Is Waimea Cliff Trail as hard as Kalalau? :) WHEW!

Wow, just got back from the full 8/9 hour hike to the Hanakapak%26#39;ai Falls and back... call me a big baby but I found that really though! Especially on the way back! I never thought it would end.. ha ha...

I%26#39;ve never hiked in my life - anywhwere, so this was pretty new ofor me bviously! It was a lot of fun and I%26#39;m so glad I did it... the falls were breathtaking and we went swimming there too. A perfect afternoon!

But I%26#39;m so exhausted and sore... I%26#39;m going to be feeling it tomorrow!

So I need to know... can I do the Waimea Awa%26#39;awa/Nulolo cliff hike? It is similar terrain (I found climbing the rocks/boulders/stream pretty tough) or more flat?

We are planning to go on Wed. but now I don%26#39;t know if I will be able to do it because it%26#39;s even longer right? I know I%26#39;d be missing out on a gorgeous view though...

Anyway, thoughts (and feel free to make fun of my weakness LOL!) are appreciated!

Take care,

Jen

I%26#39;ll send pics soon - too tired to do it right now! :)

Is Waimea Cliff Trail as hard as Kalalau? :) WHEW!

Yikes! I%26#39;m sorry to hear that hike was so strenuous, because we were hoping to do it in June. I wonder now from your description if we would both be willing and able to manage it. I guess we can always turn back whenever the going gets too rough. After reading the comments on Kauai Explorer (kauaiexplorer.com/hiking_kauai/hanakapiai_hi鈥?/a>) about it, it seemed like a ';must do';. It sounds like it was worth the suffering, though. :)

Is Waimea Cliff Trail as hard as Kalalau? :) WHEW!

Jen, we hiked to Waiahuakua Valley yesterday, two and a half miles beyond Hanakapi`ai, and that, compared to Nualolo and Awa%26#39;awapuhi, in my opinion, was easy. It may just be because we did that long hike along Nualolo/Awa the first day and my pack was WAY to heavy, but that one busted my butt even (we were sore for two days after it). We hiked back up Kalalau again today to see it without the haze (much much clearer today too). But the Nualolo/Awa hike, as great as it is, is a real %26#39;huffer%26#39; coming back up. If I were you, I%26#39;d go down and do just one of the trails, and not the loop. I liked Awa%26#39;awapuhi lookout best. My wife liked Lolo Vista at the end of Nualolo. Flip a coin, LOL. Nualolo is worse when it%26#39;s wet, so keep that in mind.

Waimea Canyon Cliff trail is a nice hike, we did it on Saturday I believe (still recovering from Nualolo/Awa). Great views, and I%26#39;m sure they are even better now that the haze/vog has blown away.

I%26#39;m envious you get to stay and hike more. Kauai%26#39;s my favorite to hike on. We leave tomorrow for the BI.

Oh, and here%26#39;s the photos of the Nualolo/Awa hike, you can pick which you like best if you guys do just one.

hawaii-guide.com/index.php/鈥?/a>

I think I also put a few from the Cliff trail in this gallery:

hawaii-guide.com/index.php/鈥?/a>

My opinion of the trails mentioned:

Hanakapiai falls is a bit harder than Waiakuahua. The former is a muddy trail, the other has more elevation gain and overgrown bushes, but it%26#39;s less of a slog because it%26#39;s (relatively) dry and not so muggy because you get a breeze.

The Nualolo-Awaawapuhi loop is longer, which makes it tougher, but it doesn%26#39;t have the difficulty of the big stream crossings and so much mud. It%26#39;s been a while since I hiked it, but my impression was that the Nualolo trail is steeper and muddier, and it feels harder than the Awaawapuhi trail, which has slightly more elevation gain. I%26#39;ve found that going uphill on the Awaawapuhi trail is easier because it is more gradual. And I too prefer the Awaawapuhi lookout (you actually get a plunging view into both Nualolo and Awaawapuhi valleys, but you%26#39;re farther from the ocean), so that would be my choice as a shorter out-and-back.

