Lulumahu Waterfall
Lulumahu Waterfall
4.5
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4.5
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EFY
Redwood City, CA249 contributions
Sept 2024 • Friends
A moderately difficult hike where one had to scramble over rocks and walk across streams. It’s quite beautiful walking through the bamboo forest and through the jungle. The waterfall is neat. Fun to go under it and have a cold shower. Worth a hike.
Written 13 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JaeSwitz
Calgary, Canada10 contributions
Feb 2017 • Friends
We read the reviews before going on the hike and they helped, but not enough. We ended up going up the hard side of the stream. It was well worth the hike, but here's what we wish we new first:
#1) Go through the bamboo forest and come out in a field, with an obvious trail up a hill. At the top, there are two signs advising that there's no Trespassing onto the Reservoir and another one telling you not to jump into the reservoir. Obey the signs and continue right.
#2) At the 'end' of that trail, you'll see a large wall with graffiti and a scary looking set of stairs. Continue up the stairs.
#3) Shortly after the top of the stairs there's an odd square of old chain linked fence. All the openings have long been damaged and are permanently left open. Feel free to go through the inside, or around. But you're going to go behind the fenced in area. DO NOT GO to the left, where it looks like a nice hike into the woods. Some very nice soul left a map telling you you're going the wrong way about 5-10 minutes down the trail. (thank-you)
#4) After you go around and behind the chain link fence you'll eventually see the stream. There will be a small wall on the left hand side of the stream, that is the start to your adventure.
#5) GO up the left hand side. GO LEFT, GO LEFT, GO LEFT. you'll have to cross the stream a time or two, but at least for the start, GO LEFT. It doesn't look easier, but trust us, it is.
We went to the RIGHT on the way up. It felt like it took us almost two hours to get to the falls. Then it only took us 10 minutes to get down going on the left side. We had to go over (or under) trees that were fallen. Scale rocks up the side of the stream and battle with some steep terrain. We left with muddy shoes and mud marks on our legs, but we made it.
It's not much of a swimming hole, but it's beautiful.
#1) Go through the bamboo forest and come out in a field, with an obvious trail up a hill. At the top, there are two signs advising that there's no Trespassing onto the Reservoir and another one telling you not to jump into the reservoir. Obey the signs and continue right.
#2) At the 'end' of that trail, you'll see a large wall with graffiti and a scary looking set of stairs. Continue up the stairs.
#3) Shortly after the top of the stairs there's an odd square of old chain linked fence. All the openings have long been damaged and are permanently left open. Feel free to go through the inside, or around. But you're going to go behind the fenced in area. DO NOT GO to the left, where it looks like a nice hike into the woods. Some very nice soul left a map telling you you're going the wrong way about 5-10 minutes down the trail. (thank-you)
#4) After you go around and behind the chain link fence you'll eventually see the stream. There will be a small wall on the left hand side of the stream, that is the start to your adventure.
#5) GO up the left hand side. GO LEFT, GO LEFT, GO LEFT. you'll have to cross the stream a time or two, but at least for the start, GO LEFT. It doesn't look easier, but trust us, it is.
We went to the RIGHT on the way up. It felt like it took us almost two hours to get to the falls. Then it only took us 10 minutes to get down going on the left side. We had to go over (or under) trees that were fallen. Scale rocks up the side of the stream and battle with some steep terrain. We left with muddy shoes and mud marks on our legs, but we made it.
It's not much of a swimming hole, but it's beautiful.
Written 14 February 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
blackeldo
Kiama, Australia2,235 contributions
Apr 2016 • Solo
THE PLACE TO GO WHEN THE FLOW IS LOW
I was impressed there was still a good amount of water coming over LULUMAHU after experiencing NO FLOW at reasonably nearby MANOA FALLS the previous day. Plus LULUAMUA is a much better trekking experience. The walk up to MANOA FALLS is a bit too easy for all but the least fit dudes, whereas the walk to LULUMAHU is both longer, involves some steeper slopes and a bit of rock-hopping. But nothing which will deter the average person. And there were certainly a few persons around.
PERMITS NEEDED
I hadn’t planned to do this trek. I’d read the water authorities had restricted entry and a permit was needed. I was in the area to check out the JUDD CIRCUIT and its extensions, but when I saw the dozens of cars in the LULUMAHU trailhead car park I figured there was nothing restricted about this one – at least in the public mind. So I pushed thru the fence and hit the trail.
