Waimea Canyon is like the Grand Canyon with breathtaking overlooks and challenging hiking trails. We hiked the Kukui Trail, which takes you 2.5 miles and 2,000' down to the Waimea River. This is a somewhat difficult trail due to how steep it is particularly on the way back. We could see large waterfalls in the distance as we neared the top. Some parts were muddy due to the rain the day before so slippery. We only saw a couple of other people on this hike. 
A special treat for Paul and I, our week in Hawaii (March 3-11, 2013) was spent kayaking the Wailua River followed by a one mile easy hike to Secret or Sacred Falls. We chose to rent our own kayak and not have a guide which worked out perfectly since it was very easy to navigate the river and trail. The river is very peaceful and relaxing and lined with the most beautiful tropical scenery on earth! We rowed approx. 45 mins. or 2 miles to the trail head where we parked the kayak and changed to our hiking boots (although water shoes would have been better). The trail was easy and fairly level although there were giant tree roots in places to climb over that were fascinating. The sound of the river near by with the smell of the trees/plants was intoxicating! We were rewarded by a refreshing dip in the pool beneath the 100' Secret Fall (the Hawaiian name is Uluwehi.) On the way back we stopped at the Fern Grotto.
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.
Paul and I spent the week of March 3 - 11, 2013 in Kauai, HI. The first day we decided to hike the "Blue Hole" trail which takes you to the heart or center of Kauai and is the wettest place on earth. Since we didn't have 4 wheel drive, we parked the Mustang convertible a short way down the bumpy road and walked 3 miles to the trail. The narrow trail wound through dense and often muddy jungle and cris-crossed the stream. We were glad we had hiking poles as it was hard to balance while crossing the stream and through the mud. The trail was marked occasionally with pink plastic ties on the tree branches and sometimes rock cairns. This is a popular area for helicopter tours and leads to the gate shown in the movie "Jurasic Park". After about a mile and a half of bushwacking through the jungle, it was already getting late, we decided to turn back. We saw beautiful waterfalls in the distance, orchids everywhere and a large yellow mushroom. We did not see any animals or scary insects. It was a very satisfying, fun and adventurous day. On the way back some kids gave us a ride the last mile to our car. 
Click on this link to see a great photo of the Blue Hole http://great-hikes.com/blog/blue-hole/
