Manoa Falls is a magnificent natural waterfall nestled deep in the rainforest with the trees being so huge, taking a picture in front of the trunk will make you look like littel hobbits. The hike to the falls is easy and travels through a bamboo forest, rainforest, and base of the Ko'oaus Mountains. The small pool at the bottom of the falls is filled with boulders and the bottom of the pool can not be visualized making it unsafe for swimming or diving. The main issue with venturing in the pool under the waterfall is the danger of Leptospirosis, so be forewarned.



The trail is well-defined and fairly eroded because of heavy use. On the one-mile hike to the Manoa Falls, you'll pass through a damp rain forest, climb some short, rocky sections, pass over some man-made boardwalks, and ascend some stairs. Gaze upon the popular waterfall-drenched cliffs and freshwater pool in upper Manoa Valley after a pleasant forest walk. Shoes will definitely help when walking through the well worn-out paths. There are terraced sections for erosion management and the final stretch utilizes a stepped, solid boardwalk.

If you have seen the movie Lost World you have actually seen the trail as it was featured in the Steven Spielberg movie, the 'Lost World'. This trail, a hidden treasure that was used by Spielberg while filming "Lost World", leads to the tallest accessible waterfall on Oahu, deep within a prehistoric landscape. Explore the trail that "Lost World" was filmed in the Ko'olau Mountains.

This is an excellent and leisurely hike. The trail is easy enough for both young and old to do as it consists mainly of straight-a-ways with minimal difficulty and absolutely no areas that involve crawling or climbing. Imagine Jurassic Park like scenery but on a less grand but more manageable scale.

Because of the trail's immense popularity, expect heavy foot traffic on the trail and vehicular traffic at the trailhead every day of the week. The waterfall is permanent and flows year-round. This is the most popular trail on Oahu to both visitors and residents second only to the Diamond Head Trail. Closed in footwear and insect repellent are a must and having a cool water bottle will help.