THE ROUTE
Seems the popularity of this trek means you just take whichever track people are using. Even if you arrive midweek on a not so nice day with fewer people about, a bit of wandering will find the dam and once there the rest is even easier.
I got to the dam by turning left into the bamboo patch once thru the fence near the carpark, then taking a right – after a few minutes I hit a wide dirt service road and a short distance on took a wide path to the left – this went thru bamboo and bush for a few hundred meters and emerged at a cleared area just south of the dam (technically the NUUANU RESERVOIR).
Walk over to the low earthen dam wall, take the steps up the slope and look right – a few hundred meters on is a concrete pumping station adjacent a low cliff – take the steps up the side of the station and you will quickly reach the creek (LULUMAHU STREAM). Then it’s a matter of following the stream for about 20/30 minutes to the FALLS.
SLOPES AND SURFACE – gradient pretty flat to the stairs after which slopes tend to be moderate with maybe a few VERY short steeper (but not KILLER) sections. No prolonged slogging uphill.
Surface was fine to the creek. At the creek there is a fair bit of rock hopping and plenty of tree routes. Sometimes people stopped to take selfies and group photes forcing me to divert up through the bush on short detours, usually dead easy to get back to the creek again. Only once did I find myself going up a side tributary – lack of people and low flow soon put me right – easy to find main creek again.
I didn’t have any problems with MUD, but maybe that was because the dryness of nearby MANOA FALLS indicated it had not rained in this area for some time.
I think the distance is about just over 3km/2mi. It took me about an hour, but I go fairly slowly.
FOOTWEAR – I found my joggers fine, didn’t miss my mid-range hiking shoes. Plenty of people were in flip-flops etc. – but best avoided if possible.
THE FALLS
A drop (not vertical but close, at maybe 85 degrees) of about 30m/100ft down the cliff face onto rocks and then into an adjacent pool. The latter good for getting wet but not deep enough for swimming. The flow of water although not huge in this dry period was not a trickle either. By moving to the left it is possible to see an UPPER FALLS SECTION, a little less in both drop and steepness. I couldn’t see any paths heading up there.
Plenty of rocks aound the lower pool to sit around and check the scene. And there were plenty of people checking the scene.
THE PEOPLE
It was almost as crowded here as at MANOA FALLS the previous day. Being a real nice Saturday helped but this is one popular walk. The MAKEUP OF PEOPLE WAS DIFFERENT – there seemed fewer tourists (at least outright furriners in their funny gear) and way more locals. It seemed a lot of the latter were family groups who had decided to call in for a quick trek on the way from HONOLULU to the WINDWARD COAST BEACHES – there was no shortage of people in beach type gear and footwear. And the number of people with dogs astounded me – in Australia authorities go mental if they find people bringing dogs into the bush (a very few get lost, go feral, form packs and decimate wildlife and nearby farm livestock. And a trekker does not want to meet a pack of wild feral dogs in the bush).
GETTING THERE
PUBLIC TRANSPORT – catch bus 4 from DOWNTOWN, ALA MOANA (not the interchange) and THE UNIVERSITY AREA. Tourists coming from WAIKIKI can catch any number of buses to link with #4 – consult TheBus website. Bus 4 leaves the PALI HWY as it climbs up over the divide at NUUANU PALI Dr. A short distance up the drive the bus diverts left into OLD PALI Dr. Jump out at the first stop, back-track the short distance to NUUANU P Dr and start walking up the hill. This is a pleasant rural-urban walk – more rainforest than houses. At one stage the road is a 200m tunnel, completely covered by a roof of overhanging foliage. The slope is gradual and the surface sealed. The walk to the trailhead is about 2.5km/1.5mi – say 35mins. Along the way you will pass the trail head to the JUDD CIRCUIT – the circuit is a quick trek and real nice – it may not be such a good idea to attempt to reach the PALI FLATS overlook without accurate course notes – I did later in the day and got hopelessly lost.
CAR – there is a fairly big car park off the 4 lane PALI HWY adjacent the trailhead. Alternatively you can reach it by cruising up PALI NUUANU DRIVE. If full, there are plenty of curb-side parks along P N Dr.
Have a nice trek, gang.
I was impressed there was still a good amount of water coming over LULUMAHU after experiencing NO FLOW at reasonably nearby MANOA FALLS the previous day. Plus LULUAMUA is a much better trekking experience. The walk up to MANOA FALLS is a bit too easy for all but the least fit dudes, whereas the walk to LULUMAHU is both longer, involves some steeper slopes and a bit of rock-hopping. But nothing which will deter the average person. And there were certainly a few persons around.
