Maunalaha Trail
Image Credit Daniel Ramirez|https://www.flickr.com/photos/danramarch/6202258876/
Image Credit Daniel Ramirez
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Phone (808) 587-4175
Address 2131 Makiki Heights Dr, Honolulu, HI 96822
 
Map & Directions Map & Directions
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Part of a popular loop trail in the Tantalus area.
Features
• General: Cost: Free • General: Photo Opportunity • Hiking: Hiking • Hiking: Length: 0-1 Miles • Hiking: Level: Moderate
• Hiking: Minor Elevation Changes • Hiking: Out & Back Trail
The Maunalaha Trail is a short, 0.7 mile long out and back style hiking trail (that's part of a bigger loop trail) in the Honolulu area of O'ahu. On the lower end of the trail it will connect with the Maunalaha Trail and on the upper end it will connect with the Makiki Valley Loop Trail / Makiki Valley Trail, though it's all three trails together than really form Makiki Valley Loop Trail / Makiki Valley Trail.

Image credit: Daniel Ramirez

Starting at the lower end, you can access the trail off of Makiki Heights Drive near the Hawaii Nature Center, see our directions for exact location. It's a little odd to get to the trailhead but when you reach the hairpin turn on Makiki Heights Drive that's closest to our mapped location, you'll take the straight road at the hairpin (rather than follow the curve).

Image credit: Google - Blue section shows this trail. Green shows the rest of the loop.

Drive down and through the gate when you see the Makiki Forest Recreation Area sign and head to the gravel lot on your left. Walk up the road to the restroom (stone building) and turn right and you'll see the trailhead right after the bridge.

Image credit: Daniel Ramirez

The Maunalaha Trail is relatively short but if you do the full loop you can expect to hike around 2.5 miles overall. Elevation gains on this section of the height are around 500 feet overall and not much more if you do the full loop.

Image credit: Daniel Ramirez

When you reach the end of the Maunalaha Trail portion of the Makiki Valley Loop Trail / Makiki Valley Trail, you'll be at a 4 way intersection. The first trail on your extreme right is the Ualaka'a Trail. The second right will put you on on the east end of the Makiki Valley Loop Trail / Makiki Valley Trail and dump you onto Round Top Drive. Keep going straight and you'll loop the Makiki Valley Loop Trail / Makiki Valley Trail and eventually come back around where you started.

Image credit: Daniel Ramirez

Once on the upper portion of the Makiki Valley Loop Trail / Makiki Valley Trail, you'll eventually come to another intersection and if you stay on the Makiki Valley Loop Trail / Makiki Valley Trail you'll end up on Tantalus Drive so you'll want to take the Kanealole Trail when given the option to loop back around to your starting point.

Image credit: Daniel Ramirez

As with all hikes, be sure to read Hiking Safety & Essentials before heading out. You'll also want plenty of water, bug spray, and avoid going when the trail is wet, muddy, and slippery.

Image credit: Daniel Ramirez

The Maunalaha Trail was originally constructed after the establishment of the Honolulu Forest Watershed Reserve in 1919. It was used to connect the old Makiki Station (now the forestry baseyard) to a nursery below Pu'u Kakea (Sugarloaf).