Hawaiian trails

Captain Cook Monument, Big Island

This 4-mile trail was just 10 mins walk from our place, fairly overgrown by vegetation on the first half offering shelter, while the second led through lava flows exposing hikers to mid-day sun. Total elevation was 1280 feet but as promised, the coast at the end of the trail offered one of the best snorkelling spots in Hawaii. It is only accessible via this trail, but boat tours bring dozens of people here from time to time so get there early as possible.

Waipi'o Valley, Big Island

This is not a trail as such but a road where only 4x4s allowed, starting from the lookout and leading down the valley and then to a black sand beach. It was pretty tough to walk back up as out & back it's 3 miles with 960 feet elevation. And it's steeep...




The valley was devastated in 1946 by a tsunami, this might be a reminder.



Kilauea Iki, Big Island

We mentioned this trail in a previous post so just to sum it up, this is one of the many walking routes in Volcanoes National Park, that gives place to erupting volcanoes and moving lava flows. So Kilauea Iki is a pit crater right next to main caldera, and an eruption in 1959 with lava fountains as high as 580m filled it up with over 120m liquid lava. Now that lava lake is solid (still warm though), and you can walk across it as part of this trail, which is a 4 mile loop with 400 feet elevation. Highly recommended, feels like walking on an other planet.

Kalalau, Kauai

If you were amazed of the scenery in Jurassic Park, like I was, then this is the place you want to see. This is an 11 mile trail along the Napali coast, but to hike past Hanakapi'ai beach you need a permit, and since the hike takes a whole day, need to camp in Kalalau Valley overnight. But even hiking the 2 mile trail to Hanakapi'ai is totally worth it. It offers almost constant views of Napali, rain and pine forests mixing as it traverses lush valleys and rocky sea cliffs.




Waimea Canyon, Kauai

The south west corner of Kauai is always sunny and dry, as opposed to the rest of the island where it rains pretty much every day. In fact, Mount Waialeale is one of the wettest points on Earth with around 450 inches (11400 mm) of rain annually. The canyon is not far from there but looks and feels completely different - more like the Grand Canyon in Arizona. The hike itself is 3.2 miles, moderate, offering fantastic views of the canyon (especially with the optional half mile Cliff Trail excursion), and ends by the top of the Waipio falls. Pretty awesome.




Sleeping Giant, Kauai


There are three common trails leading to the top of Nounou Mountain (nicknamed the Sleeping Giant), we chose the East trail. It's 3.5 miles with 1000 ft elevation, with views over the Kapa'a coastline. Not too difficult and not that amazing, just simply nice, accessible, and a good workout after all.



Awa'awapuhi, Kauai
This trail is the only one I did not enjoy at all. It was pretty muddy as it was raining the night before, leading all the way downwards on the outbound journey and of course, up on the way back. All together it's 6.2 miles with a whopping 1600 ft elevation. Pretty boring as you are hiking in a forest, nothing spectacular. But when you get to the very end of the trail, you end up with this. The Napali coast.


Nice.




Ho'opi'i Falls, Kauai

An easy, but a bit hidden, unmarked 1.8 mile hike to a waterfall with its own pool, where you can monkey about. Wohooo!





Koko Crater Railway Track, Oahu

I tried stepping machines in the gym a few times, as they are generally very effective killing you in like 15 minutes. Well, this hike is like that, with the added bonus that after climbing over 1100 wooden railroad ties, you have to come down too. Yeey. The tracks were layed down for a tram supplying a military lookout in WWII. Never been used since for that purpose so you can imagine the state it is in. Anyhow, if you are still alive when you get to the top, something like this is your reward.


Manoa Falls, Oahu

Just a few minutes drive from Downtown Honolulu, this trail starts at the end of an ordinary suburbian street. Pretty amazing, as this area is a proper rainforest. Wet, lush and filled with mosquitoes, but the extraordinary short(ish) walk leads to the pretty Manoa waterfall.




Makapu'u Point, Oahu