Stay hydrated and prepare for the unexpected. You definitely want good weather for this hike. We did this trail in about 6.5 hours (both of us experienced hikers) with stoping for many photos and breaks. The Moanalua Valley Middle Ridge Trail to the Haiku Stairs is a 10.7 mile (roundtrip) hike along varying terrains with several rope climb sections and very narrow ridge climbing. All water should be . Army: Airman assigned to 15th wing died after collapsing while hiking, Furnishings, appliances from Shirokiya Japan Village Walk up for auction, Former Mililani High athletic director indicted, 'The Other Side of Paradise' with Lynn Kawano, KHNLPUBLICFILE@HAWAIINEWSNOW.COM (808) 847-3246, KGMBPUBLICFILE@HAWAIINEWSNOW.COM (808) 847-3246, KFVEPUBLICFILE@HAWAIINEWSNOW.COM (808) 847-3246, KSIXPUBLICFILE@HAWAIINEWSNOW.COM (808) 847-3246, KOGGPUBLICFILE@HAWAIINEWSNOW.COM (808) 847-3246. All rights reserved. This hike is just one trail located in the Ewa Forest Preserve. I really hope they dont do that. Daylenn "Moke" Pua, 17, vanished five days ago while heading to the Haiku Stairs. The trailhead begins at Moanalua Valley Park. Dont forget to check out my other Oahu hiking guides and my complete list of the best things to do in Oahu Hawaii! Lol ALOHAAAAA. I'm also attempting to educate people about how this place is being overrun by people who want to experience nature but are doing so at the cost of nature and for what? Basically, when you reach the top of the Moanalua Middle Ridge trail you will have great views and are within a stones throw of the satellite at the summit. Nathan Stowell, 25, died on Sunday after falling 400 feet off a hiking trail of Hawaii's Mount Olomana. The Stairway To Heaven trail is located on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. shoes meant for hiking. The trail is a legal hike and you should have no issues on the route towards the summit. Thanks for looking! We will be hiking in later June so probably drier. 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. My wife Intan and I are usually in our second home Bali, but our journeys take us to destinations all over the world. The other specific laws that come into play here are located in HRS chapters 104 and 130, State Forestry and Na Ala Hele Access. The Stairway To Heaven Hawaii hike is epic, dangerous, and illegal. Be careful. In any case, just be aware that fines of up to $1,000 have occasionally been given out to people caught climbing the staircase. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. It has some sections of nearly vertical, rope and muddy sections. a pic? Can be very muddy like lots of the ridges out here on island. From plantation towns to planned communities, Central Oahu has its share of secret spots, a bumper crop of bowling alleys and neighborhood eats. The first part of the trail is fairly flat and easy consisting of 17 riverbed crossings. Anthony J. Polizzi. One of the best experiences I had on Oahu was swimming with the beautiful spinner dolphins on this exact tour. I hope this clears up YEARS of misconceptions about this trail. Moanalua Valley Trail 4 0 ftHiking Trails Pearl Harbor National Memorial 13,695 2.7 miHistoric Sites Military Bases & Facilities USS Arizona Memorial 27,032 Historic Sites Cemeteries See all See what other travelers are saying JacksonJones 24 contributions Amazing Ridge Hike to the Top of the Haiku Stairs Its here, you should remind yourself, as you make your initial descent, not to rush. Eventually you will crest on a peak with a sign pointing the way you've come, the first indication of the trails actual name of "Middle Ridge". Basically, politics and money got in the way of this epic hike. Moanalua Valley Trail to Haiku Stairs (Legal 'Backway' to Stairway to However, it is infrequent and often there is no one up there and you can explore if you choose to. 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. Such an exhilarating trail that really puts your body and mind to the ultimate test. The fine is reportedly $1000 if you are ticketed at the summit or on the stairs. It definitely is not legal to set foot on the Haiku Stairs or the satellite area at the summit. Nowadays, the Honolulu Board of Water Supply owns the Hawaii Haiku Stairs, and theyve repeatedly talked about the idea of tearing them down for political (liability) reasons. The middle ridge in Moanalua is home to many native species not found anywhere else in the world, and being at the top of the ridge, the effects of illegal hikers and illegal tours ripples down into the valley. She was . BLOG POST: If you are interested in my experience (many years ago) hiking the Stairway to Heaven the regular way you can check out my blog post here: STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN HIKE ON OAHU, HAWAII: UPDATED 2021, OAHU HIKING GUIDE: Ive written a guide for the top hikes on Oahu that I am sure you will find useful: TOP 10 HIKES ON OAHU, HAWAII. INDEFINITE CLOSURE: This trail is closed to the public and violators/trespassers are SUBJECT TO $1000 FINES, COMMUNITY SERVICE, BENCH WARRANTS, AND/OR ARREST. Relax, its not as scary as it looks here. We are deeply saddened by the loss of Capt. Now that you have made it onto the Moanalua Middle Ridge, the trail is quite easy to follow as it basically follows the ridgeline all the way up to the summit. We were SO excited to find a legal way to hike the Haiku Stairs. Moanalua Valley Trail Hiking Trail - Pearl City, HI - Trailforks "I am so proud of the leader you became and the passion with which you tackled your maintenance profession. We did run into a few people who had gotten lost at the start though. I wont share the location and exact directions to the stairway here publicly, but I understand there are at least three different main ways to reach the stairs from the neighborhood below, and Ive used two of them in the past. I will never endorse anything fake or not worth considering. All rights reserved. Officials said he collapsed while hiking the Moanalua Valley. Thank for your continued support. Translation: Its going to be a long day. These people are mad and will make increasing trouble for hikers as time goes by. Also, it's a ridge..which could mean wind. Distress hikers rescued off Moanalua Valley Trail Friday evening Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use. The government in Oahu has a habit of closing any hike they consider slightly risky, because it might attract lawsuits. If you receive a citation you will be required to appear in court. Pack a long sleeve tee for the top (its chilly). Can see the water on both sides of the islands the further up you hike. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Hey there! FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. Friends also took to social media Thursday to share their memories of Polizzi. Loved every minute of it! . 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. Despite the drop-offs, the trail is quite well protected and unless it is a very windy day you should be fine unless you have little experience on ridges or with heights. Moanalua/Kamananui Valley Trail | Map, Guide - AllTrails Loving all your content and guidance! No experience and with a 8 year old. Get an early start, because parking fills up fast. A short walk . The first 4.5 miles are perfectly legal and get you the same views as stairway (and you can walk on the stairway at the top if you want to). -Headlamp. (10-15) When I got to the top there was probably 10 or so people hanging out which is cool and all, but took away from the experience for me. The trail to the top of the Haiku Stairs (Stairway to Heaven) is prohibited. It will take you through a creek bed, where the trail is fairly obvious to find. The victim plunged off Mount Olomana's third peak, near Kailua, around 10:50 a.m.,Hawaii News Now reported, citing the Honolulu Fire Department. From a timing perspective it took me 3hrs and 5 minutes but that was solo. The final major rope section was a steep gravel wall at an aggressive angle that required you to pull yourself up with the rope. If you want to go hike, I'm not stopping you. There are a few more rope sections and some very deep, muddy crevasses you will have to sneak through before you reach the top of this hike. Step 4 Park at the Moanalua Valley Park parking lot at 1849 Ala. Hawaii Camping Reservation - Reservations We make our initial ascent. There is a little sign right before accession, go to the left and instead of keeping left, take the middle right path up. Being inside the Forest Reserve is completely legal, as is being on Kamananui Trail. The first 2.9 miles are fairly straightforward with only 100ft of elevation each mile. If you do choose to continue on past the legal boundary and to the illegal area of the radio tower and reach the Haiku Stairs, this is what you can expect. I'm providing information that is factual instead of perpetuating a myth. Ensure that your battery is full prior to your hike. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash. The only death Im aware of was caused by a heart attack in a middle aged hiker (that steep ascent to platform one can be strenuous). age 94, passed away on Wednesday, February 22, 2023 at the St. John of God Retirement Center in Los Angeles, CA. For me personally, it was well worth any of the risks involved! absolutely not! Thank you for sharing your experience and pics. Army: Airman assigned to 15th wing died after collapsing while hiking If you look closely, you can see the winding stairway. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Alone with some of the best views in the world. Please be respectful to the place we call home and follow the rules. It all goes back to a history of lawsuits from people getting injured while hiking in Oahu and then suing the state. Originally the stairs were built in 1942 by the U.S. Navy as a top-secret facility for transmitting radio signals to ships that were sailing in the Pacific Ocean. After that, it should be pretty straightforward. At the peak of the Moanalua Middle Ridge Trail, the view of the abandoned Radio Tower comes into view. The Moanalua Valley Trail takes you up a steep, strenuous dirt path with ropes and no stairs. TEEN GIRL DIES IN FALL FROM CLIFF HIKE AT ZION NATIONAL PARK. So if you're going to be later than that park outside on the street so as not to get towed. The path is quite wide and at many points there are forks in the road which come back to the same point after about 20 yards. This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. These restaurants and cafs hold themselves to a higher eco-standard that make deciding where to eat for ocean-minded people an easy decision. Its possible to walk up without the rope but I suggest having some gloves as most people will be holding onto the rope the whole time. If its handled right, this solution could resolve many of the issues associated with the Stairway To Heaven. He was previously stationed at Aviano Air Base, Italy; Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo. Looking to hike this any day in next week .if anybody's down, msg me in insta @allispichkooo:), Anyone want to do this on 11/24 or 11/25? Although small and unmarked its an obvious trail. -Good shoes. (That said, while you may take in the jaw-dropping views it showcases of Oahu at the hikes summit, the stairs themselves are still illegal to go down and trespass on, regardless of how youve reached them.) You can see the windward side of Oahu island with Kaneohe Bays sandbars, and an amphitheater of mountains surrounding you on all sides. or redistributed. Be prepared. There is danger involved with traversing a mountains ridgeback, an absurdly obvious fact thats slightly deceiving during the first leg of this trek, which begins at Moanalua Valley Park, a flat, straightforward 3-mile walk into Kamananui Valley. The city of Honolulu spent almost a million dollars repairing the stairs and was considering re-opening the stairs in 2002 but resident complaints and safety concerns halted the re-opening and the stairs have been closed ever since. Continue on the main trail up and up and up. The time should be posted on the gate. Bring ziplock bag to gather your trash respect the land & beauty of the island. It was intense & very rewarding. Affiliate Disclosures Privacy Policy Terms Of Use It gave the mountains and everything a surreal touch that made us feel like we were walking up into the heavens. Anyone who hikes the 10 miles round trip is obviously going to go to the top of the stairs, or beyond. To remember: You came this far. Lastly, you could also be billed for emergency services if youre somehow injured and need to be rescued while doing this hike. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Beyond the legality of this hike, whether you are a local or just visiting Hawaii, doing this hike shows great disrespect to Hawaii, its people, its natural resources, and our culture. A man who was hiking Hawaii's Olomana Trail reportedly plummeted hundreds of feet to his death on Sunday after he reportedly tried to grab his hat, marking the fourth death linked to the. Judd Trail Mountain View is an out-and-back trail where you may see beautiful wildflowers located near Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii. As someone who grew up in a nearby neighborhood in the 80s and still has a good family friend that lives IN the Haiku stairs neighborhood Ill tell you one thing hiking blogs and social media posts dont seem to mention the history of bad behavior from young, disrespectful hikers who arrive at 4am, dont even try to keep their noise levels down, cut through the backyards of residents, and use residents hoses to rinse off after hiking the stairway. Be sure youre alright with heights, narrow ridges, and some minor climbing/scrambling. 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. Criminal penalties and EMS fees are charged as well due to the illegal nature of the hike. Thousands of people hike this trail every year and no one has ever died by falling. Most of the time it will be muddy, so be prepared to get dirty. Werner Karl, you're right. Im not easy to sunburn, but he tosses me the bottle anyway, a suggestion to rub in a little more than I already have.