Kuaokalā is a six mile loop that meanders along the wide, open ridges of the northern Wai‘anae Range. The climate, vegetation and scenery on this trail offer a unique contrast to the greener, wetter trails of the Ko‘olau Range. The views are grandiose and require little effort to obtain, making it an excellent hike for novice and intermediate hikers.

More photos on Flickr: Kuaokalā, 12/27/11

Kawainui is a short 5 mile trail that ends at the largest freshwater pool on O‘ahu. Public access is restricted since the road leading to the trailhead belongs to the military and starts in private agricultural land. To hike this trail, consider becoming a member of the Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club. These photos are from a club hike on October 22, 2011.

Note: although this is not a particularly dangerous trail, extreme care must be taken when hiking near the stream due to the possibility of flash flooding. The water levels in these photos do not represent normal stream flow. At one point along the trail, there was evidence of a flash flood reaching over five feet high in a relatively wide area.

More photos on Flickr: Kawainui, 10/02/11