Hiking the East Side of Kauai

Kauai isn’t known as the "Garden Isle" for nothing – and what better way to enjoy it than by foot. Even local boys like me often take the time to enjoy the natural wonders that our island home has to offer. "East" Kauai? Well, I grew up on this side of the island. And, although I’m sure there are excellent trails all around Kauai, I’m obviously most familiar with the ones that are close enough that I could decide to hike them on a whim.

These are some of the trails that I enjoy taking either solo (although this is NEVER recommended for tourists) or with a group of friends. The levels of difficulty depend, of course, on individual physical conditions. In general, EASY is something I would take my 8 and 6-year-old nieces on, while I’d have reservations taking them on a moderate trail, and definitely not on a difficult one.

Quick Tips:

Try to leave your hiking itinerary with someone NOT accompanying you – in case of emergencies. Just drop a note at the front desk of your hotel. Also, in consideration of other visitors, now and for generations to come, PLEASE take out EVERYTHING you bring in. It would be UNREASONABLE to expect county workers to hike up the trails daily just to "take the trash out". Smash/compact aluminum cans and plastic bottles, food wrappers, etc., and carry them out with you.

Also, several of the trails mentioned also serve as HUNTING TRAILS. Hunting is a year round sport on weekends and holidays. Yes – there are wild animals up there. But don’t worry. Unless cornered, wild boars and goats are much more afraid of YOU than you are afraid of them. Hikers are advised to wear BRIGHT COLORED CLOTHING as a safety precaution.

Best Way To Get Around:

RENT A CAR!!! -- preferably a 4WD (Jeep Wrangler or Grand Cherokee). Public transportation to these trails is non-existent and taxi fares are ridiculously high.

The Nonou Mountain, more affectionately known as the Sleeping Giant, is arguably the best family hiking trail this side of the island. It also provides you with breathtaking views of the Kawaihau District (Kapa’a, Waipouli, and Wailua Houselots) to the east, and Wailua Homesteads and Mount Waialeale to the west.

HOW TO GET THERE: There are three (3) main trails all eventually converging into one. I recommend the south entrance as it is the most accessible. Heading from Lihue on Kuhio Highway, cross the Wailua River bridge, turn left on Kuamo’o Road (Route 580) and drive approximately 2.5 miles, passing the Opaeka’a Falls on the way. The trail entrance is at the edge of pasture on the right side of the road.

For a shorter hike, you can take the west entrance – the trail from the south entrance merges in this trail soon after you reach the tree-line. To get here, continue on Kuomo’o road and take a left onto Kamalu Road (Route 581) at the Wailua Country Store. About 2 miles along the base of the Sleeping Giant will take you to Lokelani Road – turn right and drive to the end of this road to a cul-de-sac / parking lot. The west trail begins there.

The east entrance is a bit longer than the west simply because it zig-zags before converging with the south & west trails about 2/3 the way up to the peak. To get here, after crossing the Wailua River bridge, PASS Kuamo’o Road and, instead, turn left at the next road – Haleilio Road (literally, Doghouse Road in Hawaiian). Follow Haleilio Road all the way to the base of the mountain where there is a parking area right at the trail entrance.

Though this is a relatively short hike down, the trail is a bit steep and can be especially difficult during foul weather. In fact, the vast majority of visitors simply enjoy the breathtaking view of the falls from the lookout above it. The trail is NOT a state-kept trail, hence the obligatory "Keep Out - Hazardous Conditions" signs at the entrances. However, for the adventurous, this hike rewards you with a refreshing dip in a large, clear-water pond fed by the spectacular Wailua Falls – the falls made famous by the opening credits of the TV show "Fantasy Island". CAUTION: Over the years, Wailua has had its share of dimwitted thrill-seekers that thought they could actually survive a jump off the top of the falls into the pond below. Trust me on this one – you can’t. Barring a miracle, the rocks below and the laws of physics won’t let you.

