First try to click on the “Get Directions” icon at the top of this page. If you are taking TheBus, click on the "Transit" icon at the top of the search bar. You may need to change the starting address to your current location. Clicking on TheBus link provided below will also take you to TheBus website.
If driving, going East bound on H1: Take the Punahou Exit 23 then See below directions. Going West bound on H1: Take the Wilder Exit 24, continue on Wilder to the third light take a right on Punahou. See below directions. Continue up Punahou, heading towards the mountains. Punahou turns in Manoa road by staying left at the fork in the road. You will soon come to a five way intersection. Stay on Manoa road. Manoa Road continues into the back of Manoa Valley and ends at Paradise Park. Due to a high amount of hiker car theft the Manoa Falls parking lot has been unfortunately closed. Therefore, hikers have two choices. 1) Parking in the Paradise Park lot for a fee of $5.00 or 2) Park in the lower neighborhood for free. There is absolutely no parking on the fire lane beyond the Paradise parking lot and before the Lyon Arboretum entrance.
After parking continue up the fire lane to the entrance of Lyon Arboretum. You will see straight ahead the old Manoa Falls parking lot gate and fence. Continue through the fence to the Manoa Falls trailhead. DO NOT LEAVE VALUABLES IN YOUR VEHICLE.
Please note that the Manoa Falls Trail(in yellow) is part of the Honolulu-Mauka Trail Network, comprising of 18 interconnected trails (in turquoise). The system may be accessed via the Makiki Arboretum Trail (dark blue) as part of an extended hike. The shortest route from the
Makiki Arboretum Trail to the Manoa Falls trail is 5.1 miles.
From the intersection of Manoa Rd. and Wa`akaua St. continue along narrow Manoa Rd. on foot. Walk underneath a pedestrian overpass leading to Treetops Restaurant in Paradise Park. Follow the main road as it curves left and then right around the lower parking lot, where hiker parking is available for a fee. As the paved road turns left to Harold L. Lyon Arboretum, proceed straight on a gravel road through a chain-link gate to the trailhead. On the left are several compost toilets. At the road end cross `Aihualama Stream on a bridge. Swing left and up and then descend briefly to ford a small side stream. Angle across a flat, damp section toward Waihi Stream. The trail is graveled and lined with plastic planks. Stay on the defined path to minimize trampling and erosion. Ascend gradually along the stream past several hau tree tangles. The path is paved with rocks in several spots. Climb more steeply as the valley narrows. The trail is often rooty, muddy, and rocky. Go through a bamboo grove on raised plastic steps. Just before the falls, reach a signed junction with the `Aihualama Trail in a grove of mountain apple trees. Continue a short distance to a rock platform to view lovely Manoa (Waihi) Falls.