Manana Trail

I noticed there were a few comments mentioning there were camp grounds, but there wasn’t any real information on it. I hope this helps out!
To start you can buy a permit online for around $ 12 a night.
I love camping so decided to stay for 3 days, but it was only after I bought the permit that I realized how far the campgrounds are from the car.
The right turn for the waterfall is under 0.5 miles in, while the first open camping area is only visible after 1.5 miles of steep hills. The area is beautiful during the day, but the night brought strong winds and heavy rain.
I would strongly suggest only camping overnight at this location. Taking the hike back to the car to retrieve food and drinks was an awful experience.
If I go again in a year or two I would recommend packing very light. A rain jacket, tinder, and warm clothes for night are essential.
Have a great trip!

A wonderful cardio workout. I try to do this or the ridge trail three times a week, and it keeps me in shape. However, there are tons of flowering plants when you get near the falls which means … TONS OF BEES lol. Soooo if you are terribly scared of bees like i am, this hike might not be for you.
BRING WATER FOR EITHER HIKE. Like two bottles. You will need it, trust me.
it takes a while to get to the actual trail head, so don’t be discouraged. You can either go up to the ridge (5 miles, one way) or the more popular falls hike (¾ miles, one way). For the first two and a half miles, the ridge hike is cake. There is a paved path and some pitstops along the way (picnic areas, benches, etc). The views are amazing of the mountain ridges. The hike starts to get a little shady after mile three, so i usually turn around at this point and head back. You are on mountain ridges so there are some incline and declines (moderate, nothing too bad). I get my real cardio doing the waterfall hike, as it is way shorter but more challenging.
The waterfall hike is relatively short, give yourself maybe two hrs round trip.
There are a couple forks in the path, if you will. Try to stay left, especially when you get toward the falls. Keep your eyes open and forward because this trail is kind of difficult, so its really easy to keep your eyes on the ground, and get lost (I’ve done it a few times). You can go to the top of the falls if you stay to your left and go up once you get there, or you can go down where there is a rope that leads to the pools. Be careful, the rope is not as easy as it looks, i have def. slammed my body against the rocks trying to get down to pools. Its maybe like a ten foot drop off, the rope is attached to the top of the rock, and you have to propel yourself downward. Its much easier to have a friend help you if you are bad at ropes like i am because remember, you have to get back up that rope! Lol.
Three stars because the hike is a little dirty. PEOPLE DON’T BE DISGUSTING PICK UP YOUR TRASH. i will never understand litter bugs. And like i said in the beginning, there are tons of bees when you get to the falls :(. Plus its kind of overpopulated, somehow i feel like a lot of tourist know about this hike? Go early if you want the falls to yourself!

This review is for the Mañana Ridge Trail, which is the longer of the two trails you have the option of taking. It seems like most of the reviews here are for the shorter, waterfall trail so I hope this helps the folks wanting to do the ridge trail.
The trail is 12 miles round-​trip, which doesn’t sound like THAT much. We expected to finish in around 4 – 5 hours but it took us closer to 9 hours and we ran out of water about halfway down. The trail overall isn’t terribly steep. There were a few steep parts where you needed to use the ropes hanging from the trees (not sure how often, or if these ropes get replaced) to pull yourself up. That was fun going up, not so much fun going down. The first 3 – 4 miles were well paved and labeled. After that, not so much. We were constantly wondering whether we were on the right path and if there even was an official end for the trail. Luckily, we had cell reception up there and we were able to figure out there was a sign that said «end.»
This is called the Mañana Ridge trail because you are LITERALLY hiking along the ridges of the mountains. The ridges were about 2 feet wide at some parts with steep drops on both sides. If you have a fear of heights (like me), this was terrifying. Even better, the ridge part of the trail isn’t paved at all. You basically walk on (or through) the plants and hope that there’s ground beneath the leaves. What made it even more difficult was that it had rained the day before, and the path was slippery and muddy. Hiking poles would’ve helped. Pants would have too. We had to walk through a ton of ferns, and we learned that ferns have sharp edges that will slice up your legs. I still have scars on my upper thighs from those ferns.
But the view at the end is quite nice.