Waimea Cliff trail, continuing on the Canyon trail to the top of Waipoo falls, is much easier. However, it starts with a steep downhill, either on the dirt road or on the trail from the Puu Hina Hina lookout--and so it ends with a steep uphill, but fortunately not too long. Don%26#39;t try to make a loop on the Black Pipe trail, you will be disappointed, much better to go out-and-back the same way.

A note to all: it helps if you prepare for your trip, do practice hikes, and plan your packing. If nothing else, be sure to stretch at the end of a hike, you can avoid some sore muscles that way.

I%26#39;d say it%26#39;s about a push in terms of how badly I hurt and for how long after doing each. The post just above this one is spot on regarding the trails. I vote for the Nualolo lookout.

The trouble with this hike is you go down first so you don%26#39;t feel too tired. Then you go along the cliffs and start to feel a bit used up. THEN you have to slog uphill for 3-4 miles steadily after you are dog tired and all the good sights are behind you.

take a few days off if you are going to try it.

KauaiHiker does have a point about the stream crossings going to Hanakapiai; did that one a few years ago. I still felt the elevation gain there wasn%26#39;t that bad when compared to climbing back up Ho`olulu Valley. Either way, climbing back up Nualolo or Awa is a lot more elevation gain; though as others have said, Awa is the easier climb out.

labsnabys.. If you don%26#39;t go all the way back to the falls, at least hike the first 2 miles to the first beach. Breath taking views.

We hiked to the waterfalls on April 20th. 90 minutes to the first beach, 90 to the waterfalls. We came out in 75 minutes each section. It WILL wear you out, but I think it%26#39;s worth it. The elevation isn%26#39;t as bad going to the falls, but there were some hairy spots. Especially after it started downpouring when we were at the falls.

Bring water!! We had 5 liters for 2, could have used another. Bring food. Our first time, we brought no food, and 1 bottle of water. This time we were stocked.

Even had cold cocktails waiting in the car to celebrate the trip.

Jen,

After beating your body up going all the way to the falls at Hanakapiai, I agree with the gang. You picked a challenge for your first hike, ever ! Yikes !

Maybe walk down the awa awapuhi trail. Nice soft ground, shaded by trees , to the overlook. I think about 3 plus miles one way.

Now the walk up that same trail is a bit of a chore, but not difficult.

Very pleasant and easy on the feet. But, will not be an ordeal.

Then, on the way back to your lodgings, you could stop just before waimea town, at the Waimea Brewery for Lunch, and some kind of refreshing beverage as your reward.

Might just keep your visit easy and fun, without overdoing it with aches and pains.

Denny

Jen

Don%26#39;t forget your camera.

Erica has a photo, in clear weather from the awa awa puhi lookout, with a rainbow arching just below the rim of the top of the ridge.

How that worked , I do not know. But, she made special gifts and custom frames of it and gave it to dear friends.

She has done the entire loop a few times, but when we did together, Awa awa puhi only, we were greeted at the overlook by a family of chickens.

Those rascals are everwhere, and I know you like them.

Denny

Jen - don%26#39;t feel too bad. DH and I hike in Colorado all the time (even a couple of 14ers - 14,000 foot peaks) and the Hanakapia%26#39;i trail really beat us up - we didn%26#39;t even try to go to the waterfall! I think our problem is that we%26#39;re used to climbing up up up and then returning down down down - and the first two miles of the Kalalau are up down up down up down - and muddy, to boot!

We did the Awa%26#39;awapuhi section (without the Nualolo loop) and it was nice, but hot and LONG on the way back up. This last trip we did the Alakai Swamp trail and really enjoyed it (though it was cloudy at the end so no views) - the boardwalk definitely makes the footing easier. We started at Mohihi camp road but you can also take the Pihea trail from the Pu%26#39;u O Kila (I think that%26#39;s right) lookout at the top of the canyon. Kauaiexplorer.com is a great site for more detailed info about some popular hikes.

Stretch your muscles well and go soak in the hot tub so you won%26#39;t feel quite so sore tomorrow.

lips

vc