PERMITS NEEDED
I hadn’t planned to do this trek. I’d read the water authorities had restricted entry and a permit was needed. I was in the area to check out the JUDD CIRCUIT and its extensions, but when I saw the dozens of cars in the LULUMAHU trailhead car park I figured there was nothing restricted about this one – at least in the public mind. So I pushed thru the fence and hit the trail.
THE ROUTE
Seems the popularity of this trek means you just take whichever track people are using. Even if you arrive midweek on a not so nice day with fewer people about, a bit of wandering will find the dam and once there the rest is even easier.
I got to the dam by turning left into the bamboo patch once thru the fence near the carpark, then taking a right – after a few minutes I hit a wide dirt service road and a short distance on took a wide path to the left – this went thru bamboo and bush for a few hundred meters and emerged at a cleared area just south of the dam (technically the NUUANU RESERVOIR).
Walk over to the low earthen dam wall, take the steps up the slope and look right – a few hundred meters on is a concrete pumping station adjacent a low cliff – take the steps up the side of the station and you will quickly reach the creek (LULUMAHU STREAM). Then it’s a matter of following the stream for about 20/30 minutes to the FALLS.
SLOPES AND SURFACE – gradient pretty flat to the stairs after which slopes tend to be moderate with maybe a few VERY short steeper (but not KILLER) sections. No prolonged slogging uphill.
Surface was fine to the creek. At the creek there is a fair bit of rock hopping and plenty of tree routes. Sometimes people stopped to take selfies and group photes forcing me to divert up through the bush on short detours, usually dead easy to get back to the creek again. Only once did I find myself going up a side tributary – lack of people and low flow soon put me right – easy to find main creek again.
I didn’t have any problems with MUD, but maybe that was because the dryness of nearby MANOA FALLS indicated it had not rained in this area for some time.
I think the distance is about just over 3km/2mi. It took me about an hour, but I go fairly slowly.
FOOTWEAR – I found my joggers fine, didn’t miss my mid-range hiking shoes. Plenty of people were in flip-flops etc. – but best avoided if possible.
THE FALLS
A drop (not vertical but close, at maybe 85 degrees) of about 30m/100ft down the cliff face onto rocks and then into an adjacent pool. The latter good for getting wet but not deep enough for swimming. The flow of water although not huge in this dry period was not a trickle either. By moving to the left it is possible to see an UPPER FALLS SECTION, a little less in both drop and steepness. I couldn’t see any paths heading up there.
Plenty of rocks aound the lower pool to sit around and check the scene. And there were plenty of people checking the scene.
THE PEOPLE
It was almost as crowded here as at MANOA FALLS the previous day. Being a real nice Saturday helped but this is one popular walk. The MAKEUP OF PEOPLE WAS DIFFERENT – there seemed fewer tourists (at least outright furriners in their funny gear) and way more locals. It seemed a lot of the latter were family groups who had decided to call in for a quick trek on the way from HONOLULU to the WINDWARD COAST BEACHES – there was no shortage of people in beach type gear and footwear. And the number of people with dogs astounded me – in Australia authorities go mental if they find people bringing dogs into the bush (a very few get lost, go feral, form packs and decimate wildlife and nearby farm livestock. And a trekker does not want to meet a pack of wild feral dogs in the bush).
GETTING THERE
PUBLIC TRANSPORT – catch bus 4 from DOWNTOWN, ALA MOANA (not the interchange) and THE UNIVERSITY AREA. Tourists coming from WAIKIKI can catch any number of buses to link with #4 – consult TheBus website. Bus 4 leaves the PALI HWY as it climbs up over the divide at NUUANU PALI Dr. A short distance up the drive the bus diverts left into OLD PALI Dr. Jump out at the first stop, back-track the short distance to NUUANU P Dr and start walking up the hill. This is a pleasant rural-urban walk – more rainforest than houses. At one stage the road is a 200m tunnel, completely covered by a roof of overhanging foliage. The slope is gradual and the surface sealed. The walk to the trailhead is about 2.5km/1.5mi – say 35mins. Along the way you will pass the trail head to the JUDD CIRCUIT – the circuit is a quick trek and real nice – it may not be such a good idea to attempt to reach the PALI FLATS overlook without accurate course notes – I did later in the day and got hopelessly lost.
