The Little Known Natural Oasis In Hawaii That'll Be Your New Favorite Destination

Tucked away off of Oahu’s Pali Highway in the lush Nu’uanu Valley, is a magnificent natural oasis that will certainly offer a welcome respite from the stresses of daily life. You’ll find a trail so far removed from society that you might – on a weekday – be hiking on your own for quite some time. While the trail to Lulumahu Falls can be difficult to follow at times, making it easy to get lost, there are four major points of interest: a beautiful bamboo forest, the Nu’uanu Resevoir and surrounding field, the actual waterfall, and the nearby Kaniakapupu ruins.

Megan Shute

The entrance to this unsanctioned hiking trail can be found off the Pali Highway, where years of use has made a sort of make-shift parking lot leading to the popular hike. The first stretch of your journey will take you through old hunting grounds, and a dense bamboo forest.

Megan Shute

Once you exit the bamboo forest, you will be confronted with a set of seemingly random steps in the middle of nowhere up to the middle of a vast field alongside the picturesque Nu’uanu Resevoir.

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Andrew Wong/Flickr

Once you’ve admired the beautiful scene straight out of the Sound of Music, you should continue along a dirt path, and up another series of stairs that mark the beginning of the jungle trail to the waterfall. Hikers will then have to pass over a damn, and cross the streambed.

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Megan Shute

Megan Shute

After traversing the stream a few more times, climbing up a series of giant boulders, and hiking for approximately 45 - 60 minutes, you will encounter the stunning Lulumahu Falls.

Andrew Wong/Flickr

At the cascading waterfall, you can enjoy a picnic lunch, admire your surroundings, and maybe even wade in the pool below.

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Megan Shute

Be warned though, that leptospirosis is commonly found near Hawaiian waterfalls, and you should never swallow this water, and should not enter the water if you have any open wounds.

Chad Miyashiro/Flickr

Also in the vicinity is a fascinating piece of Hawaiian history - the abandoned ruins of a royal Hawaiian home hiding in the lush jungle.

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As_tue/Flickr

More commonly known as King Kamehameha III’s summer home, the Kaniakapupu Ruins date back to 1847, and was only used for a few decades before being abandoned and reclaimed by nature.

Noodles and Beef/Flickr

The small single story, three-tiered structure was constructed with western influence and the guidance of Hawaiians - for example the slightly off-centered windows were built as such in order to ward off the spirits of the Night Marchers, who are commonly thought to roam the area near the Pali Lookout.

Noodles and Beef/Flickr

The grass roof is long gone, and all that remains are a few walls, the main entrance, a few windows - and lots of crumbling stone. Unfortunately, you are not allowed to visit the ruins and must simply admire this stunning piece of Hawaiian history in photographs.

Megan Shute

Out of respect for this unprotected historic site, and in light of recent vandalism, we are choosing to refrain from giving out exact directions to the waterfall and ruins, even though I have to admit that the graffiti certainly makes for a dynamic photograph. To visit the stunning waterfall, you will need to secure a day permit through thee Hawaii Division of Forestry & Wildlife. Visiting the ruins is unfortunately strictly off-limits.

The trail is in a restricted watershed area, and hikers need to apply for a permit in order to make the trek legally, but trust us, it’s totally worth the hassle. This is actually one of my favorite Oahu hiking trails, and I take everyone who visits on this beautiful journey through the Hawaiian jungle.

For more hiking adventures throughout Hawaiii, check out these 11 historic hikes, these 12 unforgettable trails, or these 12 waterfall hikes.