This review is for the waimano waterfall hike. Whether that is the Mañana trail or the waimano trail, I will never know. It is more confusing than calculus. Can someone please tell me?!
Anyway, this trail is not for the faint at heart. Sure it’s all fun and games going DOWN cardiac hill and the ravines and rock crevices… but do not forget that you have to go BACK UP! The strenuous part of the hike is on the way back, after you’ve left the lush cool waters flowing through the pools and waterfalls.
Hikers: pack accordingly! Slippers for the falls and a change of clothes should you decide to swim. I can’t imagine trekking out of that area sopping wet. Gross! Pack enough water, and make sure you have good shoes. Parts of the hike can be muddy!
The hike begins at the end of Komo Mai Drive and about a mile or so in (after the waterfall sign) there is a clear fork in the path. Stay left! We went right originally and ended up on a very narrow trail that went elsewhere. Also, use the ropes when you can, it can be a full-​body workout!!! This was a fun way to spend an hour and a half or so getting our cardio on while enjoying the beauty that Hawaii has to offer.

I definitely thought this was an easy hike. Oh no it wasn’t! I’ve gone on a couple hikes but this one was by far more harder than my typical hikes. I guess u also have to play into consideration how prepared u are as well. Well when I got there it starts of as a paved trail. I took a lot of pictures because it was beautiful and those tree roots were huge! Half way through the trail my crazy self decided to climb a tree and upon getting out a ripped my pants! Ahhh! But I wanted to be a trooper and hike my way through it with my left but cheek partially exposed. The worse part is once u get deeper towards the falls there are several rocks and ropes to guide u down them. It gets slippery and I was in basketball shoes! It took 4 – 5 hours to get through the entire hike and back. The falls were nice but I came unprepared to swim. It wouldn’t been worth it if I brought spare clothes and a towel. But it was definitely a challenge and an accomplishment. This is a hike not for beginners.

Everything has been said about parking, neighborhood and stuff. We did this hike this week, while it was super dry, so no mud, and pretty good condition. We are intermediate hikers in good physical condition, and we really LOVED this hike! I would not recommend this hike if you have a bad cardio or if you are in bad physical condition. Also, that’s true, bring a lot of water! We first started the Mañana Trail up to the ridges as the white paint sign is not there anymore. We spent an hour on the wrong path, but that was definitely worth it, as the the view is amazing and the Waimano Falls trail doesn’t go up. I would definitely recommend that you go up on the Mañana Trail until you reach a small resting booth, so you have the beautiful view of the mountains, just before going down to the falls. (it makes the falls even more rewarding).
After going back on our way and finding the right path, we went down Cardiac Hill and reached the falls, where we were alone. Notice that we were Tuesday morning, so not a lot of tourists there yet. We were so scared of Cardiac Hill after reading reviews that when we finally reached it, it wasn’t so bad. It’s a good cardio run, especially when going up, but it’s not so hard. That’s a good booty hike ladies!
There was no falls there, as it was a very dry day, but the pools were there and we enjoyed a little dip before having snacks and going back. No lepto infection even if we swam on the pools, but be careful if you have open wounds! On our way back we met a dozen of frat boys heading to the falls, so we were happy to go there before them.
This was a wonderful hike, especially if you spend some time on the Mañana trail, we really enjoyed it, and it took us 4 hours up and down, counting picture time and our 1 hour on the Mañana Trail. Not a lot of tourists attempt this hike so it makes it even more enjoyable.

This place has a rope and swing that you can jump into a pool of water. I was excited to go but it was freezing and I was catching a cold so I decided to wait until next time.
The hike was pretty easy, a little slippery at times. There were rocks and steps and forest area. It was pretty rough in some areas, but for me, I like the challenge. It was steep in some areas as well so if you have a disability in which you can’t walk well, I wouldn’t suggest this place. Some parts are flat, but others are steep, slippery, and close to the edge.
There is street parking, fyi. For the rope swing, I will be back!

