I am a fool and went AGAIN when the fog was setting in. Well, at least you get a great view of the valley 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. read more

Oh lord this hike nearly killed me. 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. read more

Family friendly trail. My kids and I absolutely love Kokee State park. We've hiked many of them and I've hiked several without them. This hike is easy to moderate, depending on the conditions. For reference, my kids are used to hiking and are 10 years old and up (we live on Oahu and they've completed many of the moderate hikes). You should wear shoes with good treading if you decide to hike it last minute. The footing can be a bit slippery and uneven (slippers are a no-no IMHO). The elevation is spectacular. You can take great pictures here. On an open non-overcast day you enjoy views of the ocean. You may also encounter some rain, that's okay, just prepare for some sprinkles if you have kids. Sunscreen, water, pack a windbreaker or light jacket and a hat are highly recommended. Enjoy this easy to moderate short trail. Please take OUT what you pack in. Take lots of pictures but leave a very small footprint. Aloha and enjoy! read more

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"Radical acceptance" is the phrase we uttered to oncoming dirt-strewn sloggers, those who braved the path east, beyond the overlook where the paved road came to an end. A couple caveats about our earthen wanderings on this trail: a) you should go and b) if the rains have been hefty, lately, don't go any further than the the gargantuan, knee-wobbly overlook of the northwestern shore of the island. Stop where the soil is somewhat solid, and turn back, and explore the canyon. Just go, park, and wander about a half mile for the astonishing views. Should you choose your own adventure and continue east, radical acceptance is your path and let me be clear about this basic mantra concerning the whole of Kauai: mud is your brethren. Accept it, embrace it, wear light-soled shoes and seriously, just step into the mud. Slog it. Do you happen to own some gloves? Wear 'em. A heavy backpack made this hike a headache. I figured, at first, I could skimp on the mess and emerge unscathed, but the ordeal was basically mud wrestling without the bikinis and we emerged caked in red soil slop. I'd assumed the effort would merit an even better view of the area. Not. There's really no reason to take this trek save access to the Alaka'i Swamp, but ask yourself, dear hiker, on your list of life's accomplishments, is this necessary? Probably not. This review details an experience on the trail when the rains have come heavy, recently. But should you choose to embark on this memorable and silly sh*t show, know that when you return to the car, head back to the previous turnoff, an overlook, just a half mile west, where you can clean off at the public toilets. There's a (non-potable) water spigot that'll clean ya up good enough, but the red dirt'll never come out of your white socks. read more

The Pihea Trail is a gorgeous 4 mile r/t (if you are going to the Pihea Lookout & return) from the trailhead at the Pu'u O Kila Lookout. A little technical footwork is required here and there, if it has recently been raining there will be slippery and goopy mud. If it's socked in with clouds/fog you won't get the spectacular Kalalau Valley & coastline vistas, and the final scramble to the Pihea viewpoint wouldn't be worth it, but the trail would still be fun. The useful: go early or prepare to park pretty far from the small parking lot at Pu'u O Kila. Can't miss this one - just drive to the very end of the road through Waimea Canyon. read more

Pihea Trail - View from the Pihea Trail on a clear January day. - Hiking Near Me - Kekaha, Hawaii

THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE PIHEA TRAIL TO ALAKAI SWAMP TO KILOHANA LOOKOUT we started at 830, arrived at the intersection of alakai around 935, arrived at kilohana lookout (hanalei valley view) just before 11, returned back to trail head at pihea just before 130. total mileage round trip is about 8.5 miles (the mileage indicated on the trail signage and that of the websites and guidebooks differ slightly). views: the beginning of pihea is great, the views of napali coast and valleys are gorgeous, however, after the alakai intersection, there are no views until you reach kilohana where you are given a great view (weather permitting) of hanalei bay. START EARLY as the fog will set in and block the hanalei view. after the valley views of pihea, there is 1 or 2 (cant remember) section of very uphill, slippery, muddy climbs up and down before you reach alakai intersection. overall impression: kilohana lookout is not worth the trouble it takes getting to it. do the pihea and look at the valleys, skip kilohana. if you're itching for a great hike, do kalalau, or at least the first few miles to the waterfall. and btw, dont do what other hikers were doing, trying to hike it in sandals/flip flops read more

This was the most breathtaking view I've ever seen. It was a gorgeous day free of fog and the trail was dry. My favorite hike of the whole vacation. Do it!! read more

