Kulepeamoa Ridge Hike

Props to whoever maintains this trail. The first 2.25 miles were quite well marked and cleared out which I found to be quite impressive, seeing as how this is not a mainstream trail.
Parking was easy. In fact we only saw two other people the whole almost four hours we were on the hike. Doesn’t seem to be marked as off limits which was a pleasant and welcome surprise.
First half a mile or so was a walk in the woods with a couple mostly dry stream crossings. Then the inevitable and seemingly unending incline began. We reached an eroded area and I had to look up a blog to determine our way – to the right. The ribbons were pretty much well laid out before and after that spot. And no, there was an obvious lack of switchbacks. Pretty much straight up baby.
Now this next half a mile nearly gave me a heart attack but that is because I am moderately out of shape (even though I run a couple miles, a couple times a week, and hike biweeklyish, and take the stairs/​walk, kind of whenever possible… Not enough to prevent an almost asthma exacerbation. Oh well.) Once we got into the iron woods and rested a bit, I felt much better.
I liked the next mile or so. A few dodgy cliff side spots, up and down and up and downs, but nothing I haven’t seen before. And then we got to the 2.25 mark (on my gps enabled watch)…and this is where we said «f this» and turned around. We got over the boulder and crawled a little along the cliff with two sheer drop offs, one on each side, and saw the steep trail-​less rope-​less incline ahead of us, with the continued sheer drop offs, one on each side, and decided it was not worth the surely beautiful view at the end. Maybe if the wind hadn’t been blowing so hard (50 mph gusts, 20 – 35 continuous, had prompted a wind advisory earlier in the day), maybe if the trail was better maintained after this point-​where were those ropes? Maybe if I didn’t have an olomana fall induced fear of heights (I have only turned around on 2 other trails for similar reasons-​halfway up peak three from the beginning, and mt kaala near the summit)…maybe if my hiking partner husband wasn’t afraid of heights as well… maybe maybe maybe. Maybe we will return one day to finish this… but probably not. Currently we are recovering on the couch and very aware of our lack of desire to do this one again. Two point five stars, rounded up to three because there are some good things about it.

Want a change from Kuliouou, Hawaii Loa Ridge, and Wiliwilinui? Well, look no further. Kulepeamoa Ridge is it! Approximately a 5.5-mi trail.
The trail begins at the dead end of Anolani Street. Street parking is abundant. Walk up the paved road after the turnaround. You’ll see a water tank (white cylindrical tank) enclosed in a fence on your left hand side. Directly to the right of the fence, you’ll see a small narrow opening between the fence and a short moss rock wall with several poles sticking up. This is the trail head. (Unlike it’s sister hikes, this hike starts from the bottom and requires you to climb to the ridge line. Hawaii Loa/​Kuliouou/​Wiliwilinui begin at the ridge.)
The trail is pretty well defined with pink/​orange trail markers along the way. Terrain changes A LOT. You cross a stream bed but it was dry when we went. Initially, it’s a steep incline. Be prepared to sweat. Take breaks if needed. At times you’re under trees, but most of the time you’re out in the open. Recommendation: once you complete the section of the ascent to the ridge, reapply sunscreen. I didn’t and my sweat took off all the sunscreen and now I have this horrible tank top and sports bra tan. Whaaa! Didn’t really encounter mosquitoes but there were bees along the trail.
There is one section that requires you to use a rope to climb an eroded and steep section of the ridge. Always be sure to tug at it before relying on any ropes. There’s multiple ropes to choose from. Once I reached the top of the roped area, I noticed that they were hooked on a metal stake. I can positively say there’s a flat, black strap that is tied down to that stake. The rope is optional for the beginning portion of that steep section. I didn’t use it but instead held it loosely in my hand in case I slipped.
Some sections of the trail are narrow with drop-​offs on either side. There’s vegetation on both sides typically but proceed with caution. You can hug one side or the other for the most part to avoid falling. If it’s windy, go slowly as you can easily lose your balance. Pictures make it look harder than it really is.
This hike isn’t commonly frequented by hikers. No one else was hiking this trail. There’s portions (actually most of it) where the trail is slowly being overgrown with vegetation. You can still clearly see the trail but you need to push through the shrubbery and bushes. Wear long pants or long socks that cover your ankles and shins at minimum. I have bruises on both ankles due to the vegetation. (It’s thick and not easy to break.) Also, there’s a lot of spider webs you go through if you’re the lead hiker. Since I was the first one, I ran through so many webs (I eventually used a stick to clear them before continuing).
I would highly recommend starting at the base of Kulepeamoa Ridge trail and hiking along the Ko’olau Summit Trail until it meets up with the Hawaii Loa Ridge trail to the west. Stage one car at Kulepeamoa Ridge and one car at the end of Hawaii Loa Ridge. After hiking up Kulepeamoa, you probably don’t want to go back down that steep slope. Apparently there’s a side trail on Hawaii Loa Ridge that brings you back to Kulepeamoa but we didn’t see it.
Views are amazing. As you climb Kulepeamoa, you can see Koko Head and Diamond Head. As you climb between the Kulepeamoa and Hawaii Loa Ridge, you can see Waimanalo, Kailua, and Kaneohe. You basically have a clear view the entire hike unless it’s covered by clouds.
Probably not for the novice hiker. You will have a good cardio workout with those climbs. I would rate it an intermediate hike for the climb and length. Would consider it harder than Kuliouou and Hawaii Loa Ridge without a doubt.
Tips:
1) Bring water. You’ll need it.
2) Wear long pants (or high socks) for trudging through shrubbery
3) Park one car at Kulepeamoa and one car at Hawaii Loa Ridge (unless you find the side trail)
4) If you have, bring gloves. Not necessary though.
5) Pack a camera for the gorgeous views!

