Aloha and welcome back to 7 Kauai Hikes Not Named the Kalalau Trail. Today's entry is part 3 in the series and covers one hike that I relish and one hike that I don't. First, the relish--

​The Alakai Swamp Trail-- 8 miles, moderately difficult (beginning from the Alakai Swamp Trail Head, but difficult from the Pihea Trail Head)

Crossroads (On the Path)this photo shows the intersection of the pihea trail and alakai swamp trail in koke'e state park.
koke'e state park, kauai

OK. Here's the deal. This is one of my all time favorite hikes. You can begin it at the Pihea Trailhead at end of Waimea Canyon Drive or if you have 4WD you can start from the Alakai Swamp Trailhead near Sugi Grove Campground. If you start from the Pihea Trail expect a muddy and slippery first mile and a half. But you will have awesome views into the Kalalau Valley during that first difficult mile. As amazing as those views are, I prefer beginning from the Alakai Swamp Trailhead for a couple of reasons. One, I like wheeling. Two, it's easier. Three, it's faster, which is often important if you are trying to get shots at either end of golden hour.

The Alakai Swamp Trail may be the greenest trail on Kauai. It is filled with vegetation and plant life. The smells are amazing on this hike. The air is so fresh. The ground so rich. The varieties leaves and shades of green that you will see is just spectacular. It's like walking into a different landscape and every time I go up there I am amazed that I am on the same island that I woke up on. It is just so different from anything else on Kauai. It is often cloudy and wet on the hike, but this seems to add a hint of mystery to the adventure. About half of the trail is covered in boardwalk which makes it easier on my knees than some of Kauai's other trails. But at 8 miles with some elevation change and one stream to cross, it can be a long and difficult hike. But so much fun!

which do you like? the straight and narrow?

or the twisty turny?

On clear days you may possibly see Hanalei and the Wainiha Valley at the Kilohana Lookout, the trail's end. I hiked The Alakai Swamp Trail 6 times before I finally saw Hanalei and it's a trip. I was like, "That's Hanalei!" That's the north shore! But I'm all the way up here in Koke'e! It's so strange to think that you've driven 2 and half hours, hiked 4 miles just to see one of the places on the island that you know so well. But not from this perspective. Not from this vantage point. And not from this altitude. I remember looking down onto Hanalei and thinking, "What a perfect shape. The place is magic.

Hanalei Bay under the clouds, a little circle filled in in blue and surrounded in green.

The Wainiha Valley seen from the Kilohana Lookout at the end of The Alakai Swamp Trail.

A rare day on the Alakai Swamp Trail when there wasn't a cloud in the sky. 

***

Now for the hike that-- I gotta be honest-- I don't like that much. It's a good hike and all and it has great views, but it hurts my knees. It's just too much straight downhill on very loose or potentially loose red, Waimea Canyon dirt. I had a shredded meniscus removed from my right knee about 3 years ago long descending hikes are tough on me. It seems that I can take elevation drops and gains better when they are disturbed throughout the hike, rather than all at once downhill. And when you add in the many bugs and insects in the jungle-forrest at the bottom of the canyon this trail just doesn't do it for me. It is

The Kukui Trail-- 5 miles, difficult, Waimea Canyon

The Kukui Trail doesn't really have a parking area, but there is a little stretch of road between mile marker 8 and 9 on Waimea Canyon Drive where hikers park their cars. It's easy to miss and so is the Kukui Trail sign so be on the lookout. The trail begins at a short nature loop, which also offers nice views into Waimea Canyon. Once on the trail you begin descending almost immediately as you wind your way through Koa and Lehua Trees. Once out of the forest the views open up and the soil gets drier and more brittle. Watch your footing! On this trail, trekking poles are especially useful!

The inside walls of Waimea Canyon shine brightly in the light of the new sun. Check out Waipo'o Falls in the distance, too.

​The Kukui Trail descends from the rim of Waimea Canyon to the Waimea River 2 and one half miles below.

The trail leads you off the red dirt and into the green forest below where tons of mosquitos play. There are some cool side trails down by the river and they are definitely worth exploring, but I really have spent too much time adventuring down there. Maybe one day we explore it together. 

For photography I find the light in Waimea Canyon to be the most difficult of anywhere on island. Perhaps I am being a tad persnickety, but be forewarned-- patience and effort are a virtue. (Side tangent-- anytime someone says to me Right Place. Right Time. I respond back-- Right Preparation. Right Effort. Right Patience make it look like Right Place. Right Time. :-) ).