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This hike was rough and not worth it. We didn't finish it and neither did a bunch of the other people who turned around with us. The worst part is that it was sooo slippery and muddy that both my husband and I fell pretty hard. We ended up with bumps, bruises, and swollen body parts... Yet none of the views that we made it to were any better than what you could see at the lookout point at the top. We talked to quite a few other people on the hike and most agreed with us that it just wasn't worth it; however, a few people said its one of their favorite stops when they come to Kauai... So you decide for yourself! Also note, we did this on a clear November day. We didn't have any rain, but I'm sure the trail had a lot of rain in the days before we were there (or maybe even earlier that morning, because it was pure slippery mud). So why three stars and not one or two? Because the views really are spectacular. Whether I would prefer them from the viewpoint and whether I think they are worth it or not.. They are breathtaking. read more

I really enjoyed this moderate hike - unlike a lot of hikes with views of Na Pali, you don't have to hike forever to get an amazing view. Basically this entire trail is one giant look out point so you can do as little or as much as you want of this trail and not feel like you missed out on THE vista. I did this trail at nearly 7 months pregnant and there were some steep naturally occurring "staircases" that are part of the trail - those were the only parts where it was a *tad* harder... but overall a very moderate trail with lots of flat parts that's quite do-able even if you're not at the top of your game. read more

Pihea Trail - View from the Pihea Trail of a valley along the Na Pali coast (taken in July) - Hiking Near Me - Kekaha, Hawaii

This review is from the Kalalau Outlook to the top. First, let me emphasize that we were VERY lucky to have gone on such a beautiful day! Not a single storm came in our path, but it was obvious that it had rained a few hours before. It wasn't until very late on the trail we had begun to trek through some muddy clay. Throughout the trail, there were clearings in which you could see the valley. I snapped multiple photos at each clearing as each view became better and better! The last maybe .25 before the top becomes much more strenuous... Some of the steps become very steep and tricky. The VERY last part right before the top has two ways to it... The left path is covered and small, but I guarantee you it is an easier path. This path comes a few yards before the main path on the right. You'll know when you see a wall that you LITERALLY have to climb and use your hands and hope you don't fall... I learned this the hard way. And when you get to the top, you'll see an easier path leading down to the same area and facepalm. Overall, it's not a difficult hike, especially if you're somewhat active. The panorama from the top was slightly blocked by some bushes, which was a bit disappointing considering the short monkey climb. I definitely recommend checking this trail if you're driving up Waimea Canyon! read more

The key to this hike is to go early (the clouds started covering the coast line at 10 and filled the view in less than 15minutes). We didn't make it to the Pihea Lookout due to the fact we knew we would only see clouds when we got there so we stopped at the river (about 1/4 mile shy). It was a wonderful hike and took about 2 hours. It didn't rain, however plan on it raining (since it is the rainest spot on earth some years). This was by far one of the best hikes I've been on. We didn't rush and was passed by many hikers in a hurry. I'm glad I got all the photos we did and enjoyed our surroundings greatly. Again, it didn't rain so we had a great hike and no mud and not slippery. I took a white jacket and didn't get a single spot of dirt on it. Every day in Kauai it rains so we planned our adventures according to the weather forecast that morning. I would so do this hike a again! read more

We hiked the Pihea Trail to the Alakai Swamp Trail, ending at Kilohana Overlook. The entire round trip took us about 4 hours and 45 minutes. I wouldn't start this trail later than about 1:30 pm to ensure that you're back before the sun sets. I wouldn't say that the trail itself is difficult, except for the first part which can get extremely muddy and thus slippery. I wouldn't do this part in flip flops - wear sneakers, at least, and make sure you're okay with them getting dirty. Much of the trail had washed out when we went, so we were on all fours trying to climb in the wet mud. I was happy that we were wearing Camelbaks so that I had use of both hands! To be fair, on the way back the mud had dried considerably and it was much easier going. You get some nice coastline views at the beginning. Soon you enter a forest and the trail continues along a boardwalk which I'd say is about 95% intact. After you pass the intersection and continue along Alakai Swamp Trail, there's even more boardwalk (including a fairly long staircase), with a few more muddy sections (but none as bad as the first muddy section on the Pihea Trail). There's also one stream crossing, so be careful if the current is strong. Eventually you'll make it to a swamp! The boardwalk makes the hike pretty trivial here. If you're lucky, you'll reach Kilohana Lookout while there are no clouds blocking the view. We weren't so lucky and all we saw were clouds, and we didn't really have time to hang out and wait (as we needed to start heading back). We did, however, encounter a small flock of five friendly nene (Hawaiian geese) that were hanging out by the boardwalk. read more