Terrain changes are the theme of this hike and that makes for a great overall hiking experience. These different terrains will make any hiking enthusiast happy — if they can get to each terrain safely.
The overall trip (up and back) was about 5.5 miles. It is mostly uphill for the first half and downhill for the second. The hill varies in steepness and difficulty, but the middle section is definitely the hardest due to the height. It was hard on the lungs and on the legs.
After parking in the street, hikers can walk up to the water treatment center and pass through the small opening on the right, next to the fence. The path follows along the fence and then opens up to a trail. After some rain, the trail can be very wet and almost stream-​like. Speaking of streams, there is a small one that needs to be forded before continuing through the guava forest/​jungle that awaits hikers next. This section is buggy and moist, but it has lots of shade to protect travelers from the sun. The hill climb that is next is open to the elements and very hot. This hill takes hikers to the ridge which can be followed all the way to to the top! Just double back to finish the hike.
I would recommend wearing hiking shoes and possibly pants for the stream and brush that needs to be walked through. Also, be advised about some of the hunting dogs that were roaming this area. They were friendly, but I didn’t feel too easy about how far away their owners were. I would hate for something to go wrong with the dogs.
I would highly recommend this hike as it was very challenging and not highly traveled. I like being able to hike without running in to a lot of people. This was definitely a hike that afforded me that privilege. The terrain changes made it seem like a new adventure every few hundred yards as well. Go check out this hike on a nice day, you won’t regret it.

The upward direction was stairmaster. Coming back (downward) was a little challenge due loose rocks. Overall it was it’s intermediate level hike.

It was a sunny Monday, and I needed to get out to hike! I’ve had my eyes on Kuelpeamoa for a while now, as it follows a loop format similar to Wailupe Loop.
This 5.5-ish mile loop hike has you traversing a ridge that starts off in Niu Valley all the way up to the Ko’olau summit. From here you can either turn around or cross over the Ko’olau Summit to the next ridge north, Hawaii Loa. I decided to cross over to Hawaii Loa as it was a sunny day.
Navigating the trail is rather easy. There are a few junctions that require attention, but for the most part, the trail is well-​marked. Climbing up to the ridge crest requires a bit of cardio to make it up within a reasonable amount of time. After that, it’s a bit of up and down through open and covered areas to the summit. There is only one roped area and when you reach there, you’re almost to the summit of Kulepeamoa. The views (as with any Ko’olau summit hike) are fantastic on a clear day. Crossing over the Ko’olau summit is not too bad. You’ll probably be spending 10 – 20 minutes actually crossing over, depending on your level of fitness or how often you linger for pictures.
Descending down Hawaii Loa is easy. About ²⁄₃ of the way down you’ll see a side trail to your left. Navigate down this steep, well-​marked trail back down to the valley floor. Follow the path and the ribbons and you’ll eventually rejoin the trail on your return trip.
All in all, a decent hike to do.

