Upper Lulumahu Falls

With my solo hike through a flash flooding Moanalua valley the day before, behind me, I set my sights on another hike that I had been waiting for flash flood conditions to do.  This time I would be joined by my wife (since she thankfully wasn't working on this day) and another good hiking partner of ours, who was willing to brave the elements with us on this day.  After I had exited a flash flooding Moanalua Valley the day before, I ended up going to Luakaha and Lulumahu Falls.  While I was at Lulumahu Falls, I witnessed the raging stream and gushing waterfall and was affirmed that this was the pefect time to try and hike to the waterfall above it; Upper Lulumahu Falls. 

Access to Upper Lulumahu Falls can be a tad tricky if you don't already know the way but I had done some research and was given a huge tip by a fellow hiker, so finding the trail came pretty easy to us on this day.  Around 8:20am, me, my wife and our friend met on Tantalus road at the Kalawahine trailhead.  As it poured down rain, we gathered our packs and set off through the valley onto the Kalawahine trail and within a half hour we had arrived at a junction with the Manoa cliffs trail.  We kept straight (The Manoa cliffs trail heads up and to the right) and shortly thereafter we came to a marked junction with the Pauoa flats where we took a left and began down the trail.  The ground on which we were now walking had banyan roots everywhere and the excessive rain and mud weren't making the trek any easier.  In no time we passed by the Nuuanu junction to our left and shortly afterwards came to a fork.  We took the left fork and began walking through a bamboo forest.  Just a few minutes later we would emerge from the bamboo forest and would arrive at the Nuuanu valley overlook.  The rain was still coming down pretty hard at this point and all three of us were already soaked.  From the Nuuanu valley overlook we could see reservior 4 and the nasty brown water that accompanied it on this day.  In the distance, the peak of Lanihuli was smothered by clouds and the pali notches were barely visible.  There were beautiful waterfalls cascading down every pali on the mountain.  It took us somewhere between 40 minutes to an hour to reach the Nuuana valley lookout.  This is where the real hiking would begin for us though.

We took a right at the lookout and started on the trail that leads to Konahuanui (K2) and after a few minutes we came to a junction that is easy to miss if you aren't looking for it.  To the right and in front of us was the ridge trail to K2 (marked by an orange ribbon) and to the left was the contour trail which would intersect with the ridge trail after about a 30 minute to an hour trek.  On this day, arriving at where the ridge trail and the contour trail connect, would be the key to find our trail to Upper Lulumahu Falls.  We elected to take the contour trail, hiking through calf high water as we started out.  There was mini waterfalls all over the trail and the side streams, which almost never flow, were rushing down the trail on this day.  The rain was showing us no mercy.  As it continued to pour, the three of us treked along on the contour trail.  Before long we caught our first glimpse of Lower Lulumahu Falls.  It was absolutely raging.  Not to long after this we finally reached the obvious junction where the contour trail and the ridge trail intersected. We knew that our trail heading down into the valley to Upper Lulumahu Falls was a mere 5 to 10 minutes away now.  We could also clearly see Upper Lulumahu Falls in front of us and to the left, far down in the valley.  After taking a few pictures we continued up the ridgeline acting as though we were heading for K2.  After less than ten minutes of hiking since the ridge/contour trail connector and just before the climb of the first knob on the way to K2, our trail into the valley finally appeared on our left hand side.  If you are looking for it, it is not hard to find, but it is not marked.

We took the left and headed steeply down the slick, muddy and often overgrown slope.  The going was slow due to the horrible conditions, but it did not take us all that long before we could see the falls not far from us at all.  We made our final scoot down the hill and just as we did the rain came to a brief calm.  After the final scoot down, the trail brought us out directlly under Upper Lulumahu Falls.  This typically dry waterfall looked absolutely stunning in these flash flood conditions.  Not to swollen or anything, just the perfect amount of flow.  We all sat down and took it all in.  There was a little swimming hole under the falls that looked pretty deep as well.  Just past the falls was a little cave and a rock that we made our way to, to check out the stream feeding Lower Lulumahu Falls.  The whole setting at the falls was absolutely amazing.  We took some pictures and decided to keep moving since all of us were soaking wet and were freezing cold. 

