The trail is well-defined and fairly eroded because of heavy use. On the one-mile hike to the Falls, you'll pass through a damp rain forest, climb some short, rocky sections, pass over some man-made boardwalks, and ascend some stairs. Before you know it, you'll hear the hissing of water and voila, Manoa Falls will appear before you.

When I journeyed on this route, I stopped just briefly at the cascade (a half dozen people were exploring the area around the pool at the time). Signs warned against climbing above the falls, but I had heard of many who had ascended the steep, slippery trail nevertheless. On occasions in the past, some of these sign-ignorers become stranded and must be rescued by emergency crews. Others fall and are injured; several have plunged to their deaths.