CAR – there is a fairly big car park off the 4 lane PALI HWY adjacent the trailhead. Alternatively you can reach it by cruising up PALI NUUANU DRIVE. If full, there are plenty of curb-side parks along P N Dr.
Have a nice trek, gang.
Written 18 May 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rachel I
Dallas, TX47 contributions
Sept 2017 • Family
We did this hike on a whim when our original hiking plans fell through, and we are so happy we did! Park off of Pali Hwy and take the trail next to the archery sign. This trail leads to an open field, which guides you to the Lulumahu trail. The trail starts off easy, but then gets to the moderate stage pretty quick! We crossed the stream at least 6 times, to connect with the trail on the other side. There aren't markings or dedicated paths across the stream, so you get to chose your own! When you get closer to the waterfall it is mostly hiking up and over rocks. The trail is muddy, slippery and of course wet so wear solid hiking shoes. I was wearing tennis shoes because our original hike was going to be easy, and they worked ok on this trail but my feet were really wet by the end! Our 4 and 6-year-old daughters loved hiking this trail, and it gave us opportunities to teach them about crossing streams and climbing. But I would only take kids that are experienced hikers, including that you feel confident in their hiking ability. It still took an adult per child to ensure no one slipped into the stream. The falls at the end are gorgeous and the hike has way fewer people than other popular hikes like Manoa Falls. Overall it was an awesome, fun and off the beaten path hike that we all enjoyed!!
Written 13 October 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Metallitimmy
Melbourne, Australia30 contributions
Aug 2019 • Solo
Really beautiful waterfall that's a bit off the beaten track.
You have to climb through the fence at the start of the trail which isn't clearly marked.
There are different difficulties marked by different ribbons, blue seemed to be the most direct route which I followed on the way back.
The pink/Orange led up some hills and was longer + more challenging.
It is about a 40 min hike which would get muddy and slippery so wear decent shoes.
People took their kids and all seemed ok but not sure I'd recommend it.
With Pali hwy closed you just have to go around the 'local traffic only' sign and you can get to the gate.
You have to climb through the fence at the start of the trail which isn't clearly marked.
There are different difficulties marked by different ribbons, blue seemed to be the most direct route which I followed on the way back.
The pink/Orange led up some hills and was longer + more challenging.
It is about a 40 min hike which would get muddy and slippery so wear decent shoes.
People took their kids and all seemed ok but not sure I'd recommend it.
With Pali hwy closed you just have to go around the 'local traffic only' sign and you can get to the gate.
Written 3 September 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Christine T
Los Angeles, CA113 contributions
Jan 2019 • Family
After being disappointed when we hiked to Manoa Falls, we decided to try hiking to Lulumahu Falls. This was our first time so we did not know what to expect. My husband, my 10 year old daughter and I who were visiting from California went on this hike with two other family members who live on the island and are outdoors people. This hike did not disappoint! Although, I do need to add that we were lucky because we had the perfect weather, the ground was mostly dry (not muddy), and we had two locals guiding us. It was such a fun hike! The trail is not very clearly marked. You have to keep an eye out for the pieces of string or ribbon tied to the tree branches so that you don't head in the wrong direction. It was a real hike! We were climbing over boulders, crossing the river, going over and under fallen trees and watching every step we took so we don't hurt ourselves! When we reached the waterfall, it was so amazing! It was beautiful! When we reached the waterfall there was only one other family there, then they left and we had the waterfall all to ourselves for a little while. I loved that there weren't that many people there and you could really enjoy the moment. There is a shallow pool at the bottom of the waterfall. Though I'm sure the depth ranges depending on the amount of rain. The hike was challenging but not overly. My 10 year old did the best. The rest of us are older (40-50), and not in shape but we managed just fine. I would not recommend for children younger than 7years old. Allow yourself plenty of time, at least 2 hours. You don't want be there when the sun sets, especially if it rains. Wear sturdy shoes and take water and snacks.
Written 21 February 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bryanmantezoni
Houston, TX2,786 contributions
Apr 2018 • Friends
This waterfall was just average, no swimming just dipping your butt if you like, the hike is hard for people with mobility difficulties and once you get there it is very nice to hear the sound of the water falling but nothing amusing or extraordinary about it.
