Hike #7 - Kalalau Trail, Kauai, HI
The highlight of our week long trip to Kauai was hiking the Kalalau Trail on the Na Pali coast. This hike really showcased the beautiful garden of Kauai and the scenic coastline. I could not stop taking pictures. The 11 mile trail starts on the North end of the island at Ke'e Beach. The first 2 mile section to Hanakapi'ai Beach offers jaw dropping views of the ocean and coastline. As we neared Hanakapi'ai we saw a sign warning us not to enter the water due to the dangerous rip tide. There were tick marks on the sign for 82 tourists that have lost their life to date there. After a short break to enjoy the beach, we continued on the next 4 miles to Hanakoa valley. This section climbed 800' with steep switchbacks. Once we arrived at the Hanakoa Valley we rested and ate lunch at a picnic/camping spot. This is a popular spot where some people spend the night and return back the next day. Thanks to some help from some locals that knew the area, we were able to find the 1 1/2 mile trail to the Hanakoa Falls. We were the only people there. The water was cold so we did not get in above our knees but the falls were beautiful and well worth the additional time to hike there. We returned back to Ke'e Beach and hope to hike the entire 11 miles one way and camp out, on a future trip.
The highlight of our week long trip to Kauai was hiking the Kalalau Trail on the Na Pali coast. This hike really showcased the beautiful garden of Kauai and the scenic coastline. I could not stop taking pictures. The 11 mile trail starts on the North end of the island at Ke'e Beach. The first 2 mile section to Hanakapi'ai Beach offers jaw dropping views of the ocean and coastline. As we neared Hanakapi'ai we saw a sign warning us not to enter the water due to the dangerous rip tide. There were tick marks on the sign for 82 tourists that have lost their life to date there. After a short break to enjoy the beach, we continued on the next 4 miles to Hanakoa valley. This section climbed 800' with steep switchbacks. Once we arrived at the Hanakoa Valley we rested and ate lunch at a picnic/camping spot. This is a popular spot where some people spend the night and return back the next day. Thanks to some help from some locals that knew the area, we were able to find the 1 1/2 mile trail to the Hanakoa Falls. We were the only people there. The water was cold so we did not get in above our knees but the falls were beautiful and well worth the additional time to hike there. We returned back to Ke'e Beach and hope to hike the entire 11 miles one way and camp out, on a future trip.
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