About 30 seconds back up the trail was a short side trail leading to the top of the falls.  We took it and almost immediately arrived at the top of the falls where there were two more waterfalls.  These weren't quite as big but were amazing in their own right.  The streambed was insanely slippery here.  We hung out, grabbed some food and explored upstream a little bit, but I didn't see signs of any more waterfalls.  I would like to follow the stream all the way to Lulumahu Ridge one day, but it definetly wasn't in the plans for today, so after a long break we decided to head back as the rain started to dump on us again.  On the hike back up from the valley we found ourselves grabbing for whatever shrubs we could to pull ourselves up the muddy and steep slope.  All though the climb up was a little tougher than the climb down, it went much quicker. 

As we got closer to regaining the ridge line, the skies opened up and unleashed a torrential downpour on us.  Once we reached the ridge line we looked behind us and down at the falls, which were immensely swollen at this point and looked more like a rapid that one would see on a raging river.  We were all happy that we left when we did.  Looking back towards Konahuanui, there were waterfalls flowing down the pali everywhere.  As we continued to head back to where we had started(via the ridge trail this time), we could see into upper Manoa valley and could see massive, raging waterfalls all over.  It was a surreal sight.  To our right, we caught occasional glimpses of the massive waterfalls just off the highway in Nuuanu. 

The entire hike down was in a horrid, extreme rain.  We eventually got off the ridge and back to the Nuuana valley overlook, only to be greeted with no views due to the broad cloud cover.  We didn't even care.  We were all so wet and cold, that we just hit the Pauoa Flats trail and in a hurry we were on our way back to the Kalawahine trail and to our car.  Despite the crappy conditions, this day was a blast and the waterfall and the hike overall was something that I won't forget.  This was the perfect way to cap off the weekend.  Despite the fact that we were freezing cold, I still convinced my wife to stop by 7-eleven on our way home for a celebratory slurpee.  This led to me becoming even more cold and taking possibly the longest shower ever recorded once I had arrived back at home.  With all of the excitement fresh in our heads, we got home and finally got a chance to relax, with smiles on both of our faces.  The day was coming to an end but was surely, not soon to be forgotten.

Directions:  From Makiki Heights Drive, go uphill on Tantalus Drive. When you get close to the top, just after going over a narrow bridge, look for the trailhead on the left. It will be adjacent to a private road, going uphill. Park in the parking area on the right just past the trailhead.

This was what the contour trail looked like as we headed for the ridge connector

The muddy, wet stream was our trail.  Not ideal, but it worked

Again, not the best hiking conditions, but the end result was well worth it

Lulumahu Falls and Kaniakapupu Ruins

What an adventure this was.  I don't want to make this post to long so I am gonna just put the main details from my experience finding Lulumahu Falls.  I attempted to find Lulumahu Falls on three consecutive days.  The first day I started from Kaniakapupu Ruins (King Kamehameha III Summer Palace) and went through the bamboo only to get lost for an hour or so and have to back track to the ruins.  I then headed past the ruins and down to the stream and ended up spending a few hours lost and barely made it out before dark.  I was seriously starting to get worried that I would have to sleep in the woods on this night, but was delighted when I found the stream and followed it back to the start of the trail and to my car.  The next day on my second attempt to find Lulumahu Falls I started from the ruins again with a gps in hand this time and bushwhacked my way all the way to the falls.  It took me over three hours to reach the falls, being that I took a completely stupid route, and in the last twenty minutes of the hike the already wet weather changed from raining to a down pour and flashflood conditions.  Upon reaching the falls I was in absolute shock by the amount of water pouring down the falls and the continually rising and swollen stream was becoming increasingly dangerous so I ran as fast as I could to get out of there and upon my exit decided to take the trespassing route on the board of water supplies property.  This route took me a mere 20 minutes to exit, even in flash flood conditions.  Since the weather cleared up, I went back the next day, taking the short route via the board of water supplies property and had a very relaxing hike to the falls.  The falls are truly beautiful and the hike is a beginner hike that anyone can go on, if you know the right way to go.