We were planning on doing Likeke Falls from the Old Pali Lookout yesterday but decided to try the hike to Waimano Falls Instead (very unfavorable conditions on the Pali yesterday). Definitely a challenging and rewarding hike! Muddy and slippery with ropes to help you down (the last rope strap on the descent is half frayed so becareful!). I remember thinking the entire way down to the falls that it was really going to suck coming back up, but actually found the ascent easier than the descent. Cardiac Hill is no joke! Felt like the bugger was going on forever! The sign that ¾ mile to the falls is misleading — most of the hike is after the signage. Maybe it doesn’t take into consideration the climbs and descents into the distance and is a point a to point b measurement. Loved this hike! Definitely could see integrating this once a month for the ultimate cardio workout.

Five stars because I loved doing this hike. It was challenging and rewarding. BUT, please do not attempt this hike if you are not in decent physical condition. It can get really muddy and there are a lot of exposed root systems and the trail gets narrow and steep in a few sections. I consider myself an experienced hiker in average physical condition so I knew I would be able to tackle tough terrain.
The hike in starts at the end of a street, like a lot of hikes you cannot park here but can find free parking on the street in the residential area. Please be respectful of residents and don’t block driveways and mailboxes. The beginning of the trail is very wide and dry but it quickly starts on a downward slope. It will get muddy and you will notice more and more roots on the trail. Don’t worry about finding the split off that everyone is talking about, it will be obvious about 20 – 30 minutes into the hike depending on how fast you are going. Then you will see a sign that says Mañana Trail and a second sign that has Koolau Summit on the left and Waimano Waterfall on the right. From here it feels more like the jungle and you will run into spots where you might need a ripe for assistance. I do NOT recommend ever using existing ropes on trails until you thoroughly inspect them before use. They are known to fail at times and the weather wears them out quickly. I made it to the falls without using any of the ropes, you just have to be patient and aware of your surroundings. Eventually you come to a T in the trail, we went left towards the sound of the falls.
Okay so once you get to the falls. Head slightly to the left and at an incline to get to the cliff edge nearest to the main upper pool. You have to use the rope to sort of ladder step it down to get to stand in the upper falls pool. Again, check the ropes. You can climb down from the upper pool to the middle small pool in the falls itself. After a good rain the falls will be full and flowing. But that makes the trail muddier, keep that in mind. I personally did not go fully into the water because it’s a great place for bacteria to grow but there is a rope swing at the biggest, lower pool.
Most importantly, be prepared. Bring bug spray and water and maybe even a change of clothes for when you finish the hike. And people, PLEASE, pick up your trash! RESPECT DA AINA! I picked up several empty Powerade bottles on my way back. Let’s keep this trail clean for all to enjoy.

one of my favorite hikes. the waterfall was worth it. haven’t done the full trail yet but really anxious to do so.

This hike is very easy if you have solid good endurance base. If it’s a dry weather day, I recommend using it as a trail run. Very fun!
11 miles total not 4.

Such a great hike when it’s not muddy!!! It rain on us and it made it a lot harder to do the trail to the waterfall.
Just a warning to anyone who does this hike beware of the terrain after it rains you will fall on your butt! But once you get to the waterfall it’s so worth it!!!

Hike was okay. Easy to get to. Waterfall wasn’t as exciting as I thought. Good way to get out the house tho. Can be muddy. So bring extra socks or footwear and clothes if you don’t want your vehicle to be dirty.

Mañana trail is located at the end of Komo Mai street in Palasades, Pearl City.
This is a good workout hike… on the way back. About a little over 3 miles to get to the waterfall and back. You spend a good time just hiking down into the valley; just follow the orange markers on trees for the trail if you feel like you’re getting lost. It’s a fairly well laid out trail but there are some areas in could see someone going off track if you are not familiar.
The waterfall can be beautiful if it rained recently or is raining. This is actually a good thing because then it’s fresh running water amd should be cleaner. What’s cool is that someone continues to put up a ropes to allow people to jump off from. One downside to the rains would be the mud if you dont want to get dirty.
There’ are parts that will get really muddy and slippery and you’ll have to grab on to some trees to help yourself down and up. A few ropes have been laid out in tougher areas as well. Always be sure to check the rope first and test it before putting your whole weight. It’s been done well but time and weather can take affect.
The walk back up is the challenge as its literally all uphill and the easy leisure walk you went down just became the problem. There is a side trail when you get to huge hill (left when you going back up) that you can take that’s a bit easier if you need too.
Waterfall — ⁵⁄₅ (if recent rainfall)
Hike View — ³⁄₅ (⁴⁄₅ if you take upper trail hike)

This hike was awesome! We started it at the end of a residential street called koko Mai Dr. It was maybe 3 hours round trip (including the hour we spent swimming) and the hike is mostly shaded. Make sure to go when it hasn’t rained for a few days. The trail ends with a gorgeous waterfall that spills into 3 pools. The last pool is the deepest and you can jump in using fun Tarzan ropes hanging over.

