‘It is a trail, but it’s not of much a hike’

HONOLULU (KHON2) — On Wednesday, June 19, KHON2.com’s Unfit Adventurer traversed the Kuliʻouʻu Valley Trail. We learned more than we expected when we embarked on this journey.

The Kuliʻouʻu Valley Trail is located in the Kuliʻouʻou Valley. The hike offers a more leisurely and serene hiking experience compared to its more strenuous neighbor, the Kuliʻouʻu Ridge Trail.

It’s ideal for nature lovers and those looking to explore Hawaiʻi’s lush landscapes without a challenging climb. This valley trail provides a peaceful retreat into nature.

The hike is very simple is an excellent adventure for nature enthusiasts. It’s the site of several restoration projects that the Aloha Tree Alliance has taken on. We’ll tell you more about this a bit later.

The trail is situated in a quiet neighborhood. So, it is important that you remember this. It is considered a cul-de-sac which means there is limited access and limited space for things like emergency vehicles. So, be mindful that you are entering the lives of those living in this valley when you take these hikes.

Before taking the hike, we did a bit of investigation on the hike. We learned that folks tend to get lost on this hike and that it’s best to follow signs posted rather than relying on the hiking apps.

As we arrived, we met the Hayase family. They live in Kailua and had taken the opportunity of ridge hike in order to bond and get away from the grind for Juneteenth.

“We love this hike,” said Mr. Hayase. “Since, it’s Juneteenth and my wife and daughter have the day off, too, we decided to have some fun.”

Mrs. Hayase said she loved the diverse terrain and the gorgeous views of Waimanalo while their daughter didn’t like the incline.

With this in mind, we set out to find the trail.

As luck would have it, we encountered a group of people talking just as we were leaving the neighborhood and entering into the wilderness.

The group was with the Aloha Tree Alliance (ATA), and they were prepping for a restoration event taking place on Saturday, June 22. (It’s open to the public; so, if you are looking for something meaningful to do this weekend….}

The three people affiliated with ATA said they are working to plant indigenous plant species to help restore the environment and ecosystem. They explained that about 100 years ago, Oʻahu completely ran out of water.

Why, you may ask?

Well, when the Southern slaveowners lost the Civil War, they began migrating westward looking for new lands to exploit. This led many of those plantation businesses to move to Hawaiʻi. And once they illegally overthrew the monarchy of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi, they began to do what their fathers had done in the southern region, raze the entire ecosystem in order to create commercial agriculture.

The problem they ran into was that the only way Hawaiʻi is able to have drinking water is through a delicate ecosystem in which water collection is done by trees. The trees bring the clouds which brings the water which allows the trees to replenish the island’s aquifers.

But it’s not only the trees that make this system possible. the low-lying foliage plays a big part in this, which is what the Kuliʻouʻou Valley Trail is all about.

They also explained that once scientists figured out this system, the newly minted overseers of the islands had to find trees to bring back to island which is why we have so many invasive species today.

Knowing this information really made the hike a more personal experience. We could see the work this organization is doing all around. It looks a bit like a construction site in that there were tiny flags everywhere, but it really highlighted the importance of understanding how the systems and mechanisms work.

“It is a trail, but it’s not much a hike. But it really is a special area,” said ATA. “We are immersed in one of Oʻahu’s most important watersheds.”

The hike itself was pretty tame and simple. It was a beautiful hike that felt much safer than the ʻAiea Loop Trail.

But be aware that the trail simply ends for no rhyme or reason. There are no signs. There is no great view that indicates you’ve achieved something. It just ends. So, we turned around and trekked back.

When we reached the fork in the path on our way back, we me Kainoa. He and two other friends were about the ascend the ridge part of the hike. (The Unfit Adventurer will be doing that one next week)

He and a friend of his were taking another friend who is visiting from China out for a hike since he never gets out.

“Yeah, he’s always in his gaming chair in the dark; so, we’re bringing him out here to get him out into the wilderness,” explained Kainao.

Overall, it was a gorgeous hike; but this trail is very simple.

The Unfit Adventurer Rating for this hiking trail is: (ratings are out of a possible five hiking boots.)

Ease of hike for unfit folks

Views offered

Friendliness of fellow hikers

Worth the struggle

Feeling of accomplishment

So, if you decide to hike Kuliʻouʻou Valley Trail, then be aware that the experience for everyone who does it is different. You’ll need to rely on your own physical skills to determine whether this is the right hike for you.