The dead end Look out on your trip through the Waimea Canyon and kokee State Park scenic driving. To get to the famous Lookout point takes about an hour drive with no Stops. I was really hoping to see this famous overlook of the Na pali coast. However, it was raining and full of fog when I went. I realize halfway up the drive, but I was committed to hopefully see the clouds part and see some Beautiful scenery. Either way it was a really nice drive and I got to see nice fog. Just kidding when I was ready to walk back to my car it started pouring rain thank you to the restroom for giving me shelter. Definitely coming back here again. Just remember to pay for your Parking. $5 For each person plus another five for your car read more

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Would definitely recommend making the drive up to the Kalalau Lookout while in Kaua'i. We stayed on Wailua Bay and made the 2 hour drive to the lookout. The road up to the lookout was quite windy, so please use caution when driving up. There are a few beautiful view points that you can pull off to get some amazing views of Waimea Canyon. When you get up to the Kalalau Lookout, you will need to pay for parking...DON'T FORGET. When we were leaving we saw a few cars getting notices on their car to pay for parking before leaving. If you are a Hawai'i resident all you have to do is show your Hawai'i ID/drivers license and you won't have to pay anaything. The view from the Kalalau lookout is part of the Na Pali Coast. When we went the view was so clear and so beautiful! There's a coffee house and restaurant that you can stop at about halfway up the mountain. There's also a nice park that was pretty crowded. A few families had set up a blanket and were having a picnic. read more

Kalalau Lookout - Hiking Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

Changeable weather but amazing in every change. Clouds and fog lifted and voila! Colors vibrant in canyon. NaPali views stunning from the top. Be sure to see both! read more

Kalalau Lookout - NaPali overlook - Hiking Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

Beautiful location with ocean views, but be prepared for a bit of a journey getting up here. I was driving, but my wife and daughter got a bit nauseous with the drive as there are a lot of twists and turns getting up here. Was it worth it? Mostly as the the views are amazing. A little windy though. It was a fun journey, but not for the family. Still, I loved it. read more

It's been almost 30 years exactly since my first trip here. Unfortunately on that trip as today, The ocean fog has blocked the beautiful valley view down to the ocean. Still, driving up the mountain and all the other activities including hiking and just observing what appears to be the top of a mountain in a Denmark pine forest(its surreal) is worth the trip. I did see the view on two other trips and I will never stop coming here. Definite go read more

Waimea Canyon view is BREATH TAKING. Never have I ever personally experienced such an amaaaazing view in my life time. Then again, this is the first time that I left Oahu to the neighbor islands. The main viewing spot where non-Hawaii residents have to pay $5 for parking is probably the best spot outta this whole experience. Anyways, besides the Waimea Canyon lookout, if you drive further up, you'll get to the Kalalau lookout where you'll have another amaaazing view, but of the ocean and mountain side. Definitely bring a jacket because it's super chilly and I'm here with my tank top lol. Just follow the helpful signs up to every lookout, specifically, Waimea and Kalalau. Highly recommend to bring a selfie-stick. Parking is free for Hawaii residents. I didn't see a booth guy like I saw at the Waimea lookout. read more

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I will always be SOO grateful for the reviews that I read. Someone recommended driving straight to Kalalau Lookout (the top of Waimea Canyon) then stop at various points on your way down. This helps you avoid the crowd, as many people stop on their way up. Plus, it is SO serene and peaceful to visit Kalalau with not many people there. There were still a few people when we arrived (not entirely secluded), but I am grateful. Many offered to take photos of one another. One gentleman also instructed us to just wait for the fog to clear - which was great. So, if you get up here and can't see much, the fog may clear eventually. It took maybe 5-10 minutes for us. However, once the dense fog moved in, it didn't really clear. Many people started their hikes from here, we were not prepared to hike this day, so we didn't get to check it out! There is plenty of parking here along with a restroom. There was toilet paper in the stalls, but most of the public "parks" in Hawaii have stalls, toilet paper and a faucet, but no soap. Pu'u O Kila Lookout is just around the corner from here, so worth a stop if you're already up there! Check out our blog at www.theboujcrew.com for all of our Kauai recommendations, tips & tricks, discounts and even a way to see all our fave places on Google Maps (https://goo.gl/maps/DyjMyRr1SyDYnHy48) read more

