Western Kauai in Kauai

Waimea Canyon Trails

On a wet island like Kauai, a dry hike is hard to find. But in the desert-dry gulch of Waimea Canyon, known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific (once you get here, you'll see why -- it's pretty spectacular), you're not likely to slip and slide in the muck as you go.

Canyon Trail -- You want to hike Hawaii's Grand Canyon, but you don't think you have time? Well, then, take the Canyon Trail to the east rim for a breathtaking view into the 3,000-foot-deep canyon. Park your car at the top of Halemanu Valley Road (located btw. mile markers 14 and 15 on Waimea Canyon Rd., about a mile down from the museum). Walk down the not very clearly marked trail on the 3.5-mile roundtrip, which takes 2 to 3 hours and leads to Waipoo Falls and back. We suggest going in the afternoon, when the light is best.

Hike to Waipoo Falls -- The 3-hour roundtrip hike to Waipoo Falls is one of Kauai's best hikes. The two-tiered, 800-foot waterfall that splashes into a natural pool is worth every step it takes to get here. To find the trail, drive up Kokee Road (Hwy. 550) to the Puu Hina Hina Outlook; a quarter mile past the lookout, near a NASA satellite-tracking station on the right, a two-lane dirt road leads to the Waipoo Falls trail head. From here, the trail winds gently through a jungle dotted with wild yellow orchids and flame-red torch ginger before it leads you out onto a descending ridgeback that juts deep into the canyon. At the end of the promontory, take a left and push on through the jungle to the falls; reward yourself with a refreshing splash in the pool.

Kokee State Park

At the end of Hwy. 550, which leads through Waimea Canyon to its summit, lies a 4,640-acre state park of high-mountain forest wilderness (3,600-4,000 ft. above sea level). The rainforest, bogs, and breathtaking views of the Na Pali Coast and Waimea Canyon are the draws at Kokee. This is the place for hiking -- among the 45 miles of maintained trails are some of the best hikes in Hawaii. Official trail maps of all the park's trails are for sale for $1.60 at the Kokee Natural History Museum (tel. 808/335-9975).

A few words of advice: Always check current trail conditions. Up-to-date trail information is available on a bulletin board at the Kokee Natural History Museum. Stay on established trails; it's easy to get lost here. Get off the trail well before dark. Carry water and rain gear -- even if it's perfectly sunny when you set out -- and wear sunscreen.

Awaawapuhi Trail -- This 3.3-mile hike (6.5 miles roundtrip) takes about 3 hours each way and is considered strenuous by most, but it offers a million-dollar view. Look for the trail head at the left of the parking lot, at mile marker 17, between the museum and Kalalau Lookout. The well-marked and maintained trail now sports quarter-mile markers, and you can pick up a free plant guide for the trail at the museum. The trail drops about 1,600 feet through native forests to a thin precipice right at the very edge of the Na Pali cliffs for a dramatic and dizzying view of the tropical valleys and blue Pacific 2,500 feet below. It's not recommended for anyone with vertigo (although a railing will keep you from a major slip and fall). Go early, before clouds obscure the view, or go late in the day; the chiaroscuro sunsets are something to behold.

The Awaawapuhi can be a straight out-and-back trail or a loop that connects with the Nualolo Trail (3.8 miles), which provides awesome views and leads back to the main road between the ranger's house and the Kokee cabins, about a mile and a half from where you started. So you can hike the remaining 1.5 miles along the road or hitch a ride if you decide to do the entire loop but can't make it all the way.

Pihea Trail -- This is the park's flattest trail, but it's still a pretty strenuous 7.5-mile roundtrip. A new boardwalk on a third of the trail makes it easier, especially when it's wet. The trail begins at the end of Hwy. 550 at Puu o Kila Lookout, which overlooks Kalalau Valley; it goes down at first, then flattens out as it traces the back ridge of the valley. Once it enters the rainforest, you'll see native plants and trees. It intersects with the Alakai Swamp Trail. If you combine both trails, figure on about 4 hours in and out.

Alakai Swamp Trail -- If you want to see the "real" Hawaii, this is it -- a big swamp that's home to rare birds and plants. The trail allows a rare glimpse into a wet, cloud-covered wilderness preserve where 460 inches of rainfall a year is common. This 7-mile hike used to take 5 hours of sloshing through the bog, with mud up to your knees. Now a boardwalk protects you from the shoe-grabbing mud. Come prepared for rain. (The silver lining is that there are no mosquitoes above 3,000 ft.)

The trail head is off Mohihi (Camp 10) Road, just beyond the Forest Reserve entrance sign and the Alakai Shelter picnic area. From the parking lot, the trail follows an old World War II-era four-wheel-drive road. Stick to the boardwalk; this is a fragile eco-area (not to mention the mud). At the end of the 3.5-mile slog, if you're lucky and the clouds part, you'll have a lovely view of Wainiha Valley and Hanalei from Kilohana Lookout.