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By George F. Lee, Star-Bulletin
Hikers on an organized tour of the Manoa Falls trail
yesterday stopped to catch their breath and listen to
their guide discuss the flora and fauna. The state is
concerned about heavy traffic on the trail, and will
start limiting its use next month, requiring permits
for groups of a dozen or more.

State to cut traffic
on Manoa trail

Permits will be required
of organized groups of 12
and up, starting June 1

By Treena Shapiro
Star-Bulletin

The Medeiros family encountered about 50 people while hiking yesterday morning at Manoa Falls.

An hour later, more than 100 other people had hiked to the waterfall at the top of the 0.8-mile trail, including one guided, nonprofit tour of 15. While that might not seem like many, the state says Manoa Falls averages about 100 hikers a day.

The state wants to limit traffic on the trail next month by requiring all organized groups of 12 or more people to have permits beginning June 1. Currently, only commercial tour vendors are required to have permits to use the Manoa Falls trail.

Noncommercial groups will be restricted to one tour of as many as 30 people every 30 days.

"It's good. You gotta have population control, especially on a nature preserve," said Waikane resident D. Medeiros. "Plus, they're doing restoration up there, so this will help."

High traffic has caused degradation to the trail, said Aaron Lowe of the Na Ala Hele Trails and Access Program.

While commercial tour vendors give $3 for every person for trail maintenance, noncommercial groups have no such requirement, even though several ask for donations of about $15 a person. None of the donations go for upkeep of the trail.

Once the permit process goes into effect, Lowe plans to be at Manoa Falls with enforcement officers to stop every group of more than 12 people. He said he won't be turning noncommercial groups away, but instead will issue permits so the groups can't come back until 30 days later.

Eco-Quest/Hawaii Wilderness Foundation, a nonprofit organization which leads several hikes daily for a $15 donation, declined to comment.

On one of Eco-Quest's tours, Shane Pilkington of Schofield Barracks said his tour leader had mentioned the new restrictions. "I think it's a good idea," he said.

But he said he didn't mind paying the $15 donation to take the tour. "We wanted to pay it because it's for a good cause."

The nonprofit group also offers T-shirts and certificates at the trail head.

"It's surprising they're selling T-shirts down there," said Kailua resident Henry Mowilos. "They shouldn't be allowed to do that."

His wife, Lynda, said the trail should be open to everyone, but not big tours.

As part of the new rules, the state will also begin citing commercial tour operators without permits.

Only two commercial vendors are permitted to lead hikes on the Manoa Falls trail -- Ohana Adventure Tours and Oahu Nature Tours.

But the state has sent certified letters to 13 other commercial tour operators known to lead Manoa Falls hikes, and Lowe said 11 already know they are not in compliance. These would be cited and fined, he said.