Pauoa Flats

January 27, 2010 on 7:53 am | In Hiking |

We hiked Pu’u Ohia to Pauoa Flats last week. Had a great time except for ending up on the Nuuanu Overlook trail and heading away from the Pauoa Flats loop thanks to some confusing signage. If you do this trail, you will do Pu’u Ohia to brief left on Manoa Cliffs trail (note: you’ll see a fence cordoning off a section of forest where native plants are being reintroduced, go through the gate - they are trying to keep pigs out, not hikers), then at junction with Pauoa Flats trail take a hard left to do the route clockwise. Note that the sign will say you are still on Manoa Cliffs trail briefly. When you hit Kalawahine junction, you will then bear right to stay on Pauoa Flats trail. Continue to bear right around the loop and you should end back at the Manoa Cliffs trail for another brief stint until it hits Pu’u Ohia again. (I had a map, compass, GPS and good sense and still managed to get confused by the signage, so please take a map and compass with you always.) As always, Sam was a trooper and we had a great time despite this learning experience. When back at the confusing junction and studying the sign, Sam said to mom: “Mom, that’s what I told you, go left on this trail right here!” (pointing to the correct trail). The onlookers smiled in amusement.