Ma’akua Ridge Trail

Similar to Hau’ula loop but I like it a little more because the views are a little prettier. Pros: shaded, easy, loop, nice views. Cons: the parking is sketchy, sometimes gets muddy and mosquito-​y.

Our biggest complaint — mosquitoes. We pre-​sprayed Insect repellant and still got tons of bites. The hike itself was nice, mostly covered, but the muddy spots housed too many mosquitoes so we started heading back after only 30 mins. We went early December, on a dry day at around 2:30pm. It’s also a little difficult to find and the ‘high theft’ sign is a little alarming. We parked a couple blocks away as other Unilocalers suggested and no issues with our car.

My first hike ever on the island. Little muddy but not as bad as other places.

I have done this hike a few times. Tried to review it on Trip Advisor but as it’s not a well-​known hike, it got kicked back. The hike can be a little muddy, you do cross over a small stream with a few pools of water depending on the time of the year. It is beautiful and lush. Different pines and ferns line the trail. There are a few vista views of the interior valleys of Oahu. It’s by far a favorite hike of mine. It’s not busy but we did see a few fellow hikers. It takes about an hour and half to hike, if you do the full loop. It’s a semi-​difficult hike due to the distance and switch backs. Wear tennis/​hiking shoes as there seems to be a lot of ants along the trail. Park at the beach down the street off of Hauula Homestead Road, near the Hauula sign. It’s about three blocks up to the trail head. Don’t leave valuables in your car in plain sight. There are transients at the park so no need to give them a reason to make your trip an unhappy one. There are also bathrooms at the park you can use, just note you may or may not have toilet paper. The beach is pretty awesome below and quite.

We were looking for another hike to do on my daughter’s birthday. This one seemed to be what we were looking for: short, easy (~ish), and great views. Here is what we found:
The Trail:
— Distance: about 4.4 miles from where we parked. The Loop is about 3 miles.
— Terrain: some hills, but a well-​marked path with switchbacks keeps it from being too steep
— Mud: not really. Lots of leaves and hills keep most of the water from pooling.
— Parking: don’t park at the trailhead! There is a sign that warns of a high theft area. We parked a couple of streets away near a cemetery and walked to the trailhead, not very far.
The Good:
— Wonderful views! There are sections where you get a great panorama of the Windward side.
— Switchbacks. The trail goes up and down hills a few times, but it never is too steep. All my little kids made it with no trouble.
— Shade. And better, shade without bugs. We did not have one bite among us.
— Loop: I love it when the whole trail is a different view. Out and backs are OK, but loops are better.
— Restrooms nearby on the main road right before you turn off to find the trailhead.
The Not So Good:
— No parking right at the trailhead
— No water
— Some areas of the trail are narrow with steep slopes on each side. Be careful.
Bottom Line: Great day hike for the whole family. This is one of 2 loops in the area. You will see the right-​hand turn for the Hauula Loop before you find the left-​hand turn off for this trail. Both are about the same length. If we get the chance, we’ll come back here and do the other one. Not 5 stars because while we had a couple of good views, we did not have as many as we would have liked.
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Oahu has its share of hikes that every tourist knows (e.g. Diamond Head, Moana Falls), its share of hikes that avid hikers seem to frequent (e.g. Kuliouou Ridge Trail, Lulumahu Falls), and then a whole lot of hikes that are best described as under the radar. Ma’akua Ridge Trail falls into this last category.
With the same starting point as the more popular but also under-​the-​radar Hau’ula Loop Trail, Ma’akua Ridge Trail gets none of the love. As I entered the path leading to the trailhead a young man was exiting, hoodie encasing his head, hollow darting eyes, and a skittish demeanor which seemed to imply recent meth use. After passing, the young man began running and I momentarily grew concerned for what I might encounter on the trail.
Next up, a big, graffiti-​covered retaining wall without any cute Menehune characters like those I’d seen amongst the graffiti leading to Lulumahu Falls. And all of this was after the sign near the small parking area, alerting hikers that this is a high theft area. So, yes, this hike started off in what I hoped was not a foreshadowing of anything.
The hike itself is 2.5 miles with an elevation of 800 feet, almost exactly the same length and elevation as the Hau’ula Loop Trail but apparently this one takes longer to navigate, is steeper, and more unstable. That’s what I was told by the homeowner with neck tattoos and herb boxes, who lives down the street from the trail entrance, as he mentioned how people sometimes need to be rescued from this one. I didn’t need rescue.
On a weekday, the trail was empty and not another sole was seen in a hike which ran 2 hours 15 minutes. The hike is a loop which I took in a counter-​clockwise direction per the instructions in the hiking book I consulted. Beautiful ocean views occur early on and again, later. The ridge is reached after about 1-​mile and it’s on the ridge-​top where the trail can be most unsteady. I remained on two feet the whole time but there were a few places where the unsteady trail required some consideration before moving forward.
Nearing the end, and down off the ridge, you will have to cross a rock gulch which, on this visit, contained no water. It looked to be long dry, so no problem. An enormous black lava overhang tells you you’re almost back to where you began. This is a great trail to work out on, with lots of ups and downs. If you like being on a seldom-​traveled trail, with little evidence of others give this one a try. It’s worthy of your love.
* The hike is #52 in Susanne Swedy’s excellent book, «Hiking the Hawaiian Islands».
* The parking area is very small, only enough for a few cars, and a sign announces it as a high theft area. You might consider parking down the street or even out at Hau’ula Beach Park, and walking from there.
* Take the Kamehameha Highway to Hau’ula and turn mauka (toward the mountain) at Hau’ula Homesteads Road (just across from Hau’ula Beach Park). This road winds around and back out to the highway but you should not. Take it only to where the road turns (about ½ mile from the beach), and park. The well-​marked path leading to the trailhead begins there.
* After the initial signs announcing the trailhead, there are no further signs, only little pieces of orange tape which you will occasionally notice in the trees, alerting you to the fact that you’re on the right path. Having the book to guide you helps, but I don’t think it’s necessary.
* I had cell service the whole way, something I can’t even claim from my home in Cali.