Kokee & Waimea State Park Hiking Trails

Difficult trail. Starts at a parking area near the highway 17 mile marker. Rich variety of native dryland plants. The trail ends abruptly on the ridgetop, at 2,500 ft. elevation, affording spectacular cliff-to-ocean views into the Awaawapuhi and Nualolo Valleys overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Picnic/grassy area at the end of the trail. Don't venture beyond the safety railing at the end of the trail because footing is extremely unstable, and the drop to the valley floor is over 2,000 ft.

Extremely Difficult trail. One of the best- albeit roughest- hikes on Kauai is the one that leads to Honopu Ridge. While the trail is pretty short- about two miles in total- it is no longer maintained by the park (due to Hurricane Iniki damage way back in 1992), so prepare to bushwack. The main trail can sometimes become vague and you might be misled by several other smaller trails that branch off from the main trail. If you have a map of the trail before you set out you will more than likely be able to stay on the main trail. The good news is that on a good clear day it results in a view that is perhaps Kauai’s greatest. In any event, you may want to consult the rangers at Kokee State Park Visitor Center before heading out on this hike.

Difficult Trail. Trail starts just before the Kokee State Park Headquarters. Used mostly as an access route for hunters, but also serves as an alternate route to cross over Nualolo Cliff Trail to connect to Awaawapuhi Trail. Trail ends at 2,234 ft. elevation at marker titled "Lolo No. 2." (No relation.)

Moderate trail. Starts near the 3-mile point on the Awaawapuhi Trail and meets the Nualolo Trail between the 3-mile and3.25-milee markers. For the experienced hiker, plan an all-day loop hike down Nualolo Trail, along the Nualolo Cliff Trail, and back up Awaawapuhi, or vice versa.

Moderate Trail. Serves as an access to the Canyon Trail. Native hibiscus and iliau are among the plants found in the koa forest. The trail is so named because of the large black wooden pipe that hikers must cross.

Moderate Trail. This trail follows the same path as the Cliff trail, starting along Halemanu Road, and proceeds to the top of Waipoo Falls overlooking Waimea Canyon. Like the Cliff Trail, you'll start at the Halemanu trailhead right off Kokee Road. Walk down the dirt Halemanu Road for roughly 3/4 of a mile to a parking lot. From here, you can proceed to the Cliff Trail Overlook and onward along the Canyon Trail. Total distance from the start of Halemanu Road to the top of the falls is four miles round-trip and will take approximately 2-3 hours.

Easy Trail. Easy Trail. A short, easy trail leading to an overlook of Waimea Canyon. Feral goats frequent the cliff walls. If you don't have a 4-wheel drive, you will start this hike at the Halemanu trailhead right off Kokee Road. You'll walk down the dirt Halemanu Road for roughly 3/4 of a mile to a parking lot. From here, you can proceed to the Cliff Trail overlook, for a pleasant hour-round-trip stroll. The more ambitious can spur off to the Canyon Trail.

Moderate Trail. Gives a sampling of the mountainous, forested terrain. Vistas of the surrounding forest and the Poomau River are spread out along the trail.

Easy trail. First trail on your right halfway up to Kokee, between mile markers 8 and 9. Located at the start of the Kukui Trail, Iliau Loop Trail is a roadside, 15-minute, easy, quarter-mile nature walk with placards identifying plants, including the iliau, which blooms in the late spring to early summer. There are views of the Waimea and Waialae Canyons, and there is a small covered shelter.

Moderate trail. From the bottom of Kukui Trail, this trail starts a half mile further up the Waimea River. It takes you on a route along the south side of Koaie Canyon, with good scenery and swimming holes. Do not go during rainy weather due to flash floods. There are two backpack campsites, by permit only at Hipalau and Lonomea.

Difficult trail. 4-wheel drive down the Mohihi-Camp 10 Road and the trail starts approximately 2 mi. beyond the Forest Reserve entrance sign. Serves primarily as a hunter access route for pig and goat hunting, but also provides views of Waimea Canyon and dryland koa forest. Do not venture beyond the safety railing at trail end.

