This is perhaps one of the biggest bang-for-buck trails I have ever done!…read more There are non-stop views, of rainbows, big green furry gorges, and pristine blue waters with bright white breakers... But, sadly, as of November 2025 the trail is pretty much blocked from all access. Access here was always dodgy but now there are pig fences and a padlocked door. You could probably still go around it near a cliff area but...one slip would probably mean death, so it's probably not worth hit. Such a shame to lose a gem like this. The signage says it is blocked for pig control

Trail got me winded but so worth it. Beautiful views and lots of green. Will do it againread more

From Kapaa (6.1 miles roundtrip)…read more Let me begin by letting you know what you might want to pack: 1. Bug Spray 2. Long Pants, Long sleeve shirt. 3. 3 pairs of socks 4. 3L of water minimum 5. A machete 6. A good sense of direction This trail was, in my opinion one of the toughest on the island currently. Reason being, besides the monster elevation gain, the fact that aside from a .3 mile section that was chainsaw cleared, there is not enough traffic through this trail to keep it well blazed...so you do the blazing. The first .25 is a cake walk up a cobble hill the width of a one lane road, and you think huh, my pick up could have done this section. Then at the top of the hill reality sets in, where someone tried to get up here and obviously got stuck leaving two huge ruts that have swelled with water and it wreaks like the zoo. Once you expertly craft a way around this you are greeted with a few banana trees. You might want to think twice, hack the fruit off with your machete and turn around and go home, seriously, consider it. For those of you like me and my wife, the bananas will be reward if and when you pass them on your way out. So you're in! The next quarter mile is bushwhacking through ferns, oversized grass, reeds, prickers, and anything and everything with thorns! Things yout didn't realize had thorns, and your happy you listened to me and are long pants and long sleevin it up! When you hit the .5 mile mark you will think you hit jackpot as this section is cleared via chain saw, like some one got airlifted in and paved your way. But suddenly, at the .75 mark (btdubs, no mile makers or trail markers on this bad boy) you realize that what was cut away was overgrown trees and limbs and such, and ferns, grass, prickers, they all grow back, fast! So now you are in it, and unless you are hiking it tomorrow, right after me, the odds of you moving quickly are slim, regardless of experience. Some have said boots are good, something water proof, I think, slow and steady wins here, picking your footing, being mindful of surroundings, enjoying the chaos of nature destroying what was once a road...sort of. So from .75 to about 2.50, you will be bushehacking, clearing up the trail, with your feet and a stick, or with that machete I told you to bring. But, if you packed all things on my list, you will be comfortable. At the 1.5 mark you pass a hillside to its right and snake down to where the trail is just about unrecognizable, move down further to you right, push through the tall weeds and just past this at the 1.7 mark (all these mile marks are "roughly") there is what I would consider a helicoper landing area. This is a nice spot for a rest, some great photos, and to strip down from your attire and air out, as though the full body coverage is necessary, it's also pretty darm warm. Move past this section to continue blazing your own trail, passing over around and though bogs, river beds and what looks like a trail, occasionally mistepping and trading out socks because you were wise ans brought a few pairs. Remmer that there are so many opportunities for great photos that it doesn't matter that it took you two hours to move two miles. Clear views of waialeale and kawaikini, direct un adulerteated shots of lihue, kapaa, sleeping giant, the hone steads. Waterfalls off to your right, valleys you have never seen before erupt in front of you. At about 2.5 the "road" seems to appear and you have degraded red dirt river bed with huge ditches and divots, slippery sections, pools of water that you want to avoid. You will slip at some point. Try like me to catch it on video, or as you are videotaping...don't worry my phone is okay. NOTE to self: get that gopro. The next section rises up quite a bit in elevation, in direct sunlight, but wide open with little debris. To your right you will see powerline T139. My guess, it's the 139 tower. Take this to the top of the hill, right around 3.1 miles and turn around. You will be blown away. Snap a pic, turn around and do it all over! Don't forget the bananas! Mahalo and Namaste

