Level: Novice
Total distance: 1.6 miles (out and back)

From summit ridges to lush, green valleys, fast-running streams to bone-dry brush, Hawai'i's public access trails offer an unrivaled variety of unique hiking experiences — sometimes on a single trail. This summer, Advertiser reporter Michael Tsai takes a look at some of O'ahu's best novice, intermediate and advanced trails.

To hear some hard-core hikers tell it, Manoa Falls Trail is to hiking what those "Shopaholic" novels — wildly popular but without a lick of substance — are to literature.

And, to be sure, there is an effortless, lowest-common-denominator feel to both. One could argue that both are cynically constructed for easy consumption, the fingerprints of their authors a bit too obvious in the product.

But the stance might be a bit snooty. For all of the obvious quibbles a hiking purist might raise — the gravel fills, the plastic steps, the scenery-spoiling signs, the throngs of tourists — Manoa Falls Trail, much like your favorite fall-back date in college, does have its charms.

It's easy: From trailhead to waterfall, the trail measures just .8 mile, most of it wide, stable and only very gently ascending. Taken slowly, it's a hike suitable for kids, seniors and those who wouldn't ordinarily consider hiking anything but Diamond Head.

It's convenient: The trail begins near the old Paradise Park in Manoa, a five-minute drive from the University of Hawai'i. If you work in town, it's the sort of in-and-out hike you can take an hour before or after work or during a long lunch break.

It's pretty: If you look past the ubiquitous signs and pay no mind to the aggressive maintenance work necessary to keep the trail passable to thousands of hikers each year, you can appreciate the natural beauty of Waihi Stream, a grove of young bamboo and clusters of white ginger.

The trail begins on broad, flat ground and proceeds over a stream via a small bridge. The path continues left alongside a second stream that eventually splits into 'Aihualama and Waihi streams.

While the path here is wide and relatively even, rocks and long ridgelike roots demand attention, particularly from inexperienced hikers.

The trail progresses alongside Waihi Stream, past the bamboo grove, rising gently along a narrowing path. The incline of the trail increases slightly on the approach to the falls, but there are ample steps, both natural and man-made, along the way to make the climb more than manageable.

Due to the year-round, high traffic on the trail, the state's trails and access program has had to take an aggressive stance in dealing with human-sped erosion. Much of the first part of the trail is filled in with gravel. Steps made from recycled plastic lumber are present at every notable incline (although the soil immediately around them is also starting to erode).

As the trail narrows, hikers tend to bottleneck around slower moving hikers who are unaware of hiking protocols and etiquette. Patience is required.

The waterfall area elicits differing interpretations. What some see as an awe-inspiring spectacle of nature, others see as a masterpiece of unintentional comedy: dozens of once-a-year hikers waiting in line for a picture with the waterfall, surrounded by guard wire and signs warning of rock falls and leptospirosis.

For those who seek a less-harried experience, try going early in the morning or just before twilight when the crowds are thinnest. Then find a comfortable rock at the base of the pool, breathe the cool forest air and listen for the song birds.

But leave the "Shopaholic" novel at home.

DIRECTIONS TO TRAILHEAD

From Punahou Street, head mauka toward Mänoa. Stay left as Punahou turns into Mänoa Road. Follow Mänoa Road until it terminates at the Paradise Park parking lot near the Lyon Arboretum. Parking is available in the lot or in the neighborhood below.

WHAT WE LIKE

It’s short enough and easy enough for hikers of all ages and ability levels. In 15-30 minutes of gentle hiking, you can leave the city behind and dip your feet in a waterfall pool in the middle of a rain forest.

WHAT WE DON’T LIKE

All of the signs, gravel fills, and plastic steps detract from the nature experience. There’s hardly a time of day when the trail isn’t crowded with tour groups and solo nature walkers. The parking options are to park far off trail for free or pony up $5 for parking at the Paradise Park lot.

Reach Michael Tsai at mtsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.