HOW TO GET THERE: From Wailua, head south on Kuhio Highway about 4 miles to the first set of traffic lights – turn left (you’ll still be on Kuhio Highway) and drive through Hanamaulu Town. After Hanamaulu you will drive down a relative steep hill into Kapaia Valley – turn right at the bottom of the valley onto Maalo Road. Drive about 3.8 miles to the Wailua Falls lookout, then park. The short trail entrance is about 10 yards before the lookout. About 200 yards before you reach the lookout, you may run across some cars parked along another "lookout" – this is the long trail entrance.

There are actually numerous hiking options you can take when visiting the Keahua Arboretum, the furthest inland you can drive on this side of the island. Just past the arboretum, the Powerline Trail is aptly named as it follows the transmission lines that carry electricity from the power plant in the south shore to the communities on the north shore. Bringing you about halfway up the side of Mount Waialeale, you will enjoy incredible vistas usually reserved for those willing to fork over big bucks to take a helicopter tour. This trail is used extensively by wild pig hunters: casual hikers are advised to wear bright-colored clothing as a safety precaution. CAUTION: It is almost ALWAYS a bit damp once you pass the somewhat paved road that technically ends at the arboretum parking lot. The unpaved road continues but SHOULD NOT be used if you have a basic, economy car rental. In fact, some car rental agencies will explicitly state that it is against their contract to bring your car off the paved roads.

HOW TO GET THERE: From Wailua, take Kuamo’o Road (Route 580) inland through the Wailua Homesteads residential area and past the University of Hawaii / USDA Agricultural Experiment Station. Another 2 miles through what locals call "Loop Road" eventually leads you to the Keahua Arboretum, with conspicuously situated parking areas. To get to the Power Line Trail, WALK further up the road from the parking area about 100 yards. The trail entrance is clearly marked on the right-hand side at the top of the hill. CAUTION: The east side is the rainy side of the island and the trail here is often muddy and treacherous for those unprepared. If you’re not sure, don’t take any chance. You can absorb all the nature Kauai’s forests have to offer simply by taking a peaceful stroll through the arboretum.

For a good family hike, this is probably the best trail to take from Keahua Arboretum. Heck, it was easy enough for film crews to carry up their equipment to film some scenic shots for Jurassic Park. CAUTION: This trail is often used by locals to go horseback riding and some parts of the trail are a bit narrow. Just exercise some common courtesy and everything should be fine – it’s a lot easier for you to turn around and walk back to a wider spot than for a rider to back up his/her horse.

HOW TO GET THERE: From Wailua, take Kuamo’o Road (Route 580) inland through the Wailua Homesteads residential area and past the University of Hawaii / USDA Agricultural Experiment Station. Another 2 miles through what locals call "Loop Road" eventually leads you to the Keahua Arboretum, with conspicuously situated parking areas. Backtrack about 50 yards to the entrance of Kuilau Trail.

This is another option to visit the Keahua Arboretum – except the arboretum is at the end of this trail. Growing up, my friends and I would take this trail on horseback – riding to the end of Olehena Road, through the Moalepe Trail, down the Kuilau Trail to the arboretum, having lunch and maybe a swim in one of the mountain ponds, then looping back home via Kuamo’o Road. This would take up an entire summer’s day. For the tourist, taking this trail requires some coordination with someone willing to drop you off at the trail entrance, then to meet you at the arboretum by driving there through Kuamo’o Road. Otherwise, you’d have to turn around and hike all the way back – a viable option, but one that I would not personally choose.

HOW TO GET THERE: From Kuhio Highway at the mouth of the Wailua River, take Kuamo’o Road (Route 580) 2.5 miles to the Wailua Country Store. Turn right on Kamalu Road (Route 581) and head 2 miles where it ends at Olohena Road. Turn left and drive to the trail entrance at the end of Olohena Road (Caution: Olohena Road "ends" where Waipouli Road "begins". Because there are no stop signs, it may appear that Olohena continues after taking a sharp right turn).