​Waimea Valley Trail, Oahu, Hawaii

Length:                               2 miles out and back
​Width:                                 8 feet
Surface type:                     Asphalt
Typical grade:                   2%
Maximum grade:             10%
Typical cross slope:          0%
Maximum cross slope:    4%
Obstacles:                           Stairs to the swimming area
Use Fee required?:           $20 per adult
Accessible features:        There are restrooms at the beginning of the trail and at the waterfall. There is parking in front of the visitor center/souvenir shop and additional parking prior to reaching the visitor center. There are ramps for access to everything. 

The Waimea Valley Trail is a beautiful, fully paved, trail through a lush botanical garden with plants from not only Hawaii, but also Central America, South America, and the south Pacific. They do a great job of highlighting the local wildlife and you are bound to see some beautiful birds and butterflies. 

The trail is approximately 1 mile in and 1 mile out, but there are multiple routes that are all paved and maintained that you can access to extend the length of your hike. The primary path would be considered a ”wheelchair accessible trail” by many people. On the primary path to the waterfall, there are 4 spots in the trail where the grade increases to 10%, but the grade increase is for a short length, with the longest grade increase being approximately 1000-1500 feet long. The longest grade increase is approximately three quarters of the way in to the park and there are many other things to experience if this grade is too intense. If you are able to take the steps down to the water, you are allowed to swim at the waterfall. They provide life-jackets to anyone going near the water. 

There are some smaller activities and botanical features that do not fall on the primary paved trail. All are maintained well, but some have stairs and are mildly graded dirt rather than asphalt. 

Reviewed by Stacie Lang
Visited March 3, 2021