Bring a minimum of 3 liters of water per person, although 4 liters is better. In consideration of being permitted to use the OHV trails promoted and maintained by Lewis County, I expressly acknowledge: PARK UPDATES: 4/30/21 - [OAHU] - The Makapuu Lighthouse Trail and parking lot at Kaiwi State Scenic Shoreline will be CLOSED May 4th through May 6th (Tuesday-Thursday) from 7:00am to 11:00am for maintenance of the trail. The final 0.25 miles is the best, when you are walking on a trail along the cliff, with awesome views north along the Na Pali Coast. Great views! Route The trail starts at a parking area near the highway 17 mile marker. For more experienced hikers I could see this being done in 3 hours. And of (All equipment on The Awaawapuhi trail is a heavily trafficked hike to a viewpoint of the famous Na Pali coastline. Thanks, Mehek! Hello Jovie. If all that sounds like fun, then by all means go for it. The Awa'awapuhi Trail starts at 4,120 feet and descends gradually to 2,500 feet over 3.25 miles to the viewpoint, and returns uphill. The Awaawapuhi trail is in Waimea Canyon, specifically Kokee State Park, on Kauais west side of the island. Even though it rained all night last night, the hike was totally do-able. For the first mile and a half, you will be descending through the forest. It was nice, but it didnt live up to our memories. Awa'awapuhi Trail Overview. There isn't one, but if type it in on an iPhone it will take you to the parking lot. 91% of travelers recommend this experience. If you think you will have trouble with this, its not worth hiking the Nualolo Trail in my opinion, since you need to hike this narrow trail to get to the best views. Copyright 2023 Guide of US, LLC. You will hike in and out of forests, through fields of grass that were taller than Tim, and on sketchy forest trails that are overgrown with thorny bushes and small trees. The Awaawapuhi Trail on the island of Kauai, Hawaii, is a single track hike not for those with a fear of heights. Plus, the parking lot was completely full at the Kokee Museum so we did not have to wait for a parking space, since our car was already here. Man Climbs To 'Edge Of The World' To Take The Scariest - HuffPost Very helpful. Do not use any trail or access road that is not delineated by name and color and that may also be displayed on these maps. We wanted a shorter day hike that would provide us with expansive views of the Napali Coast of Kauai. No, you do not need a permit for the Nualolo Trail. We had lunch at the Kokee Lodge. After around 90 minutes of awe-inspiring and downhill hiking, the trek culminates at the official viewpoint. Perhaps it is the view of the folding spires of NaPali that makes this trail so exceptional. Both will require walking along Kokee Road at some point. We had a group of 7 middle aged folks with college kids and allotted 4 hours for the hike but ended up being close to 6 hours with 3 of them barely making it back. Mud, forest, shade, all leading to awesome views! The Awaawapuhi Trail will take you on an ultimate journey as you ascend from 4,120 feet elevation in the Kokee State Park to the valley rim of Nualolo and Awaawapuhi valleys at 2,500 feet. Prefer your gain before the pain? Sections with roots and loose rocks. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. The Grand Hyatt Resort Best Family Resort:With the bestkids clubon the island,wildlife talksin thelobby, and a five-acrepool complexthat includes an enormouslazy-river pool, awaterslide, and a saltwaterlagoonbig enough forkayaking, the Grand Hyatt is unbeatable for keeping kids busy and parents happy. This is done to help stop Rapid Ohia Death, a disease that is killing Ohia trees in Hawaii, and to help prevent the spread of seeds that could still be on your shoes from other hikes. [KAUAI] Kkee State Park - Beginning TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2023, road repair work will be conducted along Kkee Road between the meadow/lodge area and the first Kalalau Lookout. Download all free or royalty-free photos and vectors. It is before the Kalalau lookout but still takes well over 30 minutes to reach there from Waimea Town. The Awa Awapuhi Hike is a 6 mile out and back hike that brings you through the lush vegetation. Shaded and muddy trail . Hike down the road first, then do the loop. Any confident hiker can make the journey to the top. After the first mile-and-a-half the forest begins to thin out and the rugged Napali coast comes into view as well as glimpses into the Awaawapuhi Valley. Ill be in