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Where do you go when you get your first clear day in Kauai? Waimea Canyon? Wrongo! Kalalau Lookout! You can check out the magnificent Kalalau Mountains by getting a permit in advance to hike 9 hours over 11 miles of the narrow Kalalau dirt trail on the edge of cliffs, one of the most dangerous hikes in North America. However, if you no longer in prime fitness like me, you can check out the Kalalau Valley and Mountains by driving a couple of hours from your beach resorts on the coasts. 7:30am, woke the wife up, robbing her of her beauty rest. Some things are more important. We packed an ice chest filled with ice, Costco pulled chicken in sandwiches, slices of pineapple and bottles of pog. Remember to bring small bottles and a foldable plastic ice chest from home. There is no food truck and no drinking water at the lookout. Wear durable running shoes, no sandals, and no white shorts. It has been raining off and on here for the past three weeks. Drove up to highway 50, and then turned right onto Waimea Canyon road. 20 miles of mountain road, running alongside the magnificent Waimea Canyon. Numerous turnouts to see the Canyon from the highway. The first day we took our time, and saw all the sights, stopping by the Waimea Canyon lookout at the 11 mile point, and a half a dozen other viewpoints. Another 8 miles to the Kalalau Lookout. Passed the water tank, passed the NASA base, passed the Hawaii National Guard base. Got to the Kalalau Lookout by 10:45am, and nothing. The place is blanketed by mist and fog. Well it you don't succeed the first time. Next day, woke the wife up at 8:30am, and drove straight to the Kalalau lookout. Last few miles, the center line in the road disappears! Come to a hairpin curve, and a van and race car driver wannabe crosses over the center of the narrow road. I come to a complete stop in my tiny Nissan Versa Note. Collision between two vehicles, the stopped vehicle is not at fault. We get to the Kalalau Lookout by 10am, without stopping along the way. Brilliant blue skies, with the Kalalau mountains covered with tropical green rising over the lush Kalalau valley thousands of feet below. There are trails running from the lookout. Signs advise against hiking on the trails in this March day, as the heavy rains over the past three weeks have made the dirt trails a sea of mud, very slippery and hazardous to hike on. Recent incidents of people slipping, falling and breaking a leg or badly twisting an ankle, and having to be airlifted out by helicopter. 10:45am we get ready to leave. I go to the men's restroom, and holy s--, the place is covered with permanent red orange stains on the floor and lower walls. Not the mother of all poops, but people tracking in mud from hiking on the muddy trails. Another reason for not wearing white shorts, in case you have to do a sit down job! I come out of the bathroom, and the Kalalau mountains are gone, disappeared for the rest of the day in a fast moving mist and fog. We head on down the highway 3 miles to Kokee Park Store and Museum, where we see people stocking up on food and drinks for the trip up the Kalalau Lookout. Heavy cloud cover and fog the next day, and rain the following 4 days. No second chance for these folks! read more

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BEAUTIFUL... appreciated the tip to drive straight to the lookout and do your additional stops on the way back down. The views on the way up pale in comparison to the final view at the lookout, so getting the jaw-dropping view first will help you be more discerning about your stops on the way down. We arrived relatively early, around 8am, and there was not another soul on the mountain. It was so quiet and beautiful. I don't want to say too much but there is an incredible secret hike near here that ended up being the highlight of the trip. The hike is only for very experienced hikers and not at all appropriate for children or anyone unstable on their feet. There is climbing involved as well as sheer drop-offs. read more

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Who knew that upon driving up Waimea Canyon and looking forward to the dry parts of a Canyon that you would also stumble upon this luscious green mountain with an ocean view. Though we didn't stay at the look out for long because it was raining but we did get some selfies in. Can't miss it if you keep traveling upwards, or look for the 18 mile marker. read more

