Mānoa Falls Hike

An easy rainforest mile to a 150-foot waterfall above Honolulu

Distance

~1.6 mi round trip, out and back

Waterfall

~150 ft, viewed from a marked overlook

Trail manager

Nā Ala Hele (State of Hawaiʻi)

Setting

Mānoa Valley, ~5 miles mauka of Waikīkī

The Mānoa Falls trail starts where Mānoa Road ends, about five miles mauka of Waikīkī, and climbs gently through banyan, bamboo, and eucalyptus to a viewing area below a 150-foot waterfall. It's the classic shade-day counterpart to the beach — expect mud, bring traction, and skip swimming at the falls (the warning signs mean it).

Mānoa Falls pouring about 150 feet down a fern-covered rock face in Mānoa Valley, Oʻahu · Photo: Edmund Garman (CC BY 2.0)

The experience

The trail starts where Mānoa Road ends, deep in Mānoa Valley about five miles mauka of Waikīkī. From the trailhead the path climbs gently through banyan, hau thickets, and stands of eucalyptus, crosses a footbridge, and threads a bamboo grove before opening onto the viewing area below the falls. Mānoa Falls slides about 150 feet down a dark rock face into a small pool. Swimming at the base is a no-go: warning signs cite leptospirosis in the freshwater and rockfall from the cliff above, so the reward is the view, the mist, and the sound of water in the forest. The route is part of the state's Nā Ala Hele Trail and Access System. Expect mud, roots, and slick stones in any season; this is one of Honolulu's wettest corners, and it looks the part.

South-swell season, mauka side

Mānoa Falls pairs naturally with the rhythm of a Waikīkī summer. From May through September, south swells generated by Southern Hemisphere storms roll into Oʻahu's south shore, and the long, gentle walls that made Waikīkī's beach-boy tradition famous are at their most consistent. The valley sits just a few miles mauka — inland and upslope — of those same breaks, so the classic move is a morning in the water and an afternoon in the forest, or the reverse. Summer also tends to be the drier half of the year in the islands, which means somewhat less mud underfoot, though Mānoa's back wall wrings rain out of the trade winds year-round; brief showers and rainbows are part of the deal. The falls run in every season, fullest after rain.

How it fits a trip

This is one of the easiest rainforest walks to reach from a Waikīkī base, and it slots into a half day without strain: figure a couple of hours on the trail plus travel time up the valley. Go early for cooler air and thinner crowds, and check the Nā Ala Hele website for current alerts before you head up. Wear shoes with real traction, bring mosquito repellent and a light rain layer, and plan on muddy footwear afterward. The trailhead sits at the residential end of Mānoa Road, and several tour companies run guided hikes or shuttles from Waikīkī if you would rather skip the logistics. Pair it with Lyon Arboretum, the University of Hawaiʻi botanical garden whose entrance sits near the same trailhead, for a full mauka morning.

Local tip

Go early for cooler air and thinner crowds, wear shoes with real traction, and pack repellent and a light rain layer — this is one of Honolulu's wettest corners. No swimming at the falls: the signs cite leptospirosis and rockfall, and they mean it. Check the Nā Ala Hele portal for current trail alerts before heading up.

Book & reserve

Trail info & guided options

Official sites and operators for this experience. AlohaCalendar doesn't sell tickets — book or reserve direct on their own sites.

Nā Ala Hele Trail & Access Program

State of Hawaiʻi (DLNR)

The State of Hawaiʻi's trail and access program manages Mānoa Falls Trail. Its Hawaiʻi Trails portal is the authoritative source for trail conditions, closures, and rules.

Visit site ↗

Harold L. Lyon Arboretum

Mānoa Valley, Honolulu

A University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa research unit and public botanical garden at the back of Mānoa Valley, near the falls trailhead, with extensive tropical plant collections and its own walking trails.

Visit site ↗

Kaimana Tours

Waikīkī, Honolulu

A Waikīkī-based operator that runs round-trip shuttles from Waikīkī to the Mānoa Falls trailhead for a self-guided rainforest walk, with basics like bottled water and bug spray provided.

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And You Creations

Honolulu, Oʻahu

Honolulu tour company whose Nature & You outing pairs a guided Mānoa Falls rainforest hike with round-trip transportation from Waikīkī and a scenic stop at Tantalus Lookout.

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