Your Kids Will Love This Easy 1.5-Mile Waterfall Hike Right Here In Hawaii
By Megan Shute|Published July 14, 2018
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Megan Shute
Author
With more than 10 years of experience as a professional writer, Megan holds a degree in Mass Media from her home state of Minnesota. After college, she chose to trade in her winter boots for slippahs and moved to the beautiful island of Oahu, where she has been living for more than five years. She lives on the west side but is constantly taking mini-road trips across the island and visits the neighboring islands whenever she can getaway. She loves hiking, snorkeling, locally-grown coffee, and finding the best acai bowl on Oahu.
From magnificent cascades hiding in plain sight to those found deep within the jungle, the Hawaiian Islands are home to countless magnificent waterfalls. All of the islands’ awe-inspiring waterfalls are gorgeous, but some are less accessible than others. While Likeke Falls does require some effort to reach, the trail is only 1.5 miles, and it is the perfect destination for a family hike. Ready to embark on a magical adventure through the jungle to a picturesque cascade? Let’s go!
Nestled on the windward side of Oahu below the stunning Nu’uanu Pali Lookout, this secluded two-tiered waterfall is downright dreamy — and it’s not terribly difficult to find, either!
If you don’t want to deal with the crowds at Honolulu’s other waterfalls — including Lulumahu, Manoa, and Waimano — Likeke is the perfect option. Due to the marginally maintained trail and lack of clear signage, it is often secluded, which makes it a quintessential spot to splash around on a weekend afternoon.
With an elevation gain of just 428 feet over 1.5 miles when accessed via the Ko’olau Golf Club, this heavily trafficked out and back trail is perfect for hikers of all skill levels — including keiki.
If you’re looking for a more advanced adventure, however, you can begin hiking at the Pali Lookout. From this direction, you will be hiking approximately four miles round trip down the now-abandoned Old Pali Road, under the "new" Pali Highway, and to the official Likeke Trailhead.
The entire journey from the lookout will take at least two hours, while you can expect just thirty minutes of hiking time when accessed from the golf course. The views from the Old Pali Road are hard to deny, though.
No matter which path you take, once you’ve reached Likeke Falls, your jaw will drop to the floor and you’ll want to dip your toes in and splash around immediately.
Rumor has it that Likeke Falls is actually a man-made waterfall, though I was unable to confirm this from any reliable source. Workers constructing the Pali tunnel allegedly drilled into water-bearing rock, and a wondrous waterfall resulted.
Due to the frequent rain over the Ko’olau Mountains, the trail is often wet, and slippery, though if you have shoes with good traction and don’t mind getting a little muddy, you should be just fine.
If you plan on hiking to Likeke Falls, we suggest wearing clothes you don’t mind getting dirty and shoes with excellent traction. You should also bring bug repellant, plenty of water, slippers to change into post-hike, and plastic bags in which to store your muddy shoes.
With picturesque views, a jaw-dropping waterfall, and a fun and muddy trail, Likeke Falls should definitely be added to your Hawaii hiking bucket list.
For more information about (and directions to) this stellar waterfall hike, head to Alltrails.com. Be warned, though: some say that the Old Pali Road is haunted!
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