The Underrated Hike In Hawaii That Will Lead You To Unforgettable Views
By Megan Shute|Published July 06, 2017
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Megan Shute
Author
With more than 10 years of experience as a professional writer, Megan holds a degree in Mass Media from her home state of Minnesota. After college, she chose to trade in her winter boots for slippahs and moved to the beautiful island of Oahu, where she has been living for more than five years. She lives on the west side but is constantly taking mini-road trips across the island and visits the neighboring islands whenever she can getaway. She loves hiking, snorkeling, locally-grown coffee, and finding the best acai bowl on Oahu.
From easy, paved hikes like Maui’s Kapalua Coastal Trail to strenuous multi-day backpacking excursions like Kauai’s Kalalau Trail, the Hawaiian Islands are home to countless incredible hiking trails, each one more breathtaking than the last. While many of these popular hikes can get crowded, especially on the island of Oahu, there are other, lesser-known trails that will not only take you a million miles away from it all but also lead to unforgettable panoramic views. One such hike is Oahu’s Pu’u Ma’eli’eli Trail, more commonly referred to among locals as “digging hill.”
Overlooking Oahu’s picturesque windward coast and Kaneohe, you’ll find Pu’u Ma’eli’eli located off Kahekili Highway across the street from the Valley of the Temples and near the Temple Valley Shopping Center.
Though the hike features a few sections of steep, loose gravel you’ll have to be cautious of, the trail is relatively simple - and short. The trail is less than two miles round trip, and you’ll want to plan for a one to two hour hike depending on your skill level and physical endurance, including time spent taking photographs and soaking in the gorgeous views at the summit.
The bunkers found at the trail’s summit are remnants of the Heeia Combat Training Area, a military camp built to support nearly 4,500 military personnel during World War II.
According to Hawaiian mythology, Pu’u Ma’eli eli translates to "digging hill." Kane and Kaneloa - the companion gods - were once said to have raced to the top of this hill, forced to "dig" into the slopes with their hands to climb up.
Today, the trail is much easier. Though there are still steep ascents and descents found on the trail, you might find guide ropes, foot holds, roots, and rocks to help you up.
Because the hike is relatively unknown, largely uncrowded, you will easily feel as though you’re a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of Honolulu.
For this hike, we recommend shoes with awesome traction you don’t mind getting muddy, plenty of water and insect repellant. Don’t forget your camera at home, either! There’s little worse than making your way to a stunning view only to realize you don’t have a camera!
A warning: this trail traverses through private property, and while there have been no reports of the trail being shut down, it doesn’t take much for the landowners to do so. Please be respectful, quiet, and heed all warning signs.
Have you experienced this breathtaking Hawaii hike? What is your favorite trail across the Hawaiian Islands? Maybe you’ll find it listed on our Hawaii hiking bucket list.
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