Ka'ena Point, Makaha side

It's kind of strange how the government of Oahu hasn't connected the two dead ends that both reach Ka'ena Point. It would be wonderful if you could drive around the island and if the people in Makaha had access to the North Shore and vice versa, but instead, there is a hiking trail connecting the end of Farrington Highway in Makaha with the end of Farrington Highway on the North Shore. It's maddening! It takes 1 hour and 20 minutes to drive between the two now, because you must go through the middle of the island. With a road, it would take five minutes.

Whatever the reason for this, you can still enjoy the hike and make the best of it! It takes two hours each way (five miles), with wonderful mountain views along the way. The hike is on a wide easy dirt road, and little parallel paths diverge off, taking you right to the edge of the ocean. Enjoy seeing the rock pools and swirling water below, plus a blowhole and sea arch. The rock formations change with each new vista. This is an easy hike that even little kids can do. Come early in the day since there's no shade.
After two miles you might want to turn around rather than reach the North Shore because the trail is not maintained well and you have to scramble over some rocks. If you do continue here, you'll come to a much cooler, windier part of the trail as you near the North Shore.
There used to be a train that ran where this trail now goes, connecting Haleiwa with Honolulu, delivering sugar cane.
Ka'ena Point has many Hawaiian legends associated with it, perhaps because it is an interesting place where rotor wind gusts occur because of the mountain ridges above. Often the clouds go in a different direction to the winds below.
After your hike, jump in the water at Yokohama Bay, the nearest beach, which handily has a lifeguard, or at blissful Makua Beach.
Check out more places with fascinating Hawaiian meaning, in the book Exploring Lost Oahu.

Directions

The are two Ka'ena Points on Oahu. The one discussed here is at the northern dead end of Farrington Highway in Makaha. There is a parking lot which usually has a few cars, but don't leave anything that is valuable or hard to replace in your car.

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