Awa’awapuhi Trail

As long as you know you can do a 6.5mi hike (round-​trip), this one is not terribly strenuous. There is a 2000 foot elevation gain on the way back but the trail really isn’t terribly steep throughout. It was SUPER muddy however so recommend you wear boots, and expect to be covered in mud mostly to your ankles by the end. The mud quickly becomes one of the charms of the hike and there is a pile of walking sticks to choose from at the trailhead.
The hike wasn’t very crowded, there is lots of great vegetation to look at (tons of wild ginger), and the views at the end are worth the trip. Would definitely do this hike again.

Highly recommend this hike!
It’s 3 miles downhill to the most amazing lookout! Someone had left walking sticks at the trailhead, which were very handy. Most of the hike is heavily shaded and there are signs for the first mile with the names of the native trees as well as mile markers every .25 mile. We did the hike on a dry day, but there was 3 – 4 large muddy areas to navigate. There are a few peek-​a-​boo views as you near the lookout and you’ll think they’re amazing… until you get to the actual lookout!
Lush cliffs, waterfalls, birds soaring, bright blue skies, waves crashing on the black rocks. I die!
The 3 miles back up are just that… up. We’re in relative good shape and found it to be moderate difficulty. Total hiking time was 2 hr 45 min. This hike is best on a clear day, not only for the best views, but for navigating the trail. Enjoy!

Stunning views! plenty of wild guava trees! Highly recommend!
We didi the whole hike in about 2.5 hrs — and when we arrived back at the trail head from our hike our SUV was broken into!!! The passenger side back window was smashed into and they have taken a bag with some valuable documents. So watch out for your soundings and do not leave ANYTHING in your cars! Only after the hike while speaking to the police we were told that this is fairly common at those secluded trailheads at the Waimea canyon.

Roundtrip is 6.2 miles. But you can convince people to hike it by telling them it’s a hike that’s only 3.1 miles long. And then once they get to the vista at the end of the trail they’ll realize it was 3.1 miles one way and they’ll have no other choice but to hike the 3.1 miles back. Mwahaha
The hike is through a mountain jungle. Some people describe it as a forest but the temperature is more like a jungle. Hot and humid.
Ideal times to hike it are in the early morning right after the sun rises or late afternoon right before the sun sets. Midday it gets too hot but it’s still doable.
It’s a reversed hike. Downhill on the way to the lookout and uphill on the way back from the lookout. Downhill gets slippery but a hiking stick helps with that.
Difficulty level is moderate. Definitely not easy but some might consider it hard. I had to rest a few times on the uphill parts to catch a breath and one of the times that I did I overheard a late 20s early 30s couple that didn’t see me ahead of them somewhat arguing about the difficulty of the hike.
Woman: I’m not saying I don’t like this hike.
Man: What are you saying?
Woman: This isn’t fun to be–
And that’s when they caught up to where I was resting, saw me, and stopped their little argument. The woman was probably tired and complaining to her boyfriend/​husband/​fiancé. Keep in mind that people can hear you through the jungle and you’re not completely alone.
I would do this again. It wore me out and I couldn’t do anything productive for the rest of the day. But that’s the point of good hikes right?

3.25 mile hike one way. Moderate hike with some areas of steep climbing. I would start early in the morning as parts of the trail is open and no shade is offered. Wear sun screen.

This hike is awesome! It’s about a 6 mile round trip hike with 2000 feet of altitude change. Definitely bring a couple bottles of water, hiking shoes and a camera. The hike starts off all with a big elevation drop in the first 1.5 or so which is so nice, but remember you have to climb back up later!
When you get to the end you can either take your pictures behind the railing or be a little adventurous and go to the left down the side and take pictures along the narrow ridge. Be very careful, but the view is so worth it! Now enjoy the hike back up!

