Doctors have been telling us for years that walking is one of the healthiest activities we can pursue. Hawaii is blessed with an abundance of hiking trails along its beaches, within its forests and into its valleys. Teaching children the benefits of walking and a love for the great outdoors is a prescription for lifelong health and well-being.
Below are five hikes chosen to appeal to young hikers, age 10 and under. While these trails are generally safe for any age, young children must always be under adult control, as they would be at the beach.
Good footwear is important (no slippers, please), as is sun protection, and insect repellant in forested areas. Take plenty of water along and avoid drinking from streams or ponds. Bring favorite snacks, or lunches for longer trips, and consider packing a lightweight, plastic poncho. Hikers are advised not to leave valuables in their cars.
1 KAENA POINT
DISTANCE: About 2.5 miles to Kaena Point from either direction (five miles round trip). If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, you can drive to the Kaena Point Enclosure gate on the North Shore side, saving about two miles of walking each way.
LOCATION: From Waianae, follow Farrington Highway until it ends at Kaena Point State Park. From Mokuleia, take Farrington Highway past Waialua; about a mile past Camp Erdman, the road ends. The trail head on each side of Kaena Point begins where the paved road ends.
ONLINE: goo.gl/s9YdX
INFO: Long abused by jeeps, motorbikes and dune buggies, this natural area reserve is now protected by a vehicle- and animal-proof fence. It hosts a nesting ground for Laysan albatross and other seabirds, and Hawaiian monk seals often bask on the beach just below the toppled lighthouse. In winter months, humpback whales pass by well within sight of shore.
The reserve can be reached from either the Waianae side, or from Mokuleia on the North Shore, in each case by driving to the end of the paved road. Both approaches offer spectacular scenery — sweeping views from Waianae, and crashing surf on rocky shores from Mokuleia. Because of the danger to nesting birds and seals, dogs and other animals are strictly prohibited anywhere in the reserve.
2 DIAMOND HEAD
DISTANCE: 0.8 miles (1.6 miles round trip)
LOCATION: To reach the trail head, from Waikiki drive along Kalakaua Avenue toward Diamond Head. Turn left on Monsarrat Avenue to the crater entrance. Proceed through the tunnel to the kiosk and parking.
ENTRANCE FEE: $5 per vehicle or $1 per walk-in visitor
ONLINE: goo.gl/UtCKlS
INFO: No young hiker should miss the chance to climb to the peak of Hawaii’s most famous landmark. It wasn’t so long ago that hiking to the summit was illegal and dangerous. Today even overweight tourists huff and puff safely to the top. Be sure to take a descriptive brochure provided at the entry kiosk. This hike is not a wilderness adventure, but rather a tour through a fortified bunker complex, which was part of a coastal defense system designed to protect Oahu from invasion by sea. A switchback trail, a tunnel and several staircases finally reveal an unequaled 360-degree view over southern Oahu, from Koko Head to Barbers Point.
3 HAUULA TRAIL
DISTANCE: 2.5-mile loop
LOCATION: Drive to Hauula Beach Park, at the corner of Kamehameha Highway and Hauula Homestead Road. Park in the large open space on the mauka side of the highway or in the beach park. Walk through the neighborhood mauka on Hauula Homestead Road, and when the road veers to the left, go straight, pass around a yellow gate, turn left along the road and watch for the trail head sign on the right (about five minutes).
ONLINE: goo.gl/GKUChd
INFO: This is the perfect half-day hike, with the opportunity to spend the rest of the day at one of the nearby windward beaches. This lollypop loop trail rises gently and provides views deep into the Koolau Mountains as well as snapshots of the coast. It passes through groves of christmasberry, ironwood and paperbark, leading finally to a majestic stand of tall Cook pine. This could provide an excellent introduction to local trees for young hikers. Where the stem meets the lollypop part of the trail, you can go either way; the route described above is clockwise.
4 WAIMEA VALLEY
DISTANCE: 0.75 mile to the falls (1.5 miles round trip)
LOCATION: Just mauka of Waimea Bay Beach Park on the North Shore.
ENTRANCE FEE: $10 kamaaina adult, $5 kamaaina child
ONLINE: www.waimeavalley.net
INFO: In addition to a botanical garden, this ancient ahupuaa features one of the easiest waterfalls
to visit on Oahu. And, unlike tourist-clogged Manoa Falls, swimming is permitted in its pool — a surefire hit with keiki of all ages. Several smaller trails lead off the paved walkway, meandering along the stream and through the lush tropical vegetation. A reconstructed heiau provides an added learning experience. Food and drinks are available at the park’s entrance and at a snack bar near the falls.
5 KAHANA VALLEY STATE PARK
DISTANCE: 5-mile loop
LOCATION: Turn mauka off Kamehameha Highway at the Kahana Valley State Park sign. Go past the first parking lot and the Orientation Center, both on the right. Proceed down the road about a mile and park near the stop sign just before the housing area.
ONLINE: goo.gl/ApGo4N
INFO: This hike has a bit of everything: deep forest, open views, cool stream crossings and even a “Tarzan”-style rope to swing over and drop into an inviting pool. At intervals, storyboards describe the valley, its plant life and its history and provide maps of the route.
The first storyboard with a trail map is near the parking area. Walk through the housing area and around the gate across the road. Go up the hill, then watch for another storyboard on the left and the sign, Nakoa Trail. Enter the forest here.
In about an hour the trail reaches a deteriorated coral road, where another sign points to the left, and soon reaches a major stream crossing, usually about 6 inches deep. If you feel the stream is too deep or flowing too quickly for your children, turn back. The trail reaches a large pool with a small dam to cross over. It’s a good place for a swim, but check underwater beneath the rope for dangerous obstructions before letting anyone use it. Tree stumps and large stones are frequently washed into the pond during heavy rain and are not always visible from the surface.
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North Shore resident Richard McMahon is a lifelong hiker who formerly led hikes and backpack expeditions for Mountain Travel Sobek in Hawaii and throughout the world. He is the author of “Adventuring in Hawai‘i,” “Camping Hawai‘i” and other outdoor books and hiking articles.