PIHEA OVER LOOK; ALAKAI SWAMP TRAIL - KILOHANA OVERLOOK (7.5 mi., 850 ft) Pihea Overlook is the highest point along the rim. We tried to go down to Alakai swamp twice, both defeated. Too muddy to risk our health/life for this experience. We are hoping to get some drier, less muddier day in future. Defeat sucks but the view is just so beautiful. YELP 365 - 243/365 read more

Great hike. It will challenge and stun you with all it's beauty. Bring shoes with good traction. Its a very muddy hike till you get to the swamp. All the climbing will be worth it in the end I promise. read more

We got to the trail at 8am. We were the only ones in the parking lot and didn't see any other hikers our first half of the hike. The start of the hike is tough. You'll be going up and down very slippery areas were the trees to hold on to are lifesavers! Wear shoes with good traction and don't be afraid to get dirty. Once past this area you will go on about a mile of boardwalk. This area really impressed me because how do they bring those planks up here?! We called this area the "advantage walk." You'll hike through meadows with tall grass hitting your legs. I wore shorts, but it would be a good idea to wear long pants. The hike to the meadow is 3.75 and you have to turn around the same way to go back. It took us 5 hours to do the whole thing. Bring water, good grip shoes, long pants, and a snack. It feels as if you'll see raptors or t-rex wondering the area because this is close to where Jurassic World was filmed. Have fun! read more

Pihea Trail - Hiking Near Me - Kekaha, Hawaii

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Wow, this was more of an adventure than i was expecting! The guidebook said 2 mile roundtrip, which seemed easy, but it was a lot of ups and downs and maneuvering through the mud. It was a bit of a stairclimber, at times. We came on a day that it didn't rain for a few days beforehand and i think that was lucky. Most of the trail was hard packed mud with only a few smooshy parts and puddles, and we could avoid getting too muddy. When we split and headed Pihea Vista (which i HIGHLY recommended - what a view!), getting muddy was pretty much expected. For Pihea Vista, turn left at the sign just a wee bit past the 1 mile marker. This is where it gets steep! ! But so worth it. Stay on the left side of the trail (not hugging the fence side) til the end and remember - the trees are your friends! They are great to hold on to keep your balance and to help with the steeper steps. read more

Pihea trail starts at the end of the road in kokee state park. good pair of hiking shoes are needed and it can be very muddy in areas. 1.7 miles to the fork where you decide to go the the vista trail or down to link up with the kilohana trail. Start early if you want to go to the end of kilohana trail, almost 5 miles one way. If you get lucky with the weather, you will get AMAZING views of kalalau valley all along the way. Not recommended for small children or elderly as you are walking along the rim of kalalau valley and there can be alot of up and down climbing. otherwise it is well worth the drive..... read more

OK, God did some of his best work here. Period. Hands down. Cannot even begin to imagine how he came up with this. We hiked the Pihea trail. Highly recommended, not to long and you get to see both rainforest and so many views of the coast that you need a bigger SD card in your camera. Every turn, snap, snap snap. When we got to the end of the trail, almost to Pihea point, it started to rain, hard. That made the trail a little more complex. Slippery and nasty.... but fun! This is NOT for the novice on a rainy day. It has some complex inclines that you need to balance, grab, step, stretch, pull and climb... all while avoiding the mud. Wear shoes that you are OK with getting muddy. Pack a towel and even a change of clothes in your car. We saw several individuals who had taken some nasty falls that were covered in mud... not good for a rental car. TRUST ME, it rains here! Do it. Do it. Do it. It was the cheapest tour and probably my favorite. Would have loved to have done the swamp trail too but with the rain, it just slowed us down too much. From trail head to Pihea point and back with 687 pictures +/- it took us about 4 hours. We stopped at the big meadow by the Kokee museum for a picnic lunch, it was really cool. On the way up Hwy 50 you will come across a smooth red dirt area on the left side where you will see some small streams. STOP HERE, get out and check it out. It is the neatest thing. It's like this mini stream through the red dirt with ferns and wild orchids all along it. I could not take enough pictures. read more

Oh I love this trail. When I was young and the fog would roll in, we would jump up and down saying "we're touching the clouds!" Fun fun times. Easy hike. Pretty views, as per usual. Haven't been in a while. Should return. read more

This was a great hike (the first mile anyway) for us and our four-month old (carried in a front-pack). It wasn't too wet, so terrain was solid. The views are among the best I have ever seen. The first ten minutes is jaw-dropping. read more

Well worth all the muddy,slippery,sometimes unnerving Conditions to get to the views at the end.i am 41 and going cautiously it took 3 hrs.to get there.awesome.lots a muddy fun read more

This view is so beautiful and you're on top of paradise basically. Went with my gf, her daughter, niece, sister, and two dogs! The trail itself can be very muddy and you'll have to do some scrambling! read more