Easy to find and easy to park on residential area. Not so easy, it rained when my friend and I hiked. We tried the summit path, but got rained on and we turned back unfortunately. Too bloody muddy, so we turned and headed for the waterfall just to try it. Very challenging to go down since one can slip and fall, but once you reached the waterfall, a nice swim awaits you along with many locals and other tourists. I kind of wish we reached the summit, but the weather conditions were not perfect so we did the next best thing and swam in the waterfall.
Overall: Great hike! Will have to do this again if I’m ever back in Oahu.

I’m reviewing Waimano Falls/​pools.
The reward at the end makes this worthy of four stars. I don’t understand how this is rated as beginner/​novice. No way. Here’s the real deal. We did this Saturday morning. The first ¾ mile are simple with mild ups/​downs. At the ¾ mile point you’ll see a trail marker. Veer right and continue downhill to where the hell begins. Cardiac Hill is just a short walk away. Going down is steep, slippery, and difficult. Go slow, be careful with each and every step, and use the trees/​roots as handholds. You will need them. Just past that point is the most difficult downhill part. There’s a couple of ropes down this super slippery part but the ropes don’t extend all the way to the bottom of this section. This 20 foot (height) section took 10 – 20 minutes to negotiate with my timid wife. Super, super steep and slippery. Once we got past that, the trail was not bad; normal mud, ups and downs, and some more roots but very manageable. Once near the bottom the trail is less than one foot wide through the forest but it’s easy to follow. Turn left at the bottom and follow the creek up to the falls/​pools. 1 ¾ hours after starting out, we made it to the first pool. 1 ¾ hours to go 1 ½ miles. Do the math. We hike all the time and have hiked over 8K kilometers around the world. This is a brutally steep path in a few places.
Okay, once at the falls/​pools, the hell is worth it. Climbed up to pool 2 and falls 1 and went for a swim in the shallow pool and of course went underneath the falls. It’s cold but after the long hike down, it felt wonderful. Did the swim, got the pics, avoided the crowded lower pool with lots of folks using the rope swing to jump in, then prepped to hike back up. Just be sure you have no open wounds to avoid the lepto…
Missed the right turn to head up and did a five minute detour then turned around and found the trail again. Up, up, up you go. Much easier and faster going up than down. At the hellish section that took 10 – 20 minutes down, we climbed right up (on the left side) in 1 minute. So much easier and safer going up. Just past that loomed Cardiac Hill. We took a couple breaks on this section, then it was a pretty easy return back to the car. 1 ¼ hours (with the wrong turn detour down below) and we were done. Ran out of water right before hitting the car.
So, there you have it. This IS a great hike with a splendid reward at the end (if the falls are running). Just know that this trail has some super steep and slippery/​difficult sections. I’ll definitely do this again; but I’ll be better prepared and know the terrain.
Parking is kinda tough. I debated parking in front of a resident’s house. He was an a-​hole and threatened to tow my car (nope, it was a completely legal parking place), told me not to block his mailbox, etc. Wasn’t worth the argument so we found a parking space further down the road. Hey, don’t get me wrong; be totally respectful of the neighbors and don’t block their driveways. But the mailbox? Gimme a break! Those belong to USPS and are NOT restricted from parking in front of (I’m a postal guy so yes, I do know).
What to bring:
1 liter of water per person minimum
Food/​snacks ’cause you’re gonna be out for a longer time than you think
Bug spray
Hat, although there’s not much direct sun
Good boots/​hiking shoes
Walking stick (just ordered a pair yesterday after doing this hike!)
Water socks for the falls/​pools (change into these at the first pool)
Change of clothing for the car ’cause you ARE going to be muddy/​sweaty
I recommend wearing your board shorts/​swim suit on the hike if you’re going into the water

