Three Corners

We made the hour drive to the North Shore to meet up with the HTMC ( Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club ) to do their annual hike to Three Corners. We parked right outside the Mokuleia Forest Reserve Access Road, which is very popular with walkers, runners and bicyclists. After the obligatory briefing and checking in with the hike leader, we shoved off a little past 9am.

Gulch

We walked about two miles on the paved road until we came to a bend in the road and then hopped over the guardrail into the gulch. Parts of the gulch floor were covered with kukui nut shells which felt like ball bearings under our feet as we walked over them. We soon climbed over a fence meant to keep out pigs and other animals that can harm the native plants and birds. Then we followed the fenceline all the way to the top.

Mokuleia Trail

We eventually connected to the Mokuleia Trail where we ran into a couple Boy Scouts who were shoveling and compacting the trail. Be prepared. A little later, we walked into the HTMC camping site. After a brief water stop, we took the path going up Makua rim to continue the hike to Three Corners.

Ohikilolo ridge

We got to the top of Makua rim and took a left towards the trail to Three Corners. If you take a right you will hit the Kuaokala Trail that will take you to the northern end of the Waianae mountain range.

Follow the fenceline

We continued to follow the sign and fenceline as the ridge rollercoastered going up and down, mainly down. While the fence is a blight on the landscape, it sure does come in handy as a handhold.

Makaha valley

We got to to the top of Three Corners around 12:30pm. Just in time to eat lunch. Some of our hiking group had got separated and took a longer route to get to the top, but they didn’t seem the worse for wear.

Makua valley

Three Corners is aptly named because at this point you can see the valleys of Makua, Makaha and Mokuleia.

Mokuleia

We spent about half an hour up at the top eating lunch and taking pictures. Weather conditions cooperated in giving us a great hike and the the views that go along with it.

Peacock Flats

After our group came back down from the ridge and assembled at the HTMC camping site, two exit options were offered. Most of the hiking group decided to return the way we had come from. Our smaller group elected to continue down Mokuleia Trail, pass Peacock Flats and descend down the nearly four mile paved road back to the trailhead. While our route did prove faster coming down, it was harder on the feet as my blisters soon proved. And I had the Great Aloha Run the next day.

Glider

We got back to our cars after six hours of hiking and covering over ten miles. I wish I knew somebody who had the keys to these DLNR gates. That would sure save a lot of time pounding the pavement.

Tagged as: htmc, makaha valley, makua valley, mokuleia, mokuleia trail, north shore, ohikilolo, peacock flats, three corners, waianae mountain range