Can't wait to complete the trail. Looks like a lot of fun. Big slippery ruts and inclines. Would…read morerecommend aggressive tires at a lower psi for some parts. I'll be back when I find a tow truck that's willing to snatch me out just incase

Hanalei Bay Lookout is located in the Princeville area of Kauai on the north shore of the island…read more It's a very quick roadside stop on the windy and twisty Kuhio Highway. I'd suggest driving slowly as the small shoulder only accommodates a couple of cars. And...the lookout is situated on the right hand side of the road heading towards Hanalei. If you're coming from Hanalei, it's pretty difficult to pull over onto the left side of the shoulder facing oncoming traffic. If you try to make a fast 360 degree U-turn, be careful because during the height of the day, Kuhio Highway is busy! I only needed 5 - 10 minutes to soak up the surroundings. It's a cool, worthwhile view offering an expansive look at the lush, green Hanalei landscape. The mountains set in the distance provide a vivid setting oozing Hawaiian appeal, like you're standing high above a tropical paradise. My only slight hindrance about this overlook was some old graffiti paint staining on the guardrail. It didn't ruin my picture moment, but it was noticeable. Next door to this Hanalei Bay Lookout just half a mile down the road is Hanalei Valley Lookout. So, you get rewarded with 2 vista point perspectives for the price of 1. Hanalei Valley is a lot more accommodating to tourists with bigger shoulder spacing for parking and in my opinion, a more photogenic overlook highlighted by patchwork taro fields and flourishing green vegetations. Btw, there are no road signs along Kuhio Highway mentioning either Hanalei Bay or Valley Lookouts. I plugged both destinations into Google Maps which made finding them a whole lot easier. Overall, I'd suggest stopping here at Hanalei Bay Lookout. It barely takes effort to capture a scenic glance of Northern Kauai. Just pull off Kuhio Highway, exit your car, admire the panoramic scenery for a few minutes, get back inside and drive away with a fond memory.

Gorgeous lookout but on a dangerous curve. Limited parking (2 cars max) on the shoulder of a curve…read moregoing down a hill, so it's very dangerous to get out of your car on the driver's side. Very beautiful view but obviously lots of car noise. No place to sit or wander around, so be very careful if you have children in tow. Visited January 2023.

We did a sunset hike at the awa'awapuhi trail and it was wonderful! It's 3 miles down hill and back…read more3 miles essentially uphill. I thought it was an easy-moderate hike for someone who likes to hike/exercise. The parking lot was not super crowded for a sunset hike. It's a generally safe/mapped out trail, on the last mile, there are small stretches of a thin path so be careful! You cannot really see the amazing views till the end. You're in a dense forest and once you complete the 3 miles you will open up to a gorgeous view! It started to rain, so we didn't go down the last little bit to the edge, it's a very thin path to the edge with little to no buffer so be safe! If you go for the sunset hike, bring some headlights for the hike back. It was def worth it!