Kauai on April 7-12. Awa'awapuhi Trail | Map, Guide - Kaua'i, Hawaii | AllTrails On day three, head up the coast to Hanalei Bay. [KAUAI] UPDATED 3/2/23: Polihale State Park Is CLOSED until further notice due to an electrical outage that has put the water pump out of service. Awesome view of Na Pali and Forest reserve. We use cookies for analytics tracking and advertising from our partners. PRO HIKING TIP: If you are afraid of heights, this trail could be very challenging. Awaawapuhi Trail Location West Kauai Region multiple_stop Length As for the trail, the ground was wet and slick, the texture of clay, with tangled roots nearly the entire 3+ miles. These affiliates don't cost you anything extra and help me keep the site going. Here are some of our favorite Kauai guided tours, as well as helpful maps to get you oriented. Guide of Hawaii, LLC is a privately-owned (non-government) business. SeeSand Island site for updates. Overall we are glad we choose this hike but disappointed to miss out on the stunning views of the coast. The grassy area at the end of the trail provides an excellent place to picnic. Some of the links in my content may be affiliate links. Hawaii Camping Reservation - Welcome Page On this trail, you will hike in and out of the trees, and by midday, this part of the hike can feel very warm. I slipped and fell twice. Crawley Magistrates' Court Results January 2021, Pinhook Bourbon War Vertical Series 5 Year. 3 miles down with nothing to see but trees and bush but it's worth it at the end of you are not afraid of heights and go past the gates. There will still be many steep descents, sometimes on a sandy trail and at other times on muddy dark red clay. This was a moderately difficult hike but 110% worth it for the view of the NaPali Coast and ocean. Or would recommend for the Awaawapuhi Trail as far as the best views. Here are my travel essentials. Additional Info At this point, you have hiked 6.6 miles. Awa'awapuhi Trail. Other trails or roads that branch off from the public features may be on private property, and are not managed for any public recreational use. However, if you plan to hike that loop, we recommend you hike down Nualolo and back up Awa'awapuhi. The trail starts near the 3.0 mile point on the Awaawapuhi Trail and meets the Nualolo Trail between the 3 mile and 3 1/4 mile markers. The hike is mostly through shaded forest and ending at the overlooks with some great views. Most people stop on the grassy/sandy cliffs at the turn-around point for lunch as they offer great views of the coastline. The 6-mile round trip hike is" All rights reserved Earth Trekkers. Marvel at the views of the sea as you approach the junction with the Nualolo Cliff Trail. These will give you extra traction, which is very important if it has recently rained and the trail is muddy. Because the Awaawapuhi Trail drops you so low, you feel like you are almost down in the valley looking up towards the top of the other ridges. At the end of the trail is a lookout over Awa Awa'apuhi and Nualolo valleys, the Na Pali Coast and Pacific Ocean. For these reasons, I kept my camera tucked safely in my backpack to keep it from getting damaged and dont have any photos documenting the trail! The Nualolo Cliff Trail ends at the much wider and better maintained Awaawapuhi Trail. Do i need a permit? Republishing this articleand/orany of its contents (text, photography, etc. WHAT IS THE BEST CHEAP BACKPACKER TRAVEL INSURANCE? You find mile markers by each quarter mile, that seems to make the hike easier for us. 7 Vancouver, BC, Parks for Nature, Hiking, Mountain Biking, andMore, The 400-Mile Jordan Trail Is the Ultimate Hike for Culture and Nature Buffs, This Angels Landing Video Gives a POV of Zion's Famously Scary Hike, This Strenuous Hike in Yosemite Is Worth It for the Epic Views, Hike With a Shelter Dog on an Adorable 'Dog Field Trip' in Kauai, Hawaii, This Is Why Capitol Peak, Colorado, Is the State's Hardest 14K Mountain, Hike To the Top of 2,000-Foot-Tall Cliffs in This British ColumbiaPark, Discover Stunning Crater Lakes at This Extinct Volcano Outside Mexico City, The "World's Most Dangerous Footpath" Is Now Totally Safe ToHike, Download the Luke Mcnally Fifa 21, This trail starts in Kokee State Park at 4100 ft of elevation and winds its way through heavy jungle down to 2,500 feet. The end of the trail leads to cliffs on the sea side. You dont see any in our photos because we started very early but we saw a bunch of hikers on the return part of the hike. All uphill on the way