Ohana Bike Trail

Ohana Bike Trail

Posted to OHE on 26 August 2019 by Joe Bussen

The Ohana Bike Trail is 0.9 mile from my house; I’m in there once or twice a week when it is dry. The Bike League did an amazing job, getting the necessary permissions, bringing in a machine that digs, banks, and compacts the path. They even put in drainage culverts. It has held up quite well.

Trailheads and Parking

The trail heads are at either end of Old Kalanianaole Highway. There is parking for half a dozen cars at each end. It is pretty busy with bikers on weekends and holidays, including the parking, but you can still hike. You do have to be ready to jump out of the way; they can go really fast downhill.

The only sign at the Kailua end is the Norfolk sign for the housing area ahead. The approach trail at the Waimanalo end is called the White Fence Trail, a bit confusing since there is a white fence at both ends.

Kailua to Waimanalo

Starting from the Kailua end, you ascend from 200' to about 600' on 22 switchbacks. The trail then levels out for a gradual rise of another 200' over 1.5–1.75 miles, reaching the junction with Waimanalo Ridge, also known as the Olomana Hope Trail. There is actually a bicycle repair station there.

The trail descends very gradually through an interminable series of switchbacks down the flank of Waimanalo Ridge, almost rejoining the ridge top near a construction site for new homes. I suggest hikers turn left at the repair station to descend Hope, which is faster than all the switchbacks and a very nice trail. Bikers have adopted this stretch; it is now signed as the Renegade Trail. You reach the big rock face with a great viewpoint on top. Where previously you had to skirt around or scramble back to the ridge-top, it is now like a sidewalk.

From there, down through a low swale and a right curve, Renegade goes straight down (eventually to the Ditch Trail) while Hope swings left, uphill briefly, to a three-post junction and continues down the ridge-top. This section is also a bike route, thanks to one person, a vigorous young man named Kea.

Where Hope degenerates into a rutted, tall-grass-filled mess, you will find Kea's newly built steep switchback trail (signed) dropping down to rejoin the Ohana Bike Trail (OBT). Ten more minutes brings you to switchbacks 4-3-2-1 and Sullivan's Lookout (yellow bench to sit on). There are many bike trails down to the Ditch Trail. Staying on the OBT, signs lead you to the White Fence Trail and the Old Kalanianaole Highway trailhead.

Access from Hope Makai End

The easiest access to Hope makai end is the reverse: go up White Fence past Sullivan's Lookout, four switchbacks, about ten more minutes straight, and look for Kea's trail on the right (easy to miss since it is a downhill-only bike trail). Climb up to join Hope.

Connecting Trails

The Kailua end of the OBT provides access to my new trail, Olomana Alo (“front-side”), which connects over to the Olomana Trail. This trail makes it possible to circumnavigate Olomana afoot: Olomana Alo, about 7 minutes on Olomana Trail, Olomana Express (or Luana Trail), Olomana Hope, and the Ohana Bike Trail. Only two people have completed the full circuit in one go, as far as I know: Ed Mersino and David Jacobs (both solo).

—Joe