This Awa'awapuhi Trail was recommended to me by a lifeguard I randomly chatted with at one of the…read morelocal beaches in Kauai. He swore by the hike, saying the ending viewpoint would be the highlight of my Hawaiian vacation! But, the lifeguard left out details. And I'm here to fill you in on the real Awa'awapuhi Trail and what to expect and be prepared for! Right away...this hike must be attempted FIRST THING IN THE MORNING! There you go, there you have the answer to everything! Because, at any moment in time, throughout the day, clouds can roll in while standing high above the Na'Pali Coastline and the dense covering can hang around for a while, no matter how long you wait for the skies to clear up. So...if you hike here early, early morning, the probabilities of you confronting that picture perfect setting is greatly enhanced. It's like the common law of physics (but I believe I failed physics in high school, lol)...when the sun rises, the air is cool and crisp, and there's no heat rising from the ground to create moisture early on. Grrr...that's why this lifeguard, he needed to warn me that if I hike this Awa'awapuhi Trail....MORNING TIME. MORNING TIME. MORNING TIME!!!! Instead, I arrived at 11am because I had a few other sights and overlooks I wanted to check out before trying out this hike and using up at least 4 - 5 hours of the day here. This is also important...I visited Kauai in the middle of August. The sun rises about 6:30am and fades in light about 6pm. You only have 12 hours of the day to make the most of your explorations. Depending on the amount of time you have visiting Kauai, whether 3 - 4 days, or maybe you're island hopping for a total of 10 days - 2 weeks, point is...you'll at least need half the day to hike this Awa'awapuhi Trail. Also, be prepared for it to be a strenuous hike too. It's 6 miles roundtrip. The hike down to the overlook vista point is a cakewalk. All downhill! Well, you know what that means. The trek back uphill to the trailhead is quite difficult. Along these 6 miles in total to and from the overlook, there is nothing to see. Basically, the hike is boring! I found myself daydreaming about the next activity, lol. You walk through the jungle each way. There's no glimpses or peaks through the forest of the coveted Na'Pali Coastline that you're easily afforded at roadside overlooks throughout Koke'e State Park. If you're short on time I'd suggest stopping at Kalalau and Pu'u o Kila Lookouts. If you have no time limits and are more adventurous, then this Awa'awapuhi Trail is for you. Remember, lol, it gets dark at 6pm! When arriving at the observation point, I briefly had a clear moment to enjoy the views. The Pacific Ocean was blue. The coastline was certainly evident. You could see helicopter tours flying in the distance. You definitely get a 180 panorama. But once the fogginess rolled in, it never left. And I waited 30 minutes, actually sitting down and praying for the the dreary cloudy covering to dissipate. But, it never did and it wasn't meant to be. That's why I'm reiterating...hike here in MORNING TIME. Like, 7am if possible! Some last things to mention. The parking lot at the trailhead was very small. When I arrived at 11am, it was full but I managed to squeeze my car into a space, though it was a makeshift job. I'd say the lot holds spaces for about 15 cars. And there's no shoulder area along Koke'e Road to park. Lastly, when making it to the Awa'awapuhi Overlook Point, there's a very tight pathway that'll lead down even lower alongside the cliff's edge. It appeared like a sheer drop down on either side of you as I watched others bravely venture on. If you have a fear of heights, there's no way you can attempt going past the primary viewing platform. I could understand, people like to push the limits or boundaries of risk, but I know when enough is enough, especially I was only hiking in casual tennis sneakers. It wasn't worth it to continue past the point of comfortability. Overall, this Awa'awapuhi Trail is just average and can be greatly disappointing if you have high expectations. Am I sour about my experience and the ending I left with? Absolutely! Lol Just warning...there could be clear skies at the trailhead, but when you show up at the overlook it could be a whole new narrative. Then you're held hostage to the conditions and since there's only 12 hours in the day, you sort have wasted half of it. And within Koke'e State Park and Waimea Canyon right next door, there are many quality stops, alternative hikes, places to explore and magical instances to be had. But if you're convinced about attempting this Awa'awapuhi Trail and you're not hiking it first thing in the morning, I believe you're doing yourself a disservice.

one of our favorite hikes in Kauai and such a beautiful beach at the start perfect for a post hike…read moredip! Make sure to get a coconut right up the road after!

The views are lovely. You'll spend most of this hike looking at your feet. The terrain is very…read moreuneven. Rocks, roots. The views are stunning, when you pause to stop checking your steps.

Quite a hike to a beautiful fall. Be prepared with hiking shoes. Do not go when it's raining…read morebecause it gets very slick. Only for those that are prepared to hike. Not for children or older adults who don't hike.