Kulepeamoa is Hawaiian for «flapping chicken.» That has absolutely nothing to do with the hike, but it is an interesting piece of information.
I’ve covered just about every ‘sane’ ridge hike in this area and this one is my favorite. It isn’t an extreme hike by any stretch, but there are a few sections with severe drop offs to one side (never both) and a pretty good climb near the end.
The trail starts at the end of Anolani Street in Niu Valley. Super easy to find. Head straight back, up a slight incline and then down again. Make sure to hook a sharp right at the huge, dry dirt area not more than a mile in. We missed this turn and went an extra mile up Pia Stream.
The climb from there is a killer. I think we climbed to nearly 1,600 feet from about 300 feet in less than a mile. To put it in perspective, that’s like starting a ridge hike with a Kokohead climb beforehand, minus the convenient stairs.
Once you gain the ridge line, it’s your typical roller coaster until you get to the summit. The terrain changes a lot, almost mirroring the changes that happen on Hawaii Loa Ridge immediately to the west.
Toward the top, things get a bit narrow but generally you can lean away from the drop off and even if you’re afraid of heights (as I am) you should be fine.
The one climbing section looks a lot worse than it actually is. Note that the dirt is really loose and the tree that the rope is anchored to seems loose as well. This section is probably doable without the rope, but I played it safe.
After that, there are a few narrower sections but it is a quick shot to the top. The summit view is the same as the neighboring ridges (really great), and the KST crossing over to Hawaii Loa Ridge is easier than the trail you just covered. Hawaii Loa Ridge is described elsewhere. Note that the left turn back into to Pia Valley should be near the last mile of Hawaii Loa Ridge Trail and there are generally two or more pink ribbons marking the trail. It is well-​defined. There are many trails that look like they would work along the way, but if they aren’t well marked or near the end, avoid them.
The descent back into the valley is fun. Use the trees to control your speed. If you’re going at a good pace it should only take 10 – 20 minutes until you’re back at the valley floor.
Notes:
— The ridge line has limited shade and the winds can get severe. Bring more than 2L of water.
— Again, don’t miss the right turn up the ridge. You start climbing very early in the hike. Pace yourself up that section.
— Lean left on the narrow sections and you should be fine.

If outdoor cardio and amazing views is what you seek, look no further — this is the hike for you!
This hike is easily accessible, it begins at the top of the dead end street just behind the Niu Valley Shopping Center. The route is very clearly marked and within a few hundred yards of starting, you will have an uphill climb that doesn’t stop for over a mile! I won’t give any time estimates here because, like any form of cardio, it depends on what speed and level of effort you are able to maintain but imagine an elevation gain of about 1300 feet… very quickly. You’ll be huffing and puffing up this ridge and all of a sudden look behind you to realize just how far up you’ve come!
The nice thing about this hike is that the terrain and scenery constantly changes — shady ironwood groves, strawberry guava forests, few exposed areas near the top (beware on windy days, you can easily be blown over!) and if you continue to the summit, you’ll have a couple of rope climbs and an amazing view from the top, looking into the Pia Valley (from which you just ascended) and on the other side, the Waimanalo Valley and Windward side.
On this particular hike we continued along the KST toward Hawaii Loa Ridge and took a side trail which looped us back to the beginning. You could, however, stage a car at Hawaii Loa as well as the ridge is surprisingly close, we weren’t on the KST for more than 10 minutes at the most before we reached the Hawaii Loa Ridge Summit.
Make sure to bring plenty of water, snacks for the top and above all, proceed with caution. I’d rate this intermediate due to the intense climb.