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The Kalalau lookout is the farthest spot you can drive to in the Waimea Canyon, another 7 miles or so uphill from the Waimea lookout. Although there is plenty of parking here as well and the views are gorgeous, I think the Waimea lookout is better since it has food, cell reception, and better views of the canyon. The Kalalau lookout does give you a view of water though. We saw some pretty weird stuff on our visit: 1. One audacious photographer acted like a ninja and jumped onto the railing to get a better shot, while it was drizzling rain! 2. A poor SUV driver was trying to back up to leave and he kept hesitating since there was a chicken real close to his car that refused to budge. It was kinda funny seeing him roll down the window to shoo away the pesty bird! read more

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There are awesome trails here if you like to trail run. The time I went was really cool. The weather was nice and on the cool side especially because the elevation was above 4000 feet and was very foggy. So, while running you definitely want to watch your step. Worst case scenario you run off a cliff. But at least you'll have a whole lot of trees to break your fall. So, chances are you'll still live. It's not that dangerous, just fun like an adventure. Like something out of a video game or movie. You just might run into some Mountain Goats, literally. read more

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This is the only land view of the Na Pali Coast. The Na Pali Coast can only be seen by boat or air. This lookout gives you a glimpse of part of the coast. You can see boats and helicopters going into the valley. Such a gorgeous area. read more

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While the Pu'u o Kila Lookout a couple of miles farther up, at the end of Koke'e Road provide more stunning views, Kalalau Lookout is also worth gazing out from. It is located at the 18-mile mark. The views get better the farther up Waimea Canyon Drive and Koke'e Road you travel. Both of the final two lookouts provide great views of the Kalalau Valley, which leads to the Na Pali Coast. read more

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I made a stop here because I was told that the views were amazing. It definitely did not disappoint and I was so glad I got to see the beautiful coastline from the mountains! I would definitely recommend making the drive up here while you are in Kauai! read more

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Please see my review of the Waimea Canyon Lookout. Ok, I'll copy/paste: Nearly EVERYTHING that was said in the Waimea Canyon review with the exception of the view (coastal versus canyon) and no refreshment stand is exactly the same, just about 4 miles further up the road. Stellar views overlooking the coast, right out of Jurassic Park. + Incredible views + Lots of parking + Restrooms These are just a few of the reasons why you should make the LONG (by Hawaii standards) trek on hwy 550 to the Kalalau Lookout. It is well worth the hour or so drive up the rim. Bear in mind that if you are with someone that gets car sick easily or has a VERY small bladder, this might be a difficult ride. We actually had our 4 yr old twins with us and had NO issues whatsoever. There are restrooms at all of the lookouts on the rim (and we took advantage of every one of them). Make sure your brakes work well, more for the ride down, because they are going to take a beating. No gas stops once you leave Waimea town, so fill up. NO cell service to speak of .... I did get intermittent signals, but nothing consistent. Bring a camera, the views are absolutely stellar (and a hat). read more

Kalalau Lookout - Hiking Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

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A definite must see if your visiting the Waimea Canyon area. There is one more lookout a few miles more up, but this the one of the highest points you can get up to. Kalalau lookout was absolutely beautiful! With such a an awesome scenery to take in and fresh air to breathe. It's was honestly so peaceful and not a whole lot of tourists at this spot. No cellphone service up here, but I say, just take in and enjoy the views! Luckily when we came around 10/11 AM, the fog didn't start coming in until we left, so we had an awesome sight to see. And luckily rain only came when we neared the bottom of Waimea Canyon. Definitely worth it to drive all the way to top! read more

