Kapena Falls

Kapena Falls is a fun spot to spend an afternoon.  To get there, park at the very bottom of the curvy drive at Nuuanu Memorial Park.  The trailhead is through the grass on the left side close to the storage shed thing.  You can call it a hike I guess, but it's so short and totally navigable in flip flops.  The short hike is very pretty and has sort of an Indiana Jones vibe.  We noticed this cage up against the rock wall when we were headed in, and on the way back out we finally figured out what it was for.  It protects some hieroglyphs on the rock wall.  Once you get to the falls, there is lots to do here.  There are several spots surrounding the falls that you can jump in, as well as a huge cliff that you can jump off past the far side of the falls.  There are also a couple rope swings on the opposite side of the pool, so there are activities for people at all levels of bravery.  I would recommend this if you want a short hike with a fun reward at the end.

The trail starts through the grass on the right side of this photo

See what I mean about Indiana Jones-ish?

Haven't seen one of these guys here before

The cage...

And what's inside

The huge cliff you can jump off

It made me dizzy just looking over the edge

Making sure the tree is strong enough

Jackass Ginger Pool/Judd Trail

This is a very short hike that leads to a pool where there is a natural rock slide and a little cliff you can jump off of.  To get there, take the Pali and then turn right (if coming from the Waikiki direction) at Nuuanu Pali Drive and then park alongside the road when you see the Judd trail marker sign on the right.  After you start hiking, cross the stream right when you get to it and then take a right through the bamboo forest.  This is a great activity if you want a quick hike with something fun to do at the end of it. 

Bamboo Forest

The falls at the pool

Blake making sure it's deep enough that we won't die if we jump in

Getting ready to do the slide

How it looks in the pouring rain.  It rains often along the Pali.

Pali Lookout

Pali Lookout is a fun place to stop at if you are heading through the island on the Pali Highway.  It is really easy to find, there are signs for the lookout exit on the highway from either direction.  Parking is $3 at the lookout.  You can enjoy a beautiful view from between two mountain peaks down to the valley and ocean below. 

At times it can be very windy there.  Like really really windy.  Here is a video of Blake's cousin and her friend when they were vacationing here.

There are also some hikes/walking trails nearby.  The one I have done so far is actually the old Pali Highway that is now overgrown.  It is pretty awesome.

 The next picture is a view of the lookout from the walking trail.

And now, a picture of us at the lookout.  Cuuuuuute.