Details
Length (one way): 6 mi / 9.66 km - Elevation Change: 1,700 ft / 518.16 m
General Summary:
Manana trail (Access Road) is an ascending ridge trail into the Ko'olau mountains, the trail itself is home to a variety of native plants as one goes further into the trail.
For additional information refer to the "Route description" below.
Open ridge line, some native forest, long, steep, views
Always yield to hikers. Do not slide around corners or slide down the trail. Careless mountain biking damages the trail and causes erosion. If accidents are reported or damage to the trail is extreme, the trail may be closed to mountain bikers.
Hunting may be in progress on or near this hiking trail. Hunting dogs may be off-leash while engaged in the hunt. Hikers must keep their dogs leashed at all times and remove dog waste while on this trail.
The trail ascends up the ridge and climbs up and down each pu'u to reach the Ko‘olau Ridge Summit in about 6 miles. The trail initially climbs through eucalyptus, brushbox, and guava. However, once in the native forest, naupaka, koa, 'ohi'a, lobelia, 'ōlapa, and kōpiko are common. The views, birds and plants observing make this lung-buster worth the climb! The latter half of the trail is not regularly maintained and may be difficult for inexperienced hikers.
Descriptions for route, history, plants and birds were provided by Stuart Ball, author of The Hikers Guide to Oahu and other hiking books.
Campers must find legal parking in the adjacent neighborhood. Please park responsibly and do not leave valuables in your vehicle.
!!!PLEASE READ!!! When accessing this trail please be respectful to the trail head community by keeping noise down, not littering and parking responsibly.
Do not use any trail or access road that is not delineated by name and color and that may also be displayed on these maps. The marked features are managed for public recreational use. Other trails or roads that branch off from the public features may be on private property, and are not managed for any public recreational use. Access is subject to adjacent landowner approval, and if used without authorization, you will be trespassing and possibly putting yourself at risk.
Downloadable resources are provided below
If driving from H-1, exit at the Pearl City/Waimalu exit. Turn right on Moanalua Road at the end of the ramp. As Moanalua Road ends, turn right on Waimano Home Road. Turn left onto Komo Mai Drive, driving through Pacific Palisades to the end of the road. A locked gate restricts vehicular traffic beyond this point. Park here, and proceed on foot through the pedestrian passageway adjacent of the gate. The road becomes the trail just past the water tank.
From the circle at the end of Komo Mai Dr., walk through an opening in the fence next to a gate. Register at the hunter/hiker check-in mailbox on the right. Proceed up the one-lane paved road through a grove of ironwood trees. On the right pass a water tank at the road end. Continue straight on the Manana Trail through a eucalyptus forest. Pass a utility tower on the left. Stroll along the top of the wide main ridge. Ignore all trails leading down side ridges to the right. While contouring to the right of a small hump in the ridge, the trail forks. Keep left on the upper trail. At a signed junction keep left around the hump on the main ridge. (The right fork leads down a side ridge to several waterfalls and pools in Waimano Valley.) Break out into the open, and then traverse a narrow, eroded stretch with plastic steps. The trail becomes a grassy avenue lined with introduced pines and the stumps of paperbark trees. Descend a steep eroded section and then climb gradually to a covered picnic table on the right. Stroll through a lovely, rolling ridge section with native koa and `iliahi (sandalwood) trees. Climb over several knobs in the ridge. The native vegetation gradually changes from dryland to rain forest with `ohi`a and kopiko trees, and hapu`u tree ferns. Ascend a flat, cleared hill used occasionally as a helipad and with a view in all directions. Traverse a long series of small but steep knobs. The main ridge swings left and then right as a long side ridge comes in on the left. Traverse several small humps, as the ridge narrows significantly. The ridge broadens and levels briefly through low-lying sedge. Cross a second series of humps and then climb steadily through increasing vegetation. Reach the Ko`olau summit at a massive knob with a spectacular windward view, weather permitting.
The Manana Trail was a project of Charles (Charlie) Nakamura and several
friends, all members of the Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club. In 1965,
they started clearing the ridge route mauka (inland) of the recently
built Pacific Palisades subdivision. The group finally reached the
Ko`olau summit in 1969. Named after the stream and ahupua`a (land
division) north of the ridge, the new Manana Trail quickly became
popular with hikers of all abilities.
After leaving the introduced forest, the route winds through a lovely open stretch still recovering from a fire in 1972. Making a comeback are the native trees, koa and `iliahi. Koa has sickle-shaped foliage and pale yellow flower clusters. Early Hawaiians made surfboards and outrigger canoe hulls out of the beautiful red brown wood. Today it is made into fine furniture.
`Iliahi or sandalwood has small dull-green leaves that appear wilted. The tree is partially parasitic, with outgrowths on its roots that steal nutrients from nearby plants. Early Hawaiians ground the fragrant heartwood into a powder to perfume their kapa (bark cloth). Beginning in the late 1700s, `Iliahi was indiscriminately cut down and exported to China to make incense and furniture. The trade ended around 1840 when the forests were depleted of the tree.
Farther along the ridge is the native rain forest, dominated by `ohi`a trees and hapu`u tree ferns. `Ohi`a has oval leaves and clusters of delicate red flowers. Early Hawaiians used the flowers in lei (garlands) and the wood in outrigger canoes. The hard, durable wood was also carved into god images for heiau (religious sites). Beneath the `ohi`a are hapu`u tree ferns with delicate sweeping fronds. Their trunks consist of roots tightly woven around a small central stem. The brown fiber covering the young fronds of hapu`u is called pulu.
At the helipad is a magnificent lapalapa tree. Its roundish leaves are arranged in groups of three and flutter in the slightest wind. Early Hawaiians used the bark, leaves, and purple fruit to make a blue black dye to decorate their kapa. The leaves also make a distinctive lei.Beyond the helipad watch for `apapane and `amakihi, two colorful native birds. The `apapane has a red breast and head, black wings and tail, and a slightly curved black bill. In flight the bird makes a whirring sound as it darts among the `ohi`a searching for insects and nectar. The `amakihi is yellowish green with a slightly curved gray bill and feeds on nectar, fruits, and insects. It is the most common native forest bird on O`ahu.
On the final climb look for the native loulu palm, emerging out of the mist. It has rigid, fan-shaped fronds in a cluster at the top of a ringed trunk. Early Hawaiians used the fronds for thatch and plaited the blades of young fronds into fans and baskets.