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This isn't just another Waimea Canyon lookout. Located at the 18 mile marker of Kokee Road, it's a view into the heart of the Kalalau Valley, one of the most photographed and well recognized valleys in all of Hawaii. This is primarily because the valley and surrounding coast have served as the backdrop for many films including King Kong (the original), Mighty Joe Young, Jurassic Park, and Six Days Seven Nights. Kalalau Lookout is also the highest elevation most people reach in Kaua'i by road - 4,000 feet. Here you will find one of the greatest views in all of Hawaii. It is the largest valley on Kauai at two miles wide. The view can change dramatically in just a few minutes as the clouds move up through the valley - so be patient. My understanding is that before 11am is best because clouds usually move in for the afternoon and evening. However, you also don't want to get there too early because the valley won't have full sun on it until around 8 AM most mornings. I used this NOAA link to pick the best day and time to go and it worked for us. http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?zoneid=HIZ004#.U4k2tIe9KSM:// When you finally see Kokee AFS on the left side of the road with the giant white "golf ball" radar dome and tall antenna you are almost there. It will then be the next entrance on the left just up the road about a 1000 feet. They do have a large parking lot and restroom facilities at the site. It is worth the long, twisting and winding drive once you see the breathtaking view. read more

Kalalau Lookout - Hiking Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

It was a bit foggy when we got to the Kalalau lookout but that even helped make the views more special. As the fogged rolled along, large swathes of the most amazing scenery opened up. We were lucky enough to be able to see all the way to the Nepali coast. What contrasting colors. The reds and green on the mountain and the deep blue in the ocean. Fabulous, fabulous, and even more fabulous. Definitely a not to miss place in Kauai! read more

Kalalau Lookout - As the fog moves... - Hiking Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

The one of the most beautiful places on earth. A picture is worth a thousand words. I really love this place because it just so beautiful. If you ever go there, you will know exactly what I mean. It was raining off and on but nevertheless it is still awesome. 10************ read more

Kalalau Lookout - Hiking Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

If you have young children you may need something to entertain them on the way up. The views while driving are still beautiful, however with the winding roads and slow speed limits our 4 year old got bored as did my fiancé and her mother. If you take any advice in regards to this area take this, bring a picnic! The area is large enough to run around for children, fenced off at the edge, and when we were there there was a tent setup to sell jewelry. The view itself is breathtaking both on the way up and at the top, use the pull offs and stretch your legs while getting killer pictures! read more

Located at mile (18) ... This lookout is near the end of Waimea Canyon Road HwY 550. From this vista, you can view the Napali Coast and the expanse of the deep blue sea read more

Beautiful views! You have to drive up slowly and going up a lot in elevation but it's worth and relaxing. There's public restrooms and food vendors on site. read more

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We were in Kauai for 1 week and I really wanted to see the Grand Canyon of the Pacific so I stayed part time in the north and part time in the south so I don't have to drive 2.5-3 hours from the north. So glad I did! I was quite nervous about the clouds because it wasn't particularly sunny on the day we decided to go (2nd week of November). We woke up early and left the hotel in Poipu by 7:45am. Took us 1 hour and 15 minutes to drive to Kalalau so we were there a little after 9am. My kids never get car sick but on this ride up, they got very nauseous. If you have younger kids, maybe have them nap on the way up. When we arrived, there was maybe only a handful of cars in the lot so for those of you wanting to visit this lookout and the waimea canyon lookout, drive up here first and make your way down to avoid traffic. We took so many pictures not having to worry about other tourists in our view. OMG. The view people!!! You get the mountains, beach and blue skies all at the same time. The mountain looks unreal! Looks like a movie backdrop. We just stared at this view for 40 minutes before we decided to make our way down. I'm not sure if the clouds came in after we left but just to be safe, arrive by 9am and you will have the clearest, gorgeous view! read more

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This place is an absolutely breathtaking! I went to Waimea canyon mainly for the lookout, but decided to hit all the other spots while I was there. This stop was my ultimate favorite. Due to the windy weather, I was unable to take a tour of the Na Pali coast while I was in Kauai but luckily I got to see a part of it here. I had no idea what this lookout would be like before coming here and it was an absolute surprise when I got there. The weather had been raining here and there throughout the day, but luckily not long enough to make it super foggy so it was perfect when I got there. highly recommend! read more

This was definitely worth the drive! The spots along the highway were almost more breathtaking than the actual lookout at the top. If you're in love with nature and all things wonderful, it's a must do while in Kauai, HI! read more

