Plenty to see along Hanakapi'ai Trail
LOCATION: The trail begins at Ke'e Beach, at the end of Highway 56 on Kaua'i's north shore. A kiosk on the left side of the road marks the trailhead.
DESCRIPTION: This eight-mile round trip follows the first 2 miles of the Kalalau Trail along Kaua'i's Na Pali coast to Hanakapi'ai Beach. It then turns inland and travels up the valley for another two miles, ending at a beautiful waterfall. The trail starts uphill at once, and some of the stones paving the path here are part of the original ancient trail. There are good views back to K«'« Beach and its small lagoon. After half a mile, the trail turns a corner, and the entire Na Pali coast is revealed in a post card perfect setting. It is a place to stop and stare. Schools of porpoises can sometimes be seen in the water far below, and if you are hiking in the winter months, keep an eye out for whales.
The trail makes its way in and out of gulches, crossing several small streams and alternating between forested and open areas, where more views of the Na Pali cliffs appear. It will climb as high as 400 feet before dropping to sea level again, at Hanakapi'ai's scenic white sand beach.
It is usually possible to cross Hanakapi'ai Stream by rock-hopping, aided by a fixed rope suspended over the water. Do not cross if high water makes it appear dangerous to do so, especially if it is raining. If you have difficulty here, there are three more stream crossings along the way that may be worse.
If you stop for a dip at the beach, heed all the warning signs.
Do not swim if the the surf is up, and watch for currents. People have drowned here.
Once across the stream, find the sign for Hanakapi'ai Falls, which starts up the valley, following the stream. The path soon enters a deep forest, passing huge mango trees. After three-quarters of a mile, you reach a stand of high bamboo, and a picnic shelter. The remains of a rock chimney to the left of the shelter give evidence of a failed attempt to grow coffee in the valley. Abandoned taro terraces now become visible, and the path passes through several of them.
At about 0.3 miles from the picnic shelter you will cross the stream again, at a wider point, but where it should still be possible to rock hop. Watch for colored ribbons tied to tree branches to aid in finding the trail again on the other side. In 15 minutes or so, the trail narrows and turns sharply uphill, making its way along the side of a small ridge. Here, you get your first view of the falls. Watch your footing carefully from here on. The trail then descends over a steep short face that you will need to climb down, and crosses the stream one last time. From here, it is about five minutes to the falls, which plunges 120 feet to a deep pool. Even though the water is cold, don't miss the chance to swim behind the falls, prop up on a rocky ledge, and gaze at the world through a veil of falling water. Do not linger in the pool near the base of the falls; rocks can be brought down with the rushing water. Return via the same route.
SPECIAL COMMENTS: This article is excerpted from Adventuring in Hawai'i (Sierra Club Books).
