Illustrated scene. Not a photograph of this place.
A ridge walk from Waʻahila Ridge State Recreation Area between Mānoa and Pālolo. State Parks lists 2.4 miles, moderate to difficult, and 500 feet of gain. The summit beyond the Kolowalu junction is a restricted watershed.
- Access
- Published route or place
- Cost
- Confirm the cost
- Difficulty
- Moderate to difficult
- Effort
- Strenuous
- Audience tags
- Visitors, Adults, Locals
Effort follows the agency difficulty when one was published: easy is gentle, moderate and easy-to-moderate are steady, and moderate-to-difficult or an agency description of a strenuous climb is strenuous. It is a sorting aid, not a safety rating.
Access and permission
State Parks says not to go up to the summit past the Kolowalu / Waʻahila junction because it is a restricted watershed. You may continue down Kolowalu, which the page says descends steeply into Mānoa. Mountain biking is not allowed. Dogs must be leashed.
No entrance fee was printed on the trail page reviewed. Confirm on site.
Conditions, separate from permission
The agency difficulty is moderate to difficult. The page describes open ridge and forest, native plants, and a restricted area beyond the junction. Effort on this guide is marked strenuous because that is how moderate-to-difficult is grouped here. It is not an extra safety verdict.
Figures copied from the source
- Distance: 2.4 miles
- Elevation gain: 500 feet
- Agency difficulty: Moderate to difficult
What to bring
- Water and shoes with grip. The trail page does not require a named product.
Logistics
- Directions on the trail page: from Waiʻalae Avenue up St. Louis Drive, right on Peter Street, left on Ruth Street into the recreation area.
- Pack out trash. No open fires.
- Map pin: OpenStreetMap geocode of Waʻahila Ridge State Recreation Area.
Related gear
These are exact Amazon listings checked on 2026-11-07. They are optional. As an Amazon Associate, purchases through these links can earn a commission. The tag is toa03-20. Stock and formulas change. Affiliate disclosure.
- Thinksport Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50+, 3 fl oz
For exposed walks and shoreline time. The Amazon listing checked on Nov 7, 2026 is titled Thinksport Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50+ Zinc Oxide, 3 fl oz. That listing text says the formula uses zinc oxide (it states 24.25%) and lists oxybenzone among ingredients it does not contain. It did not explicitly say octinoxate in the text reviewed. Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes §342D-21 makes it unlawful to sell or distribute sunscreen containing oxybenzone or octinoxate in the state without a prescription. Read the current tube before you buy. Listing text changes.
- Nalgene Tritan Wide Mouth BPA-Free Water Bottle, Cadet, 32 oz
For trails whose managing agency says there is no drinking water, or that stream water should not be drunk. The Amazon listing checked on Nov 7, 2026 is titled Nalgene Tritan Wide Mouth BPA-Free Water Bottle, Cadet with Cadet cap, 32 oz. The listing describes a BPA-free Tritan bottle. This is one colorway, not a claim that every Nalgene bottle is the same product.
Sources and verification
Checked 2026-11-07. If a source disagrees with this page, use the source.