The Judd Trail is supposed to be a pretty easy trail on Oahu. Not a ridge hike by any means. Just a creek crossing and a loop. Last time we tried this, it was super muddy and we hadn't really read about what to expect. There are lots and lots and lots of offshoots, so for us ... easy to get lost. This time we read ahead.
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| Cut-out entrance to Judd Trail ... nicely mark |
We drove up the Pali and onto Nu'uanu Drive. We knew to look for the cut-out in the trees and found it. We pulled over and parked on a widened part of the road and slathered on the insect repellant. Totally necessary.
The trail is easily marked on packed pine needles. It's nicely shaded with the very tall Cook Pines which I find really beautiful and fascinating.They make an amazing canopy
After about 3-5 minutes, we heard the trickling water and came across the stream crossing. It can get slippery when wet.
After crossing the stream, the path splits. You can choose either direction, but we had read advice to follow right to go counterclockwise ... or was it left and go clockwise around the loop? I can't remember. It's a loop, so no matter what it all leads back to the same place. But, based on advice we had read, if you go one direction, right? left? the back-side of the loop can be confusing. We knew that heading left there was an offshoot trail that is longer and more complex...the Nu'uanu Pali Trail. We weren't gearing for that today ... just a short 2-mile loop. We went right and followed the stream. Still pretty easily marked. Along the way, there were some off-shoot trails that go down to the stream and the Ginger Pool, which is a common hang-out spot for locals. We decided to climb down and follow the stream a little while.
We came across beautiful small falls and pools. We had forgotten about Ginger Pool and didn't follow that far. We weren't interested in a strenuous hike today and we could tell we were getting further and further down the hill from the main trail above us. So, after a bit, we climbed back up and continued following the trail.
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| Up an offshoot back to path |
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| Path not as clear here, but not so bad. Why did we miss it? |
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| Same here? Why couldn't we find the path? |
Then it got a bit tricky. We obviously chose the wrong direction. We were talking and following the path ... and then we lost the path. So, this is what the guides meant about it being easy to wander off trail if you go right, instead of left. I should have paid more attention. So, we climbed up because we saw the path above us. Then we climbed down because we saw the path below us. Then we went straight until we hit a dead-end. Up. Down, Ahead. Repeat. Where is the danged, wide, easily-marked, path? Got out the trusty phone and checked MapMyRun ... there it is, we're not far? Why am I getting farther away? OK, turn around, still seem to be going the wrong direction. Obviously, I can't read a map. Sigh!!! Ultimately, the phone died. Uploaded MapMyRun App to the Musician's phone and we're in business. Found the path ... or at least a path. Oh, look, the sign to the off-shoot to the start of the Nu'uanu Pali Trail, we're not lost! Now, I hear the stream on the right? Did we pass the split and stream crossing? Yup, we did. We just cut the hypotenuse and are starting lap 2. Turn around and backtrack to the split and the stream crossing. The Musician thinks we didn't complete the hike because we didn't follow the full loop. I think we completed the hike, we just took a slightly different route to get back to the top of the loop. Voting? Who is right? Did we finish the loop? Or not? It doesn't really matter. It was a beautiful day. We saw these pretty flowers. I don't know what they are, but I like them.
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| Part 1 ... before my phone batter died |
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| We found our way out |