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It's very rare that I get to see the beautiful views of Kokee. Went up to Kalalau lookout. Spectacular. Beautiful weather, beautiful sight, fresh air, like heaven on earth. Nice to sit on the grass under the shade and have lunch. read more

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4000 FEET UP On a clear day, you can get a good view of Kalalau Valley all the way down to Kalalau Beach. The trick is to get to the lookout before the clouds move in. read more

Kalalau Lookout - Just before the clouds moved in - Hiking Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

Really the only thing you can complain about is the fact that it gets cloudy which can obviously put a damper on seeing the view. I highly recommend walking around and exploring, it's fun and beautiful! read more

Writing the same review that I wrote for Waimea canyon because I want to make sure that people know to keep going on the trail so you can experience the most amazing hike of your life: Waimea canyon is an absolutely spectacular place to visit. The views are incredible and truly unbelievable. My husband and I have been here 3 times now and can't stop coming back. Make sure you go to the Kalalau lookout (take in the amazing views of the Na Pali coast) and then walk down the cliffs and literally go ALL the way. Make a right down the path when you get to the end lookout area and just keep going. Everyone stops by this point because it looks muddy (and it is, but it's super fun and adventurous) keep going and you will find some incredible paths to explore. At one point you will get to a 4 way crossing. I have been right and straight/left (no the hard left) but both of those were so amazing and I have heard from other people we met along the way that the hard left route is also incredible. This is the kind of hike you can do a million times and it will never get old. I would be careful though since some places can get slippery and there is chicken wire on the planks in some spots so definitely no little children and you must wear sneakers! read more

This is a must see! Beautiful views, fresh air, quiet and peaceful. You can hike down the side of the mountain for different views. Morning time is hit or miss due to the clouds burring off. I arrived at 8am and had to wait an hour until the clouds were gone. read more

Beautiful! There are hikes back in the area I wish I would have known about prior to going there. Still one of my favorite sites on Kaua'i and I plan on going back to better explore the area. read more

Completely worth the drive away from the beaches on the island. Me and my fiancé were a bit nervous driving up the hill, concerned we had forfeited one of our days for clouds and cold pine trees instead of sunshine on the beach with palms all around. Nonetheless, we kept on driving to the top, and it did not disappoint. The clouds cleared up just in time to open the view all the way to the ocean and wowwwww!!! We will never forget that top of the world feeling. Totally worth the drive and clouds for the view at the end! read more

I stay on the North Shore during my visits to Kauai, which means that the Kalalau Lookout is a good two hour drive around the island as there are no roads going through the north end. I thus delayed my visit till right before my flight home on my last visit. I figured that I'd have to drive down to Lihue to catch my flight anyway, and the lookout point is not such a great distance away from there. Unfortunately, there was a lot of traffic going down towards the airport on Hwy 50, so I only wound up having 15 minutes to spend at the lookout. However, it was well worth the effort. The whole drive up to the lookout point was an amazing experience. There is something about the red, red earth juxtaposed against the lush Kauai green that is just makes your heart sing. And at the end of the road is of course the lookout with an incredible view of Kalalau Valley and the ocean. Really beggars description. Definitely not to be missed if you are ever on Kauai. read more

You cannot leave Kauai without seeing this view. The pictures truly do not do it justice. There is usually a man, who is very nice and helpful, up there who sells jewlery made from the seeds he finds on the island. They are for the most part a good deal and can be hard to find elsewhere. If you're looking for food, there is a food truck at the lookout below this one, the Waimea canyon lookout. read more

There is no other better view except by air anywhere on the island (HA! There are no bad views in Kauai, it's paradise) - God gave it His all on this view (oh my gosh, this kicks all forms of a mules ass) - it's a long drive (longer than I thought it would be, but only 15 miles away by the way the birds fly) from Princeville to here, but worth every single minute in the car. Lots of fun stuff on the way, small towns and places to get ice cream or shop. Once you start north towards Kalalau it's twisty turn after twisty turn. The driver will be stuck watching the road but the views (especially back down are WOO!). There are 4 or 5 very cool look outs on the way but the the creme' de la creme is at the end of the road. read more