Hiking Kauai’s Koke’e State Park, July 2011

Change of plans

Most people go to Hawaii to relax on a beach, but that would be too easy for us.  Not enough adventure.  Even on our wedding day in May, 2009, we managed to squeeze in a hike on the island of Maui (after the ceremony).  Unfortunately, this trip was the second time we went with plans to hike the Kalalau Trail along the Na Pali Coast but weren’t able to.  We were thwarted once for a last-minute closure for a goat hunt, and this year because they changed the permits to online-only, and no longer available from the grumpy guy at the State Office in Lihue.  Lesson learned, and we now have permits for Thanksgiving 2011, but not in time for this particular trip.

New Plans

Last-minute changes are something we are used to…some of our best adventures come from an unplanned alternative.  We did our research on the Hawaii State Parks website and found Koke’e State Park, at the top of the road to Waimea Canyon.  We saw a great loop trail that would traverse the cliffs above the Na Pali Coast and give us views of our elusive paradise along the Kalalau Trail.  Camping in Hawaii is all about changing weather, and at 1,000 m., Koke’e can be cold, wet, hot or dry, all in the same day.  Being waterproof without being warm is the key.

Secret Beach

We usually start with the first and last nights in a hotel, just to help us get our gear in order both after and before our flights.  We stayed at the Westin Princeville, which wasn’t a great choice in retrospect.  It was the opposite side of the island from Koke’e and doesn’t have a great beach.  To make up for this, we stopped by Secret Beach, between the Westin and Kilauea.  Locals generally need to tell you how to get there, and we found out on an earlier trip.  It is a slice of paradise, and even has an excellent fresh water source right on the beach, where delicious water trickles from the cliff face.  The colors of the sand, the vegetation and the water create an overwhelming landscape, well worth the single track trail to get there.

Camping at Koke’e

Koke’e is one of the quietest places we’ve come across.  It was nearly empty and unstaffed.  The sites were grassy, had picnic tables and separated by significant vegetation.  It was very easy to believe you were completely alone.  Each site also had its own water and was just a few minutes walk from the parking lot.  The Missing Person signs and the remoteness gave us pause, but we survived to write this.

Nualolo Cliffs and Awa’awapuhi Trails

Nearing the Coast

Starting early while it was still cool, the trails were clear and except for a few tree roots and muddy places, very easy to follow.  The views were excellent even before we reached the cliffs as we climbed and descended several times through canopy forests which gave way to low bushes and small trees at the cliffs.  The colors of green, the red soil and the deep blue of the Pacific Ocean were the perfect reward for making it to the farthest points.

Na Pali Coast Overlook

Nothing could compare, however, to the views once we reached the Na Pali Coast overlooks.  Each bend in the trail offered a new perspective on the enormous valleys that led down to the ocean.  The largest valley was the famed Kalalau.  The sheer size and depth of the valley made it clear why the end of the Kalalau Trail is the next hike for us in Kaua’i.