A part of Hawaii's hidden geological history, Ka'au Crater is an incredible hike closer to the "town" side of 'Oahu. The crater is a remnant from an violent, ancient volcanic eruption that occurred in the later part of the formation of 'Oahu. This type of volcano is known as a tuff cone due to its shape and can be seen in other areas on 'Oahu such as the iconic Diamond Head and Koko Crater. Unlike its tuff cone "brothers," Ka'au Crater is hidden in the back of Palolo Valley and is not visible from the ground level. The trail leading to the crater contains three water falls and a ridge loop trail (at the top, surrounding the crater).
Gear for this hike:
1. Shoes (preferably ones that you don't care about getting dirty)
2. Swimsuit and towel (for swimming in the water falls)
3. Water and snacks
Note about this hike: Ka'au Crater follows a river. During heavy rains, the river may over flow and you will find yourself in a flash flood. To avoid this, please check the weather forecast before you go to ensure the safety of you and your group. This is also a very long hike, doing the whole loop will take around 5-6 hours. Please give yourself enough time and leave at least 6-7 hours before sundown if you plan on going the whole hike (no shame if you don't finish it).
Getting to the hike is not too difficult. From Waialae Avenue in Kaimuki, turn onto 10th Avenue and continue on 10th Avenue until you reach Waiomao Road. Turn right onto Waiomao Road and follow it until the very end. As you drive, you get the feeling that you are going back in time as the houses seem to get older and older, washed away by years of rain. There will be a monastery called the Honolulu Diamond Sangha that is located across the road from the trail head. Parking should be available on the right side of the road. Once you've parked your car, walk across the street and find the hole in the forest and descend to the river.
The trail mostly follows the river but keep your eye out for the pink ribbons tied to the trees that mark the trail. The trail is pretty well defined and crosses the river several times. After some time, the trail will take you up above the river and you follow some old rusty pipes (some of which still carry water) to the first waterfall. Again, the trail is well defined and this should only take fifteen to twenty minutes. There will be a fork in the path going up and down. Go down if you want to go swimming. It will probably be slippery and muddy so be careful. The water is pretty cold and extremely refreshing. Take a quick break (or a long one, if you want) and go back up to the fork and this time, go up.
Going up will take you to the top of the first waterfall. You can get to the second waterfall by following either the trail or the river (the trail ends up following the river). We found the river to be more exciting and it is nice to jump from rock to rock (but again be careful, some rocks may be slippery or loose). Eventually, you will get to the second waterfall. It is about the same height as the first waterfall. We did not go swimming in the second waterfall because we were eager to get to the third waterfall. To continue, go to the right of the waterfall and follow the pink ribbons up to the top of the second waterfall. It is narrow up there so be careful.
Cross over the second waterfall and continue along the trail to the third waterfall. This is not just one waterfall, but a conglomerate of many small waterfalls that you basically have to clamber up. It takes about twenty minutes to reach the crater.
We did not leave early enough and had to turn around at this point but the Crater is really amazing. The center looks like a grassy meadow but we've heard that it is actually really swampy (which makes sense because the Crater is the source of water for the river and waterfalls). The trail continues to the left and right so either way would work but if you want to get to the top of the Ko'olaus (eastern mountain range on 'Oahu), go right and you'll get there faster.
Coming down seemed easier and was a bit rushed for us since we had to try to get out of the forest before the sun went down. However, be extremely cautious when coming down because Alana managed to twist her ankle and was injured for some time. Another note, try to remember where the trailhead is. We forgot where it was and spent some time running around trying to find it. Have fun!
PICTURES FROM THE HIKE:
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