Waihe’e ridge trail hike is a 5 mile round trip hike which is both covered and uncovered so make sure to wear your sunscreen. The terrain can be very slippery as some of the trail is usually in the clouds on gloomy or overcast days.

The trail begins up the steep hill next to the gravel parking lot up a windy road across from the Mendes Farm. Once you get to the windy road you will see a gravel parking area in the beginning of the winding road, THERE IS A CLOSER PARKING AREA so continue to follow the winding road to the top. The path to the beginning of the trail head begins to the left near the parking area.

The trail begins with an amazing rainforest where you can see many species of birds, and a variety of flora and fauna. One of the most breathtaking things about the start of the trail was the trees. 

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As you continue up the trail you’ll take windy turns until you reach a bench for relaxing a gazing towards the ocean: this is only the beginning. A half mile up and you’ll approach a platform for a 180 degree view of the island (this day was very overcast for us). The view is breathtaking and you can see streams, valleys, small waterfalls (on a rainy day), and all the way to the ocean.

The trail continues on to the muddy parts where spikes on your hiking shoes will definitely come in handy as much work is being done on the trail. At one point, it felt like a complete slip and slide as the rains began. I suppose that was part of the fun for me. Although I made it in and out in a fairly decent amount of time. I would highly recommend to bring lunch with you as the end of the trail has another platform with a few benches for eating which overlooks many valleys and nearby ranges. Unfortunate for us, we were encapsulated by clouds at the end which led to an unclear view of everything. Nonetheless, the hike was well worth the trip and offered viewing of both rainforest and ridge terrains.

Remember to always respect the land you visit by removing all your trash and brushing your shoes before and after you enter any forest for preservation of our local flora and fauna. I hope this inspires you to get outdoors.

Happy hiking friends!