The popular Maunawili Falls Trail will be temporarily closed for two years, starting Thursday, for a long-term improvement project, according to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.
The closure will include the trailhead near the Maunawili Estate subdivision in Windward Oahu, where residents have long complained about hikers trampling through their neighborhood. The project will include a possible realignment of the trail to protect historic, cultural sites and a separate parking area for hikers. A blessing was held Thursday to mark the beginning of the project.
“This has been building up for a number of years,” said state Division of Forestry and Wildlife Administrator David Smith. “The community has been under a lot of pressure there, with escalated use, much of it driven by social media.”
The trail is now heavily used, he said, with a huge influx of people, some of whom are bent on getting
a particular selfie or photo to post on social media.
“It just seems to be driving a very high level of volume to these places, and people don’t really seem
to be — in a lot of cases — going with a sense of place or sense of community,”
he said. “I’m a big public-
access advocate. I don’t like to shut areas down, but this has gotten to the point, it was such a negative impact on the community and something clearly needed
to be done.”
It’s not just Maunawili Falls, but other trails across the state that face these issues, he said.
Additionally, an initial assessment by Honua Consulting identified Hawaiian archaeological features throughout the valley such as heiau, agricultural terraces and auwai (ditch) constructions, prompting the closure.
DLNR has hired Helber Hastert &Fee Planners to assess user capacity, come up with a management strategy and determine how the community can be involved in stewardship. HHF Planners will conduct the community planning process and produce the master plan.
One possibility, Smith said, is to offer a managed parking area away from the subdivision where hikers also would get an orientation on safety and preparation for the hike. It would offer visitors a more enriching experience.
What’s complicated about management of the trail is that the trailhead is on private property, although county ordinances allow access. DOFAW is working with the private landowner to permanently close the access point at Maunawili Estate.
The state, county and private landowner will all need to work
together to find a solution, Smith said.
For years Maunawili Estate residents have expressed frustration with the onslaught of hikers passing through their quiet neighborhood
to get to the Maunawili Falls Trail.
Hikers have reportedly left trash behind in the neighborhood, used residents’ bathrooms and garden hoses, at times without asking, to wash off muddy shoes, and parked in front of driveways.
The trail itself has also deteriorated from overuse, becoming muddy and eroded.
Last week My Kailua posted a photo of the waters by the falls packed with hikers. Followers of MyKailua lamented how the waterfall is now overrun with tourists.
In recent weeks the Honolulu Fire Department has also rescued a number of injured hikers — mostly visitors — from the Maunawili Falls Trail.
On Tuesday, firefighters airlifted a 47-year-old woman visiting from California after she injured her right knee while hiking the trail with others. Over the Fourth of July weekend, firefighters airlifted a woman in her 50s who reportedly injured her back after jumping from the top of the falls.
In June firefighters responded
to Maunawili Falls Trail numerous times to rescue hikers, who included a 44-year-old visitor who fell and injured her wrist, as well as a 48-year-old mother visiting from South Carolina who injured her ankle after slipping in a muddy area while hiking with her two teenage children.
In late June firefighters also rescued a group of five adult hikers from San Francisco who had gotten lost on the trail at about 8:20 p.m. on a Wednesday, with no flashlights and minimal battery life remaining on their cellphones. They escorted them to safety, with no injuries reported.
DLNR said while the Maunawili Estate trailhead is closed, hikers still will be able to visit Maunawili Falls via Maunawili Trail, which is accessible from the scenic overlook off of Pali Highway. There are a few parking stalls at this overlook, but officials said long-term parking is not permitted there and that hikers should be dropped off.
DLNR said the master plan project will “explore enhancements, such as developing on-site parking and comfort station facilities for trail users away from the adjacent neighborhood.” It also will address policies and procedures “to support sustainable, long-term use of the trail in a way that prioritizes the protection of the cultural sites and is sensitive to area residents.”
“We appreciate everyone’s patience as we work on improvements to the Maunawili Falls Trail,” said Marigold Zoll, DOFAW Oahu branch manager, in a news release. “We look forward to working with the community on a plan that honors and preserves the natural and cultural resources of Maunawili and also affords visitors opportunities to respectfully enjoy the valley.”