back. Kauai's Top Hotels, Resorts, B&Bs, & Vacation Rentals, Kauai's Best Tours, Excursions, & Adventures. Awa'awapuhi Trail. Its a long, challenging hike and we got through it, but it wasnt pretty. Awaawapuhi Trail. (LogOut/ We have been doing the Awaawapuhi trail when we come here. You will feel each and every single step of the way back up as you breathe through the humid air inside the forested path. Awa'awapuhi Trail. I would not go so far as buy cleats but if you have them then they would be a great plus. The hiking I am used to mainly start by walking upwards, but this is a 5km downhill walk from about 1255 masl, descending almost 500m. Learn about how to take a doors off helicopter rideand how to hike the Mahaulepu Heritage Trail. Its a mostly uphill, challenging walk back to the trailhead. 1.Awa'awapuhi and Nu'alolo Loop. This hike is straight down then straight back up, yet it's so pretty. NOTICE AND DISCLAIMER: Permit holders and trail users are advised to comply with any and all NYS COVID-19 Executive Orders/Mandates. Ride ONLY on designated trails and obey all traffic controldevices. Awaawapuhi Trail (Kekaha) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go Hiking out, you'll no doubt respect each and every foot of that; especially if you're concluding this hike as a part of theNualolo Trail/Nualolo Cliff Trail"loop." After my first slip into the mud, I decided to just own the experience. The path itself wasnt too challenging up to this point but it is clay dirt over rock and tree roots, so there are lots of places that get extremely slippery in the rain. Havent read you mentioning it so i just want to confirm. The trail begins right off Kokee Road at an elevation of 4,120 feet. However, if you plan to hike that loop, we recommend you hike down Nualolo and back up Awa'awapuhi. Enter "Awa'awapuhi Trail Parking" in Google Map. We had the viewpoint all to ourselves for a bit. It has incredible drop-offs and epic views down to the Na Pali Coast. I saw an abandoned pair of flip flops covered in mud on the first mile. AWAAWAPUHI TRAIL ON KAUAI, HAWAII - Journey Era We chose the Awaawapuhi Trail, and Im glad that we did. Save your energy for the trip back as its mostly uphill to get back to the trailhead. Overall I would say do it if you can. Awa Awapuhi Hike Trail guide on the beautiful Island of Kauai. And just note that there is no cell service along the trail, so dont expect to text, send photos, or be able to contact friends or family by phone while hiking this trail. Due to the extremely muddy conditions we found it a most difficult hike. When kids went ahead it was sunny and bright. We are older and wiser and there was something very nostalgic about returning to a place where Tim and I first hit a hiking trail together. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. If you only have time for one hike on the west side of Kauai, this is your trail. Still, it was enough to make my legs wobbly and fill my stomach with butterflies. Awa'awapuhi Trail is a spectacular hike, with the most magnificent views of the Na Distance: 6.5 miles, round-trip Location: West side, Kohee State Park Difficulty: Moderate. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. But one intrepid hiker and photographer, Scott Sharick, kicked it up a notch by going beyond where the trailhead ends and walking out onto a horrifyingly narrow ridge with a GoPro in hand to capture the moment. It feels like paradise. Even though this trail is fairly even, we recommend sturdy hiking boots since it gets quite slippery when it has been raining. How To Avoid Hotel Quarantine In Canada, When we reached it was bit cloudy, but we waited 15 minutes and it cleared. Distance: 6.2 miles out and back. Unlike the neighboring Awa'awapuhi Trail, there are no facilities or even trailhead signs. We wore shorts and short-sleeved shirts and were fine, but I did have a bumpy, itchy rash on my legs for the next 24 hours. Mahalo! Going to Kauai in 2 weeks and looking to hike the Napali Coast and the Awa'awapuhi Trail in particular. This itinerary gives you great views of both Waimea Canyon and the Na Pali Coast and can easily be done in 8 hours, without doing a massive day hike. Pinhook Bourbon War Vertical Series 5 Year, After graduating with a journalism degree, I set off to explore the world while creating adventure travel guides featuring hikes, waterfalls, beaches & adrenaline activities. Hawaii horror as hiker remembers 'seeing her face' as pal plunges to It takes you on a route along the south side of