Wow. Never before had I been in a place where you can spend the mornings hiking, wandering through underbrush and up winding mountain trails to stunning panoramic views, and then retreat to the beach in the afternoon with less than a 20 minute drive between the two. Kauai was a true paradise. We opted to honeymoon here for that exact reason. We wanted a combination of adventure and beach and didn't want to deal with a logistical headache or arduous travel plans to make both a reality. It fit the bill. Overall, the hikes were stunning, but when you read that they are muddy, you better believe it. We had to hose our boots off at the end of the trip and my socks are still tinged with the red colored dirt. Below, I'll outline a few of our favorite hikes:
Sleeping Giant (3.6 miles). As you near the top, you get into more of a rock scramble with a few spots that those with a fear of heights might not appreciate. Overall, stunning views!:
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| On the trail, not too far into the ascent |
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| Views along the trail |
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| A rain storm in the distance |
Ho'opi'i Falls (2 miles total out and back). Short, easy trail to waterfalls. We liked the second waterfall much better than the first.
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| Old automobile frame. I wonder how it got there! |
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| On the trail |
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| At the second falls |
Waimea Canyon (via canyon trail) [the trail takes you to top of Waipoo falls]:
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| tiny falls at the top of Waipoo falls |
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| View of the falls from a roadside pull off (since you can't actually see them from the trail we did) |
Kalalau Trail To Hanakapai Falls (8 miles total; out and back). If you don't book far enough in advance to get a parking spot, you'll likely have to take a shuttle in. It wasn't expensive (I think $15 pp in Oct 2019) and took us from Princeville to the park. However, it does only leave once per hour and fills fast in the afternoon, so we did have to plan our exit from the park carefully. Even with that, this was one of our favorites of the trip (and maybe ever):
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| One of my favorite views on the whole trip. Napali coast |
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| Falls from a distance |
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| And we made it! |
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| Seal at Hanakapai beach (~2 miles into the trail). |