This is specifically speaking about the Waimano Falls path.
Although hard (in my opinion), this is definitely a hike everyone should try at least once in their lifetime.
I’ve done this hike a couple times now, and I will admit that it’s not one of those hikes I would raise my hand for and choose first. Although the ONLY REASON being that it’s pretty hard/​exhausting considering I am not in the best shape.
The first time I did this hike, it was extremely muddy and slippery due to the rain. For someone who is a klutz and is afraid of constantly falling/​slipping (especially when you reach the parts where there is only a 3 foot wide path with nothing but a cliff/​drop off on one side of you)…it takes a lot longer to make the trek to the falls. On the other hand, I could say the same about today… when the trail was super dry and dusty due to no rain the past week or so. It’s a bit easier when it’s dry, but still slippery. Definitely use the roots/​guava tree trunks when you have the chance, and there are a couple ropes situated along the path (more so towards the falls) that I highly recommend you hold onto. And of course, the infamous «cardiac hill» is a workout for your lungs when ascending.
At the end, you will be met with beautiful ponds and waterfalls. If you want fully flowing waterfalls, definitely go about 3 – 5 days after heavy rain. It’ll give the ponds time to «clean out» a bit (lesser chance of catching lepto), but still be able to see a more flowing waterfall and not just a trickle.
Just remember: take your time and don’t rush it. The average time for me to complete this hike is about 2.5 hours. A definite plus is that this hike is mostly shaded.

This review is for Waimano falls and pools This hike was absolutely Beautiful! I wanted to see a waterfall that was gushing out water and well this definitely exceeded my expectations. I did the 3 mile round trip hike but I would say it is definitely not easy. I would describe it as a version of cowles mtn and potato chip rock anyone from SD would understand that. It was muddy and I slipped often but never fell. There are man made ropes and signs to help you along the way it is fairly steep and narrow. Remember when you get to the split to go LEFT. That will lead you to the falls coming back up is pretty much coming up a hill. The water is not deep at all there is a rope swing as well. It is located in a neighborhood so parking isn’t all that great. I would do this again but maybe not after it rained or with hiking boots.

It’s been a week since I went to waimano fall hike with my bf. Irregardless of the clouds, we still went hiking down the trail. The first 20 mins of the hike wasn’t too difficult. Until we reach the tree with WF spray painted and walked down the path to reach the cardiac hill. The tree roots and the steepness of the hill made me walk down cautiously so I don’t sprain or trip on the the tree roots. Absolutely need to be careful as you go down. There are boulders further down the trail that you can easily slip on. As others have mentioned that you should not bring kids with you. Not a kid friendly hike.
Follow the pink and orange tags on the tree branches. These lead you to the trail.
There were so many people hiking here that my bf couldn’t take any decent pics without people standing near the falls. We couldn’t figure out how to get to the top of the falls. That will be next time when it’s not muddy or overcast.
Parking can be a hassle. The trail begins at the end of komo mai dr. You need to park along the street and not blocking the loop around. If you live in the west side, you need to try this hike at least once.

Review for the falls only!
Parking: It’s hard to find one. You’ll need to do some walking up a hill to reach the trail.
Atmosphere: Beautiful, green af, muddy af, but so dang gorgeous.
What you might want to bring: First aid kit, hiking shoes, stick, slippers, water shoes, towels, wipes, BUG SPRAY, food and water.
Time: 1 – 3 hours depending on how fast you are. Honestly though, TAKE YOUR TIME! Someone injured their ankle at «cardiac hills» today and a helicopter came. I will say it again, TAKE YOUR TIME.
How to get there: Keep walking. You will pass two electricity tower things (sorry idk the name of it) and your path isn’t muddy and slippery. This part is easy cause the surface is pretty flat. As soon as you start passing big trees, you’re near the tree roots. Once you passed that, keep going straight till you see «WF» in white spray painted on a tree! Then from there on, keep going. The trail gets slippery and muddier! The incline starts to get pretty intense. TAKE YOUR TIME ON CARDIAC HILL! That’s where the accident occurred today.
Waimano Falls: Absolutely beautiful. The waterfall area is very clear and rocky. Wear your water shoes, it’ll help. The middle tide pool was very clear as well. I loved sitting there cause it was honestly relaxing. The last part, it’s a bit foggy. There was also tide pools when I went in. Also, in order to get down to the first falls, you will need to use a rope. At first I was like what?! But honestly just put your weight on the rocks/​rope and you will be fine!
Other than that, the rocks in between the fall and middle tide pool is very slippery! So be careful!