This was a great hike! Kauai is a rainy island so be prepared for mud. It didn’t *rain* on this trail but it was misty, however this trail is full on mud. you will get damp, you will get muddy, and your shoes will not be the same. It’s worth it though. The trail is a bit over 3 miles and is downhill which leads to the lookout and ridge. The lookout is breathtaking and the views of the valley and the ocean are crazy gorgeous. IF you choose to go all the way out across the ridge, be warned that it is NARROW, it is WINDY, and it is SLIPPERY (i fell, but not in the super narrow part). It’s pretty sketchy walking across that 1 foot ridge with a straight shot to your death on either side, but it’s worth it. (go on all fours!).
the hike back is all uphill. I recommend a lunch and lots of water. The good part is, if you are there when it’s hot and maybe a little warm. the trail is all shaded being as how you are in forest conditions. It also slightly protects you from the wind. it’s window 4000 feet up!
This is also way less crowded than the Kalalau Trail.

Loved this hike! We went on a day when it said cloudy with little chance of rain. It is Kauai — it rained. But that didn’t stop us from doing the trail. A few words of caution — the reviews tell you it is muddy and YES it is muddy and slippery. The 3.25 miles down to the valley is almost all downhill. So when there is a fresh rain you will want to go slow or you have a good chance of wiping out. When you reach the vantage point it is REALLY WORTH IT! One of the most breathtaking views I’ve seen.
Words of wisdom: Make sure you have the right shoes — my husband and I invested in some hiking boots that are waterproof. I have Lowa’s with gortex (more like high top sneakers) and he has Northface — we must have said twenty times over how happy we were that we upgraded our shoes. Our feet were very comfy and dry! Also find a walking stick! Saved us multiple times from falling on our faces. :)
Be sure to also treat yourself to G’s Juice in the main town of Waimea — you will be happy you stopped :)

This hike suprised me. Who would suspect you could do a forest hike in Hawaii. I expected lots of rock and lots of sun. Instead I enjoyed a tree canopy above with a nicely marked forest trail to follow below. SUPRISE
It is 3.25 miles to get to the cliffs on the ocean. Downhill all the way. You end up in the middle of 2 valleys. Awa’awapuhi Valley on your right and Nualolo Valley on your left. If conditions are right, ie… dry with good footing… you can even go down to a platform where you can look down into both valleys. Your heart may be in your throat crossing the rock bridge to get to the platform though. Not a good idea on a windy day or after a rain shower.
Finding this trail is quite easy. Start by heading to Waimea. Waimea Canyon Road starts right after the fire dept. building on the main road through town. Turn right and follow the road. On the right side of the road you will find a marker with every mile travelled. When you get to mile 17 look to your left and you will see a clearing to park your car. That is the trailhead for your hike.
A note of caution;
this isn’t a trail that I would want to be doing on a rainy day. it would become very slick and tough to travel on. You will be going uphill on the way back for 3.25 miles. If the trail turns to mud, it will suck bad. A walking stick might help keep you upright.
All in all, this is a good cardio hike with a breathtaking view at the end. I used this one as a tuneup for harder hikes on the north shore. Next time that I am back on Kauai I will be doing this one again.

(Check that video out to see how narrow of lookout you will be experiencing)
3.1 mile trail into the lookout mainly downhill, not much to see till the end then BAM you see why everything was worth it. You get to see the valley view side of the Napali Coast. 3.1 trek back is very tiring. Start very early and make sure you are well rested! We started hike at 7 am and it was perfect. Loved this hike! I’m not scared of heights but if you do have a phobia u may need to skip on this one. At the lookout there were some points where I experience slight vertigo! View is awesome you will not regret it… unless you fall…

Great 6-​mile round-​trip hike with a very rewarding ending. The hike is mostly through shaded forest and ending at the overlooks with some great views. You can continue past the overlooks (even though you are cautioned not to) in order to get even more amazing views. But if you have a fear of heights, I would advise not continuing beyond the official overlooks because parts of the extended trail are as few as 2 feet wide and a 2,000 foot drop on both sides.