7. Oahu Birding
8. Conservation
Only after the last tree has been cut down; Only after the last river has been poisoned; Only after the last fish has been caught; Only then will you realize that money cannot be eaten.
- Cree Indian Proverb
“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, it’s not.” – Dr. Seuss
I believe there might be some down trees at Lulumahu Waterfall Trail. Which would make my blog entry that I wrote last year slightly inaccurate in directions. I am reposting the directions from a fellow blogger who hiked the trail recently using my directions. She added some helpful course corrections.
Storms and downed trees are just a reality in Hawaii. We flood here all the time. This changes the trails and directions if the trail is not a state run Na Hele Trail. Which makes me wonder if I should take down all of the directions in my blog. The purpose of posting directions was to ensure that nobody would get lost. But if I don’t have time to rehike the trail and there are downed trees, then what is the point? U guys will get lost anyways.
I would like to thank nhodson1 for the course corrections.
” You definitely should have let people know that once they get out of that second (or first if going the short way) ditch they will reach a man made dam and from there you will cross the river 7-8 times and hike at least another 30 minutes before you actually get to the falls. Your blog was wonderfully descriptive but once we got to the dam and couldn’t clearly see the trail upstream we didn’t know where to go. Luckily we saw another hiker who exainws we had to cross the river.” nhodson1
Okay, so you guys, after the second dam there is a river that runs over it. There WERE two trails running parallel to the dam. I have hiked both. Be careful if you are on the trail on the right. There is another trail that comes up from the mountains which connects to the trail on the right. If you start going up the mountain, head back down and just cross the stream and take the trail on the left. Do NOT go up the mountain. Only my mountain climber friends go up that trail and even they thought it was a little sketchy.
If there are downed trees then you are going to have cross the stream 7 to 8 times like nhodson1 said. Keep your eye on that stream. I also forgot to mention that as you climb up the boulders towards the end you will encounter a false waterfall. It looks like a waterfall but its only 10 feet high. As you climb up the boulders take note of where exactly you are going so that you may retrace your steps.
Last year, the two trails on either side of the stream would dead end at a bunch of boulders and the small waterfall. Then you climb up these boulders, past the small waterfall and you will then see Lulumahu Falls. As you climb back down the boulders, away from the waterfall, you will see a pig hunter trail on the left. Do not go on that pig hunter trail on the left. It looks like a real trail but it is not. I’m not sure where it leads. You must climb back down the boulders in order to reach the two trails below.
However, from the sound of it there are trees that are down which will make you cross the stream a few times. So I’m going to leave these directions up on my blog for a few days and then decide whether or not to take down Lulumahu blog entry. I don’t want people getting lost back there. The whole purpose of this blog was to prevent people from getting lost.
In March 2013 I made numberous trip to Lyon’s Arboretum. This particular day there was a storm which meant that Aihualama Waterfall would be flowing. Unfortunately the only time that Aihualama waterfall flows is during storms.
I took the #5 Bus to Manoa Falls trailhead. Then instead of walking straight into Manoa Falls Trail, I turned left to walk into Lyon’s Arboretum. There are many trails at Lyon’s Arboretum. I took the main graveled path to keep myself from becoming disoriented. This path leads all the way to the back of Lyon’s Arboretum. After a 10 minute walk the gravel path will turn into a forest trail with Aihualama Waterfall signs pointing the way.
This is a type of Costus Ginger. The flower excretes a surgary water which the ants enjoy.
There are many types of Costus Gingers growing in Lyon’s Arboretum. None of these gingers are endemic to Hawaii. They are considered an invasive species. Although its lovely to see them in an arboretum and legal to keep them on private property, they do tend to multiply everywhere in the wild and can choke out native seedlings.
My favorite type of wild orchid. This orchid is native to Asia.
I have never seen this crazy looking ginger before nor could I find it in any book.
Another beautiful, crazy looking ginger.
There were may types of colorful bromeliads in the back of Lyon’s Arboretum
Another brilliant bromeliad flower.
This flower has similiar insides to the native Ie’Ie but I do not believe it is native to Hawaii.
This second picture shows that flower with its petals closed up.
Thunderstorms make a forest look like night in the middle of the day.
Aihualama Waterfall is flowing!
I crossed to the right side of the waterfall to take this side shot.
