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By Ken Ige, Star-Bulletin
Oahu Na Ala Hele Trails and Access technician Julie Rivers
and state Land Department Specialist Aaron J. Lowe watch the
trailhead at Manoa Falls yesterday to limit hiking groups
without permits to 12 people.

End of the trail off
limits at Manoa Falls

By Treena Shapiro
Star-Bulletin

State officials today were to block hikers from going to the end of Manoa Falls Trail and entering the pool area, which is contaminated with leptospirosis and has a potential for falling rocks.

The idea is to get people to "stop, look, take a picture and turn around" less than 100 feet from the top of the trail rather than enter the water, said Aaron Lowe, Na Ala Hele Trails and Access Program specialist.

While leptospirosis warnings are posted at the trail, keeping people away from the waterfall is protection against a different kind of exposure: the risk of rockfalls and slides.

By Ken Ige, Star-Bulletin
A sign at the trailhead spells out the restrictions.

The state Forestry and Wildlife Division has increased monitoring of risks on the trail, Lowe said, and yesterday the state launched a three-month trial permit system which will limit group hikes of more than 12 people, and therefore reduce the number of "targets" for falling rocks and trees.

"We'll see if this works to get the numbers down," said Lowe, handing out information about the permit system at the trail's parking lot today. If this doesn't work, one possibility is to close the trail temporarily to allow time for restoration, he said.

High use of the trail has resulted in complaints from residents and degradation to the area. Since 1995, volunteers have put 1,615 hours into restoration and improvements on the trail.

"The trail looks better, but our goal was to have it last 10 years," Lowe said. Instead, the trail has been "demolished" by heavy use.

The new permit system targets noncommercial tour operators who lead more than 12 hikers up the trail daily. The permit will restrict noncommercial tour guides to one group of 30 people every 30 days. It will also prevent a guide from bringing multiple groups of less than 12 people up in one day, Lowe said.

Commercial tour vendors are covered by another permit system, and Lowe said unlicensed vendors will be cited.

All vendors are subject to a $500 fine for exceeding group-size limits.