Ko'olau Golf Course to Pali Lookout via Old Pali Road
This hike can be accessed from a few different trailheads, and we chose to explore the Ko'Olau Golf Course entrance. The 3.1 mile hike consists of 1,874 ft elevation gain through rain forest terrains, as well as paved portions of the Old Pali Road. The trail leads you under the Pali highway, up a ladder, and back on trail to the Pali lookout. There were a few large gates to "creatively" bypass to access the entire trail, but the views from the lookout were completely worth it!
Getting There
The Ko'Olau Golf Club has recently closed, and is now a church. Street parking is available outside of the church gate, be sure to park completely off of the road to avoid a ticket. Once you have parked you will head towards a gate to the left of the church gate. Once you squeeze by the first gate, there will be another fence, and a small opening in the brush to the right of the fence. This small opening is a path that will bypass the fence and lead you onto the start of the trail along the Old Pali Road.
The Adventure
The Old Pali Road was previously used as a route through the Ko'olau Mountains prior to the building of the Pali highway in the 1950s. An old bridge built in 1919 is located near the start of the trailhead. The historical architecture and lush trees of the bridge remind me of some of the historical sights in Savannah, GA.
According to some sources, the Old Pali road is haunted, and the Pali lookout is said to be the site of a major battle during King Kamehameha's campaign to unify the Hawaiian Islands. Hundreds of warriors were pushed over the lookout, and fell to their deaths. There have been several reports of the warrior's lost souls seen wandering the area after dark. Other sources have reported paranormal activity at the end of the Old Pali Road near the Ko'Olau Golf course entrance, also known as the abandoned Kiona'ole Road.
While there are tons of reports of ghost encounters on the trail, we were lucky enough to only experience the beauty of all of the historical sites we came across!
Click here to find more trailhead options for the Pali Lookout
Link to my favorite Solomon Hiking shoes here.
If you like this post, feel free to share it or pin it!