Written 2 May 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
valel1452
Summerfield, NC7 contributions
Jul 2019
Warning: this is not a tourist spot, it is a bit off the beaten path. But ask anyone in my family, it is our favorite thing we did on our visit to Hawaii. You feel as though you are walking through a rainforest. We even got rained on a couple of times, but the rain didn't last long. Parking is on the side of the road near the trailhead. To enter the trail, you first have to climb over a fallen tree to get around a chained barb wire-gate (don't worry, and police officer was standing outside the gate doing construction on the road when we went and he said it is perfectly legal to hike there). Then you walk through a bamboo forest before climbing the mountain. You have to cross over the creek a few times using the rocks in the water, and at the very end you have to climb up some pretty steep areas with either roots or boulders you use to climb. Right before you get to the waterfall there is a rope tied to a branch that people use to get up and down the hill. I was a little worried at times that not all in our party would make it without getting hurt. A 20, 23, 55, and 59-year-old went on this hike in my group. We learned that Hawaiians have a much different definition of a "moderate/intermediate" hike than we do on the East coast of the USA. We almost turned back at the end because of that last hill, but man are we glad we did not turn back. The waterfall is stunning, probably about 300 ft high. There is a pool at the bottom of the waterfall that you can wade around in (not really deep enough to swim). There was one other group of three kids at the falls when we got up there, and as we were leaving there was one group hiking up, so it is not very crowded like the popular Manoa and Waimea waterfalls. It was a truly wonderful experience.
A true adventure awaits you at this waterfall. I recommend it to anyone who wants to experience the real Hawaii.
A true adventure awaits you at this waterfall. I recommend it to anyone who wants to experience the real Hawaii.
Written 7 August 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dan B
Thomaston, GA73 contributions
Mar 2019 • Couples
This hike is not too difficult, yet still an adventure. You have to go through the hole in the fence at the very end of Nuuanu Pali Drive (right where it says entry is prohibited...lol). Just follow the wide open area and then follow the pink trail tape markers. You basically are just criss-crossing Nu'uanu stream a number of times. It was not overly crowded when we finally made it to the waterfalls. Just wear good shoes with tread. This is not the time to rocking the flip flops. The rocks can be slippery.
Written 31 March 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ingo S
Vancouver, Canada74 contributions
Jan 2018 • Couples
We had a local with us who had hiked this fall some time ago. However without her we would not have found the falls as there is no signage for this fall!?
It starts with a walk through a bamboo forest. Then you get on a proper path which leads to the start of the trail. One basically has to follow the river upstream to get to the falls. Be prepared for wet feet as you’ll have to cross the river multiple times to get there. Decent footwear is recommended for this trip. The trail is very shady so no hat or sunscreen needed, bring so water at least.
After a good 45 minutes you’ll get to the fall which does not disappoint. It’s about 100feet (35mtr) high and very picturesque.
The walk back can be tricky as you’ll have to go over the same river and rocks.
All worth it. For the attraction this waterfall is there should be better signage and a better dedicated parking lot.
It starts with a walk through a bamboo forest. Then you get on a proper path which leads to the start of the trail. One basically has to follow the river upstream to get to the falls. Be prepared for wet feet as you’ll have to cross the river multiple times to get there. Decent footwear is recommended for this trip. The trail is very shady so no hat or sunscreen needed, bring so water at least.
After a good 45 minutes you’ll get to the fall which does not disappoint. It’s about 100feet (35mtr) high and very picturesque.
The walk back can be tricky as you’ll have to go over the same river and rocks.
All worth it. For the attraction this waterfall is there should be better signage and a better dedicated parking lot.
Written 11 January 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
is this kid friendly ? can I carry my 22 month old ?
Written 24 April 2019
watching your footing on rainy days due to slippery . I’ve seen people with their little ones in the pouch “ carrier “
Water is shallow but enough to wade in, have fun bring water and a small snacks
Written 24 April 2019
Is there an admission fee and parking fee? Can we swim in the water once we reach the waterfall?
Written 23 February 2019
No admission fee, park along the road, enough to wade in it , but not deep enough to swim
Written 26 March 2019
About 2 miles round trip. It took our party of 4 adults about an hour and 40 minutes and that included 20 or so minute break at the waterfall. Our favorite hike we did on Oahu!
Written 27 December 2017
Can you get to Lulumahu Falls without trespassing?
Written 14 February 2016
Yes. We had a tour guide who took us up to the falls. There were others on the trail and no "no trespassing" signs.
Written 15 February 2016
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