Choosing a hiking trail in Hawaii: A guide for new hikers and visitors.



Here is a good link to a list and descriptions of hiking trails in Hawaii, on the island of Oahu,
suitable for new residents, beginner hikers, and visitors: http://redd.it/336ks5 . Many new hikers in Hawaii get into trouble because they choose their hiking trails by browsing Yelp recommendations. Don't do this, because those people often do dangerous hikes, or, hikes on private property. There is a lot of legal and public controversy in Hawaii, because of all the rescues of people making choices by Yelp or hiking blogs. It is important to realize that many hikes that are not on the State's list of maintained trails, are not actually hikes on nice trails--they are really scrambling on uneven and overgrown narrow ridges. Use the list above as your first choice for legal and/or safer hiking.

Below the photos is another list of some hiking trails on Oahu with news links about incidents of death, injury, rescue, or disappearance (19xx-2015).


Above photo: Spot the hiker?! Hawaiian trails can be dangerous. Choose your trail wisely, and accept your fate!

Above photo: The fire department's helicopter searching for a fatally injured hiker near the Ka'au Crater trail (photo taken from Lanipo trail). Don't be deceived by your proximity to the city...it can be dangerous out here.

 The 4 most important reasons for tragic hiking incidents are 1) overconfidence in your ability and overconfidence that "everything will be ok" because you see other people doing these trails on social media, 2) inexperience with local terrain and local mountain weather, 3) doing stupid things that seem fun at the time, and 4) truely unlucky accidents.

ALL trails in Hawaii have some element that makes them dangerous depending on your skill level and degree of common sense. Some of the trails with a high number of incidents on them are in fact easy trails promoted to tourists...but because statistically there are a large number of people hiking them, there is bound to be several unprepared, blazĂ©, and unfit people in that population that get into trouble (like Kuliouou trail). Some "trails" are very dangerous, but overconfident locals and tourists do them because they see the beautiful photos on social media (like Olomana trail).  Experienced hikers in Hawaii take on challenging trails with high risk, and get unlucky when something goes wrong (like Pali Notches or Bear Claw). People take huge risks to take photos of themselves and then get hurt (like on the edge of waterfalls on Ka'au Crater trail). People without proper outdoor skills get into trouble (like hiking alone while wearing flip-flops/sandals; or climbing waterfalls in the rain on Ka'au Crater). Visitors assume that because it is sunny at the beach, the weather is good in the mountains, but often it is not.

Ultimately, the more popular hiking becomes, the more incidents there will be simply as a function of statistics--it is unavoidable. This is not a new problem, and even in the mid-90's, before blogging, people were debating an increase in accidents. The best you can do is to place yourself in the category of people that choose a hiking trail (and a hiking day) based on informed, competent, deliberate decision making coupled with your experience of hiking in Hawaii. Beyond that, both hikers and critics of hikers must accept the fact that hiking (like many other adventurous leisure activities, or even swimming at the beach) is unavoidably dangerous.

Feel free to post reports of new incidents to my comments section.


Schofield trail (need a permit to hike; only hikeable over weekends+holidays)
Injured and Missing (found 4 days later)

Ma'akua Gulch (former State trail; closed due to extreme rockfall and flashflood danger): 
Injury

Aiea Ridge/KSRT (not officially maintained trails):
Rescue (one hiker's analysis/lesson of what happened is here)
Rescue 

Ka'au Crater (not an officially maintained trail):
Rescue
Injury
Injury
Injury
Injury
Death
Rescue
Rescue

Pali Notches (not an officially maintained trail):
Injury
Injury 
Injury
Death 

Bear Claw (not an officially maintained trail):
Death 

Kuli'ou'ou:
Rescue
Rescue
Rescue
Rescue
Rescue
Rescue
Rescue

Olomana (not an officially maintained trail):
Rescue
Rescue
Injury
Death
Injury
Death
Injury 
Death 

Stairway to Heaven, aka Haiku Stairs (not an officially maintained trail; stairs to be torn down 2015/2016and Moanalua saddle (partial officially maintained trail):
Hikers fined for trespassing
Rescue
Injury
Rescue
Death
Rescue
Rescue
Missing (never found)
Rescue
Rescue 

Makapu'u Tom Tom and kamehame ridge (not an officially maintained trail; hiking illegal on parts of it):
Injury
Death ; Death
Hikers fined for trespassing
Rescue 

Mariners Ridge (hiking is illegal):
Death

Piliwale Ridge (not an officially maintained trail):
Rescue

Waimalu Ditch:
Death
 
Manana (and Waimano Pools):
Rescue
Rescue 

Waimano Ridge:
Rescue 

Sacred Falls (hiking is illegal):
Rescued hikers fined for trespassing
Deaths and rescue

Castle/Papali/Sacred Falls/KST area (not an officially maintained trail):
Rescue

KST in Schofield/Waikane area:
Rescue (started in Laie; apparently couldn't identify exit ridge in heavy weather)
 
KST in Laie-Castle section:
Rescue 

KST in Laie-Pupukea section:
Rescue 

Pu'u Manamana (not an officially maintained trail):
Death ; Death
Injury
Rescue  (presumably in this area)

Kamaileunu Ridge (not an officially maintained trail):
Missing (never found)

Makaha area; probably on Kea'au ridge to Pu'u Kea'au (not an officially maintained trail):
Death
Death 





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