For Mañana Ridge Trail: ³⁄₅ stars. Pretty ridge trail with a nice view for most of the way, though the view and terrain don’t change very much/​often. There are a lot of ups and downs, very little shade, and it rained on us, so plan accordingly. The further you hike, the more narrow the path gets. Bring plenty of water; my human drank about 2.5 liters. It’s moderate difficulty but quite long. Some sources say it’s 11 miles and others say it’s 15; I suspect it’s closer to 15 since my group went for 13.5 miles and did not reach the end (turned around after it got too narrow).
For Waimano Falls Trail: ⁴⁄₅ stars. Short, moderate hike with a beautiful waterfall and swimming hole at the end. I saw a lot of families with kids on the trail.

The hike woulda been rewarding if the falls actually had water falling from the falls
Water falls sign sprayed on tree don’t miss it

The HIghlights [Pros]:
POOLS = Rewarding and «Hydroflask cold»
DIFFICULTY = Moderate and a good workout.
SHADED TRAIL (Waimano only)= Trees and a cool breeze
The HIndrances [Cons]:
PARKING (residential) = hit or miss, or far.
The WATERFALL = No Rain, No Fall.
POPULARITY = getting crowded.
DANGERS = slippery when wet, steep inclines, boar/​dog poop
UNSHADED TRAIL (Mañana only)
THINGS to BRING:
Water/​Food/​Snacks
Towel/​Change-​of-​clothes (Waimano)
Sunscreen/​tan lotion (Mañana)
First aid/​survival kit (just in case)
More water
SHOES NOT SLIPPERS (unless local li-​dat)
Dogs (on leash)
Kids (if you don’t mind carrying once in a while/​the whole time)
More details:
3 mile hike = about 1 – 2 hours (WAIMANO FALLS)
11 mile hike = about 8 hours (MANANA TRAIL)
Waimano falls:
Supposedly this is a «kids friendly/​beginners hike» according to other sources. However in our opinion, your kids might just end up as weight vests after a certain point (most likely after «Cardiac Hill»). The obstacles vary and can pose as an ankle-​twisting hazard in some areas. TAKE YOUR TIME, the waterfall will still be there. Bring LOTS OF WATER as this can be a stretch for beginners, and a great workout for regulars.
Mañana trail:
Due to such a long hike, many choose to camp after the 11 miles to the summit (YOU WILL NEED A PERMIT). Though we weren’t able to tough it out and make it to the top, 3 – 4 miles in, to the «Bench» has a sufficient view. A majority of this trail becomes open with very little shade from available trees. We advise a camelback and multiple rests to keep from exhaustion and dehydration.

Nice short (under 3 miles r/​t) hike to the waterfalls and back. Just make sure to go down the hill where a tree is painted «WF» with an arrow — about a mile in. If you start heading up a big hill of roots you’re headed on the 5.5 mile each way ridge hike. But if you head down «Cardiac Hill» you’ll quickly make your ways to the pools and falls.
Coming up is tough — but that’s what makes it fun. I would say this is too hard for most kids.
This is the full ridge map:

Went on this hike today because I thought it would be a nice short hike before my 12 hour work day. Man was I wrong, yes the distance walked was short but the incline up ‘cardiac hill’ was intense! You not only have to worry about the fairly steep incline but you have to concentrate on not tripping over the exposed roots or sliding on the loose dirt. Yet, the waterfall at the end of the hike was worth it! Jumped into the falls 2 times from the edge and didn’t touch the bottom at all. But MAN was the water COLD!
Tips: wear shoes with good traction and wear mosquito repellent!