The park is now opened but there are many changes. 1. You…read moreneed to make reservation for parking or shuttle or walking in. For overnight camping or hiking pass Hanakapi'AI, you will need to get permit. 2. Check website gohaena.com for parking and shuttle reservation. For parking reservation, you will need to book at least 1 month in advance. You can reserve from 6:30 to 12:30 or 12:30 to 4:30 pm, and then 4:30 pm to sunset. They will not let you pass the gate if you do not have permit. 3. For walking in, you also need to make reservation in advance. $1 per person. 4. For shuttle, it is including hop on and hop off from Princeville Makai golf club to Ke'e beach and costs about $15 per person. 5. Parking reservation and shuttle reservation will include park entry. In a way, it is good that they can limit amount of cars driving in and people using the trail. We did not plan in advance so ended with shuttle. Down load the hop-on hop-off pass on cell phone. We took the shuttle from Princeville. It takes about 1 hour to get to Ke'e beach because they have to pick up people along the way (hanalei villages, Hanalei resort, Waipa park and ride). Then walked 0.3 mile from parking to Ke'e beach or entrance. The shuttle back to Princeville runs every 45 to 60 min. The shuttle from Ke'e beach to Waipa parking runs every 30 min. Last shuttle is at 4:30 pm. We ended up taking the shuttle fromKe'e beach to Waipa and walked 20 minutes (over a mile) to Hanalei village. We got some lunch but could not wait for our shuttle back to Princeville... ended taking uber. If you plan to visit, make sure check the website and make reservations in advance. The trail is slippery since it is raining every day for past weeks. - bring good traction shoes. - 1 L water per person at least. - snacks. There are no shopping until Hanalei village. - bathrooms is at Ke'e beach and outdoor shower. They are decent and have toilet papers. - it is quite strenuous hike. So, I would not recommend anyone with walking or gait problems. - kids older then 6 probably ok hiking this trail.

This trail was perfect! Loved that it was not on the side of a cliff or just completely up an…read moreincline. I felt like I was walking through Jurassic park. There's an amazing swing that give such a fun experience to the trail. It was very wet I recommend having spare clothes but it was great. As you walk you see the mountain with a giant waterfall. To me it was a perfect track through the trees. The bridge is at the very end and there is a water area you can traverse down to right past it.

I am a fool and went AGAIN when the fog was setting in. Well, at least you get a great view of the…read morevalley just 0.1 miles in so you don't actually have to go in far to get the great views. This time I went after a rain and it was even muddier than when I went 8 years ago. I have nothing major to add, the hike hasn't really changed. I will add ONE tip however. If you are going to the end, when you FIRST hit the fence, put a natural trail marker for yourself on the fence. Because on the way back we missed the turn off to go back towards the trailhead and headed instead towards the Alakai Swamp trail. We realized our mistake when we started seeing boards and steps we didn't see prior. The first time you hit the fence is when the trail splits (you'd go left to the top of the Vista and right to go to Alakai Swamp trail). We spent about 20 minutes try to find our way back. The GPS on google maps wasn't the most helpful because it doesn't distinguish between two turn offs on the trail that are technically probably about 50 feet apart but impossible to know when on the ground because those turn offs are at a major height difference and you can't see one from the other. As you are headed back down from the top, the fence continues along towards Alakai so you if you keep following it, you may not ended up where you need to be.

Oh lord this hike nearly killed me…read more Short version: Go to the half mile marker and turn around, it really isn't worth the effort climbing up to the Pihea Vista. I was fooled by the Ultimate Kauai Guidebook. Or screwed over by weather. Either way it was a tough hike. We visited in the morning because everything I read said there would be fewer clouds. Unfortunately for us, the clouds stuck around nearly the entire time. All we saw was the top rim of the canyon and it looked like a brewing cauldron. The clouds were constantly moving up and around. We briefly saw the ocean through a hole in the mist before it filled back in. At least the views South were clear. The first half mile was pretty easy, and I am NOT in shape. So if I could haul myself up and down the not-so-flat trail, anyone can do it. A lot of the ups and downs are kind of a choose your own adventure style trail. I often studied the terrain before ascending and descending, even if not too difficult, because I have a bad ankle and sometimes do poorly on uneven ground. Some areas looked slick so I stuck to the very edges where I could use trees for support. There are plenty of spots along this first half mile that should offer great photo ops. Clear of trees and brush, but also free of any safety barriers. Please be careful near the edge! The breezes up here are fantastic and the air is so fresh. I did enjoy being away from the crowds and in the quiet. And other hikers on the trail were very friendly and respectful.