My three day excursion of finding Lulumahu Falls took place some time ago, and all though there are more hints on the internet now than there was then, there is still really no good directions from what I can find.  There is however a few web sites that I have come across that have blaitant lies on them for the main purpose of dissuading and keeping others off of trails like these.  This trail may or may not be trespassing.  I truly do not know the answer to this, but I do know this, the board of water supply does not use this property any more and has not done so for a very long time and from my trips back into this area and from all my friends who have gone, not one person I know has ever been hassled, ticketed or arrested.  I truly do not believe that anyone has ever been cited or arrested for hiking back in this area, but that is my opinion, although I believe that I am probably dead on with this assumption.  Certain web sites and blogs tell people not to go to places like these because, in my opinion, these same people want to keep these trails to themselves or only take those that they deem worthy.  The situation is laughable but do not let posts from otheres fool you and dissuade you from exploring this area (luakaha, kaniakapupu ruins, Lulumahu Falls, Mo'ole valley, etc, etc).  All the falls in this area are absolutely beautiful and if everyone in the hiking community goes to these places whenever they want, with no worries (and in huge groups at times), then there obviously is not very much of a risk of getting in trouble, otherwise everyone would not be doing it.

The nice thing about Lulumahu Falls is that it always seems to be flowing, even when other falls, like Luakaha nearby are dry, making it one of the few waterfall hikes you can pretty much do year round.  As with most hikes, please treat these places with respect and don't act a fool while on the trail and at the falls or ruins, and please do not climb on the ruins like an idiot (they are in bad enough shape as it is).

The best way to get to the trailhead for Lulumahu falls or Kaniakapupu ruins is to take the pali highway (coming from Waikiki) and act as though you are heading for the Nuu'anu Pali lookout.  Just before getting to the pali Lookout there is gonna be a street on your right hand side that you want to take, named Nuu'anu Pali drive.  If you follow Nuu'anu Pali drive all the way to the end it will eventually reconnect with the pali highway.  Just as Nuu'anu Pali drive is about to reconnect with the pali highway there will be a open turnout spot just to the right with some spots for cars to park.  Once parked there, there will be a gate directly behind with a hunter check in station and a gap in the fence.  Go through the gap in the fence and take an almost immediate right and head towards the gravel road (you can also go to the huge gate a few yards down and crawl through the hole on the left side, but people always seem to be there in my experiences).  Follow this gravel road until there is a trail going left with bamboo on both sides.  Take that left and follow the wide open trail.  The trail will turn sharply to the right but will stay wide open.  When the trail ends at a bunch of trees look for a small opening and a trail that goes through briefly through the woods.  If you follow this trail it will bring you out to a clearing.  At some point make your way up the hill.  There are stairs but if you don't see them just trailblaze your way up the overgrown vegetatioin shortly and you will end up on the board of water supplies property (which they don't use and noone is ever there) and reservior four with another gravel road.  Follow this gravel road until just before it ends and head up some concrete stairs on the right side and there will be a wide open trail to follow.  Just remember, if ever in doubt, just head upstream.  The trail jogs from one side to the other once on the stream but as long as you stay near the stream and look for ribbons you should be good.  As for Kaniakapupu Ruins, park in the same spot and walk back down the street on nuu'anu pali drive for about five minutes (be careful and watch out for oncoming cars).  You will eventually see a board of water supply tank on the right side of the road.  Just across the street from the board of water supply area there will be a faint but somewhat obvious path on the left side of the road that you will need to take.  Just after starting on this trail you will begin walking through a bamboo forest and will take a left onto a obvious trail shortly after.  This trail will take you directly to the ruins.  This trek should take no more than ten to fifteen minutes.