Koaie Canyon, with good scenery, wildlife and swimming holes. The farther you go, the more exposure you get and the better the view. Its safe to do solo and there should be a fair amount of hikers on the trail. Find out what we carry in our day packs and what we wear on the trails. This is a must do if you have the time! awa'awapuhi trail permit Hawaii's official trail and access website administered by the N Ala Hele Trails and Access Program, Division of Forestry and Wildlife, State of Hawaii You may run into a few fellow hikers on your way, as mountain goats like to cling to the steep slopes. Vegan Activist T-shirt, See Hapuna site for updates. The Awa'awapuhi Trail is located in Kokee State Park, in the Waimea area of Kaua'i, and features a 3.1 mile (one way, 7.2 mile round trip) hike that many would consider difficult. That had to mean the weather was clear enough for helicopter tours, right? This is the one good view along the Nualolo Cliff Trailmost of the time you are in the trees, brush, or tall grass. For a shortlist of shorter hikes on Kauai, you can check out my Easy Hikes Guide for Kauai. ALL PERMITS REQUIRE A FEE - THERE IS NO FREE CAMPING IN HAWAII STATE PARKS OR FOREST RESERVES. Awaawapuhi Trail is one of the more popular hikes in the Koke'e Park and subsequently has a large, signposted parking lot. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thank you soo much foe this post. The trailhead is on the left of the parking lot. It was a steady climb back to the car, but easier footing. It is possible to be both of these trails in one trek but will add on over 5 miles to your total [], HONOPU RIDGE TRAIL ON KAUAI, HAWAII - Journey Era, [] Honopu Ridge Trailhead is just after the AwaAwapuhi Trailhead. Waimea Canyon West Side However, be forewarned - it's a tough hike. Awa'awapuhi Trail in Kkee State Park - Hawaii This trail is located near Kekaha Hawaii on the small island of Kauai (famous for its beautiful mountains!). You can continue past the overlooks (even though you are cautioned not to) in order to get even more amazing views. Great hiking - Trail was 7 miles round trip but we did little over 10 miles with all the deviations. Slippery to start on the way down, but got much better after first mile. 16 Beautiful and Best Hikes in Kauai, Hawaii | The Planet D If it has recently rained, the descents on the clay can be very slippery. Run where its flat or down hill going and coming it goes faster. Small lookouts along the way feed your motivation to reach the end. You get your first glimpse of the Awa'awa'puhi Valley at about 1.75 miles. Awa'awapuhi Trail, Hawaii You couldn't have the best hikes in the USA without including one from . You will have to hike the full distance (0.9 miles) to the trail junction. Between November and March, some areas may become inaccessible due to high rainfall. Seeaosite for updates. Mahalo! It also begins to get noticeably warmer. Not much to see until the very end, but absolutely magnificent when you reach it. Youll hike through tall brush, slip and slide on wet, muddy ground, and be a hot, sweaty mess at the end of this hike. Nice hike out to the overlook of the Na Pali Coast. Photo [] please pack a frozen water bottle and chilled ones with a energy bar for those who dont regularly hike. trying to illustrate the steep drop-off on the unofficial extension trail and.. mostly failing? Once you reach the end we recommend that you DO NOTventure beyond the railings, since there are precipitous drops on both sides and the ground can be deceptively slippery even when dry, as the small red rock scree erodes easily. Find the parking lot near mile marker 17 along Koke'e Road and suit up for one of the most amazing views on the whole island. If you have little time and have to choose one trail, then this is your trail!Getting ThereFrom Lihue, take Kaumualii Highway 50 to Waimea. It starts in Koke'e State Park and snakes down and back up the steep walls of the N Pali Coast Forest Reserve and offers stunning views of the shoreline and the ocean, given there's no cloud cover. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. There was no view whatsoever. Awa'awa'puhi gets off to a slow start but picks up steam about halfway. Tim and I were visiting Hawaii on our honeymoon and this was the first real hike each of us had ever done. Thank for your continued support. If you have any questions about how to hike the Nualolo Trail and Awaawapuhi Trail Loop, or if you want to share your experience, let us know in the comment section below.