve always enjoyed a good hike but a bum ankle makes usual rooted or rocky Hawaii trails an exercise in playing through pain if not properly taped or braced up. The K-​Marsh provides a nice paved route that is just under a mile long. While Ralph Waldo Emerson wouldn’t consider this a return to nature it provides some predictable terrain that allows us slightly maimed a carefree jaunt.
The view of the marsh and ko’olaus is nice and a vantage point you don’t usually get to see. I’m told by Mango Man that the marsh looks a lot like the Mekong Delta – not sure if that’s a good thing or not but it’s quite green and teeming with wild life.
Feeling emboldened by the paved path I did two round trips at a decent clip and got to enjoy the early evening twilight hours with plenty birds, frogs and the like. Parking looked tight on Kaha but I walked from a friend’s on Oneawa. There were lots of others on the path and there’s a gravel shoulder that can be utilized for passing.
Its a good trail for folks trying to get some exercise, a touch of nature, while enjoying the modern convenience of stoic and supportive asphalt. I’m a little bummed discovered this after moving out of Kailua.

If you’re just looking to get out, take a brisk stroll in a beautiful surrounding, this is the trail for you. I went with a friend and her newborn, and we took the stroller along which is perfectly fine. It’s beautiful, serene, and just what you need to clear your head and get a bit of exercise in the process.
There were plenty of people riding their bikes along the trail, which is just fine because their is a paved area for walking.
Did I mention that it’s beautiful? It’s so lush, and if you really slow down to take it all in, you’ll be amazed by the beauty of it all.
I do plan to go back with my son and our bikes. I think he’d enjoy it quite a bit.

Very nice walk for the family. The path is paved, which makes it great for strollers, bikes and trikes. Only about a mile and half long.
The best part of this walk is the scenery. There are beautiful views of the surrounding Ko’olau mountains.
There’s no shade along the path, so go early in the morning or late afternoon. Otherwise, be prepared with a hat and sunscreen — the midday sun can be brutal.

This flat, semi paved path is a great run location, enough foot traffic to feel safe without being overcrowded. Lots of birds, so bring a camera!

Kawainui Marsh Trail is one of those unknown places you would never thought of visiting, unless you know you were looking for it. As it turned out, here I was in Kailua on a nice Saturday morning out for a 8 mile run starting from the Kawainui Marsh Trail. The plan was to weave through here, in and out of Ho’omaluhia Botanical Gardens, and end up at 24 Hour Fitness in Windward City shopping Center. The Kawainui marsh trail was interesting, since I haven’t been to this side of Kailua ever. Pretty wild to see such a variety of life here versus the residential areas of Kailua, and the city life of Oahu.
Located in Kailua next to the Kawainui Park, the trail itself extends around the lake and wetlands. It was interesting to see people walking in the trail so early in the morning. I am glad that there was plenty of trail to run in. However, this trail is reality short, so a good swift 1.5 miles is a good course to get warm in before venturing out into wilds of Kailua and Kaneohe. It’s an interesting environment to be in, no doubt. Away from the residential areas and the busy streets of Kailua town and Kaneohe, this place definitely provides a subtle peace that can probably be described as punctual and creative. I like running though here and its nice to be able to just be here away from it all.
Good for kids, families, and individuals who love the outdoors. Excellent for workouts or just walking. There are ducks and geese that inhabit the trail and the outlying areas, but be careful though. They can be very aggressive and angry when they want food and don’t hesitate to take it from you when it thinks you have what it wants! There is plenty of parking spaces for y’all who drive, so that’s comforting. It will behoove you to try this place just for kicks, for workouts, or just something for a change of pace. You’ll be glad you did. Enjoy nature and it will be rewarding!
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I really wanted to check out this path after driving past it all the time. I decided that it’s probably a fantastic place if you want to run, but I’m not a runner…
Parking was a little difficult in the afternoon on that little unpaved area. To get to it you have to be on the side of the road heading away from Kailua town.
The landscape was wonderfully different from the rest of Oahu. The marsh extends far away and leads your eyes to the tall Koolau mountains~
It was a really peaceful walk until the end when we were almost attacked by the pigeons and geese! We went down to the stream to watch the ducks when a flock of pigeons flew down from a nearby tree with two large geese leading the crowd. It was kind of scary how they all began to step toward us, forcing us to go back up the hill. Then they began to follow us until we ran away. Ahhhh! Scary birds.

Flat, gravel path goes for about 1.5 miles. Great for bird viewing although the ducks and geese are pretty aggressive (apparently they’ve been fed before). Seems like a spot for evening strolls/​jogs/​rides. No shade so prepare if a sunny day. Good for kids, strollers, scooters, bikes.

Great semi paved/​gravel walking/​running path along the marsh. Always a nice breeze to give you a break from the sun since it’s an open, unshaded trail. So glad this gift has been given to us as a recreational space. Love viewing the marsh while running — makes the time pass faster! Plenty of parking at the park entrance in Aikahi, or small non-​designated parking near the town side of the trail.

For those of us who have «klutz «as a middle name, Kawainui Marsh offers a low-​risk way to enjoy nature and the outdoors while keeping feet firmly planted on terra firma.
The trail is more of a paved path with a gravel-​strewn sidebar, perfect for a four-​year-​old to try out his new tricycle. Or, run after his parents after chasing a few ducks down into the marsh. If you’re lucky, a turtle pops his head up from the brownish water to give you «the eye,» but mostly there are the sounds of the marsh — chirping birds teetering precariously on the waving reeds, the light breeze whispering secrets, and the crunching of gravel as a jogger or biker passes by on the path.
In the distance, you can hear the faint sounds of the highway, getting louder as you walk along the path. It’s surreal to see how close civilization is to this nature preserve while the ridge cut mountains stand like silent sentinals. Even in the mid-​day heat, there’s a sense of calmness and peace that makes you feel like you should be talking in hushed tones. Only that’s not quite possible with a four-​year-​old who’s happy laughter chases away any shadows cast by the occasional cloud cover.
We saw a few folks planted in lawn chairs at the entrance to the marsh, enjoying a picnic and the sight of baby ducks swimming frantically after mama and papa, but mostly there were fellow strollers out to enjoy the fresh air and picturesque scenery.
To get there, drive along Kihapai Street and then turn into the neighborhood park which offers ample parking spaces. Dog walkers, remember to bring your plastic bags. Wear comfortable shoes, bring sunglasses and load on the sunscreen. Pack some water, and you’re good to go. Enjoy!