  Next time we'll continue on our hiking tour with the final two trails of 7 Kauai Hikes Not Named the Kalalau Trail. Stay tuned and happy trails!

Aloha,

Lee

Alright, to review-- 7 Kauai Hikes Not Named the Kalalau Trail is all about getting to know a few of the other and also outstanding hikes on Kauai. Everyone knows the Kalalalu Trail and while it is indeed an awesome hike I'd like to introduce a couple of other hikes to hopefully ease our collective footprint on Ke'e, Haena and the far north shore. I think, too, that adventuring out to some of the other trails on the island will further develop our relationship and love for Kauai. Part 1 introduced two easy hikes-- the Okolehao Trail and Sleeping Giant. This edition will introduce an easy south shore hike-- The Maha'ulepu Heritage Trail in Poipu.

The Maha'ulepu Heritage Trail-- Poipu, about 4 miles roundtrip (???), easy

graced by timepinnacles

This is my favorite place on the south shore and I really like this hike. It's by far the easiest hike of the 7 and the easiest to get to-- just drive to Shipwrecks (Keoneloa Bay) and park in the small public lot right next to the Hyatt. The trail begins at Shipwrecks beach. Climb up on the bluff and walk south towards Maha'ulepu beach. The entire hike is coastal, leisurely and quite easy. The footing is a little unstable in some areas, but the real dangers are the heat (especially in midday) and falling off the many seaside bluffs that are actually lithified sand dunes. So be careful! (That's what Naomi always says to me before I go out there :-) ). The photo above is from an area about 20 minutes into the trail called The Pinnacles. The photo below was taken on top of Makahuena (the bluff at the south end of Shipwrecks). It is the southernmost tip of Kauai and cool place to watch the ocean and sky with a cup of coffee. 

Great views and the trail is just beginning! This trail is also a popular running circuit so if you are a runner or just enjoy a quick jog in nature definitely lace 'em up and have a go. The first 1/2 mile or so is a little sandy and there are many offshoots zigzagging through the dunes, but remember all roads lead to Rome or in this case Maha'ulepu. 

The summer brings big waves to the south shore and this hike is a great place to watch the ocean churn and bang against the coastline. On a sunny day the waters are a beautiful turquoise blue. This stretch of the southern rocky coast has perhaps the most beautiful ocean water on Kauai. My only complaint about the trail is that it borders the Poipu Bay Golf Course, and their is one section of about 200 yards where you have to walk along the edge of the artificial and intrusive (in my mind) course. You'll also pass the stables where paniolos can go horseback riding and experience the south shore like a real cowboy.

Looking towards Maha'ulepu beach on a cloudy morning at sunrise. This spot is just past the stables.

deep blue south shore waters and a carved coastline under a sky of clouds. They say that Poipu is the sunny south shore, but when I go I always seem to get my share of clouds! Maybe I bring them with me from the north shore!!!

A red sky at dawn welcomes Naomi and I as we wait for the sun to rise. Pretty much any southeast facing point along the trail is a good place to catch sunrise, but  not sunset as the trail takes you further away from the west. 

The beach at Maha'ulepu near the end of the trail is one of the most secluded beaches on the island. Get there early and you will likely have the place all to yourself. On windy days Maha'ulepu is a popular place for kite surfing. There is no lifeguard so be careful, know your limits, and understand that the currents out here are predictably heavy and strong. 

There is so much that I could say about this hike. I definitely think it is one of the best on the island. Easily accessible, not difficult, amazing colors along the trail, rich in culture and history. It's just a fantastic walk. And if you would like more information on the Maha'ulepu Heritage Trail please, visit this incredibly informative link at http://www.hikemahaulepu.org. There you'll find much more info on the flora, fauna and archeology of the area.

Aloha, 

Lee

The Kalalau Trail is the most famous hike on Kauai and in the summertime the trail-- and especially the parking lots and road from Haena to Ke'e-- gets incredibly busy. I would even suggest that from 10am to around 4pm parking is a disaster out there. And the trail, too, may be suffering from overuse. One of the great things about Kauai is the sense of seclusion that the island gives. Her nature is so vast and so varied that you can often find yourself alone in her nurturing beauty. But with the summertime crowds and the growing popularity of the Kalalalu Trail (especially to Hanakapi'ai beach), you may want to try other hikes around the island in order to commune peacefully with Mama Kauai. Visiting other trails will help to more evenly distribute our adventure footprint as well as enhance our perspective and understanding of this amazing island as we begin to see her from different views. By exploring her other paths our relationship with the island deepens. 

The 7 Hikes that I will introduce below are of varying levels of difficulty, but it must be said most are in the moderate to difficult range. The reason being, I just don't know that many easy hikes on Kauai. The heat, elevation gain/loss, and length make most hikes on the island moderately difficult. However, all of the  hikes listed below are fun(!) and there are a few moderately easy ones, too. So without further adieux

7 Kauai Hikes Not Named the Kalalau Trail

1. The Okolehau Trail-- North Shore
2. Sleeping Giant (Nounou)-- East Side
3. The Heritage Trail-- South Shore
4. The Alakai Swamp Trail-- Koke'e State Park
5. The Kukui Trail-- Waimea Canyon State Park
6. Honopu Ridge Trail-- Koke'e State Park (not maintained)
7. Kohua Trail-- Waimea Canyon State Park (requires 4 Wheel Drive Vehicle to access trailhead)

The Okolehao Trail-- Hanalei, moderately easy (to the small hill where the aloha bench used to be, much more difficult once you get to the ropes), 3.5miles roundtrip (to the small hill where the aloha bench used to be (you'll know it when you get there))

The Okolehao Trail is a north shore hike that begins in the Hanalei River Valley. Awesome views of Hanalei Bay are the reward for a mile and half uphill jaunt. Although the trail continues up the ridge-- well past the small hill where the "aloha bench" used to sit-- I always turn around after taking in the vista in the photo above. To go further requires climbing some ropes. Go for it if that's your thing. If you do, then the hike jumps into the difficult category. I've listed this hike as moderately easy, but it is a long uphill climb that can be hard on the knees. Especially the descent. And when it it wet, the first mile and the last mile can be very slippery. For photo ops, you can get sunset pics-- looking towards Hanalei Bay-- and sunrise pics looking east (see photos below).

There are all kinds of different plants along the trail, and my favorite section is this area where the trail is lined by cook pine trees.  For me this section is the highlight of the trail. So fresh! :-)

Other things to look for on the Okolehao Trail are the soft fluffy grasses, dragon fiies, wild orchids, and frogs! 

To get to the trail head go north to Hanalei and turn left immediately after crossing the one lane bridge over the Hanalei River. Continue straight on the one lane country road for about a mile until you see a small parking lot on the left. Park there and the trail begins across the road on the right. You'll see a sign that reads OKOLEHAO. Afterwards, head into Hanalei town for some refreshments or better yet take a dip at Hanalei Bay. The cool pacific waters will help heal the legs after all of the climbing you just did!

Sleeping Giant (Nounou)-- Wailua, 4-5 miles roundtrip, moderately easy

Pretty much guaranteed views of sunrise over Wailua and Kapa'a await you along the Sleeping Giant Trail. You can begin the trail from three different locations, but I always start from the trailhead off of Haleilio Rd. This is another easy hike, probably easier than the Okolehao Trail. And like the Okolehao Trail you can continue your adventure if you are willing to climb a little into (potentially) harm's way. There is an official "end of trail" sign but you can easily hike beyond that and climb up onto the Sleeping Giant's face, head and nose. I like to hike this trail in the morning before Kapa'a and Wailua wake up. This trail is so close to the city that you will hear the traffic below you during the day, but it's still pretty cool to be up on a mountain that you see all the time as you drive through the east side of the island. Once on top you can look into the interior and see Kawaikini and Waiale'ale to the west; Kalalea and Kapa'a to the north; Wailua to the east; and Lihue to the south. A good first day hike for anyone staying on the east side because it lets you stretch your legs and gives you a good idea of the lay of the land.

The official trail ends at a picnic area on top. The trail is straightforward from top to bottom and there is only one area that is tricky. You'll notice it in the first 15 minutes of the hike (coming from the Haleilio Rd parking area). Along the way you'll find a bench where you may rest and gaze up to where you are heading. 

Part two will pick up with another easy hike, The Heritage Trail to Mahaulepu.

Till then, happy hiking. And if you have any questions feel free to ask in the comments section. Mahalo!

Aloha and respect,

Lee