Difficult trail. First trail on your right halfway up to Kokee, between mile markers 8 and 9. Kukui Trail is a steep hike to the bottom of Waimea Canyon, which drops 2,000 ft. in elevation and ends at Wiliwili campsite on the canyon floor. (See Waimea Canyon Trail)

Moderate Trail. A forest trail used primarily as an access to the Canyon Trail and to the Ditch Trail.

Easy trail. 4-wheel drive down the Mohihi-Camp 10 Road and the trail starts approximately 1.5 miles beyond the Forest Reserve entrance sign. This short trail leads to a grand view of the Poomau and Waimea Canyons.

Moderate trail. Starts at the bottom of Waimea Canyon at the end of Kukui Trail and leads to coastal Waimea Town. This trail fords Waimea River several times. No camping south of Waialae Stream is allowed due to private ownership agreements. An entry permit is required from a self-serve box at the Kukui Trail register. Locals sometimes rubber tube out on Waimea River to Waimea Town, instead of hiking back up the mountain. (See Kukui Trail)

Easy Trail. Interesting, easy nature trail leading through a variety of trees, including the redwood, ohia, lehua, eucalyptus, sugi pine, and koa.

N/A Difficulty Ranking. A short trail that accesses other trails in the Halemanu area.

Easy Trail. One of the better recreational trails. Easy hiking and a good self-guiding nature trail. The koa and ohia dominate the Halemanu forest. Some of the other plants are the mokihana, maile, pukiawe, the mountain naupaka, halapepe, aalii, ukiuki, as well as the forest's pests- the blackberry and the banana poka. Native forest birds include the iiwi, apapane, elepaio, and amakihi.

N/A Difficulty Ranking. A forest trail leading to a plum grove.

Easy trail. This is likely the most scenic mountain stream-side trail in Hawaii. 4-wheel drive down the Mohihi-Camp 10 Road and the trail starts .75 mile beyond the Forest Reserve entrance sign, upstream from "Sugi Grove." Well-maintained, easy trail which loops around Kawaikoi Stream. Trout fish during season. Camping allowed.

Moderate trail. This trail starts approximately 2 miles beyond the Forest Reserve entrance sign on the Mohihi-Camp 10 Road. It serves primarily as a hunter access route for pig and goat hunting but also provides views of Waimea Canyon and dryland koa forest.

Extremely Easy Trail. A conveniently-located, short trail behind Kokee Museum, with 35 marked plants.

N/A Difficulty Ranking. Along this trail you'll see good examples of the impact that invasive alien weeds can have on native forest vegetation.

N/A Difficulty Ranking. A very short trail serving as an access to the other trails of the Halemanu forest. They should give this poor trail a name!

N/A Difficulty Ranking. This trail provides a good example of native koa and ohia forest.

Difficult trail. Trail starts at a parking and turnaround area .25 miles north of the NaPali-Kona Forest Reserve entrance sign. This trail leads across the Alakai Swamp through scrub native rain forest and bogs. Excellent opportunities for birding and botanizing. Ends at a vista called "Kilohana" on the edge of Wainiha Pali. On a rare, clear day, the views of Wainiha and Hanalei Valleys provide an unforgettable experience. A once-in-a-lifetime, tough, muddy, surreal hike. Fog rolls in and you'll lose your direction and mind.

Difficult trail. Serves mostly as a hunter access route. 4-wheel drive down the Mohihi-Camp 10 Road, and the trail starts at the end. Crosses Mohihi Stream and follows Kohua Ridge into the "Alakai Wilderness Preserve." The occasionally maintained trail ends at Koaie Stream. The rivers get dangerously high during rainy weather. Camping is allowed by permit only at Koaie Stream gauge.

Moderate trail. Trail starts at the end of Kokee Road (Route 552) at Puu o Kila Lookout (Second Kalalau Lookout). Highly recommended forest reserve trail for observing native forest birds and Alakai Swamp terrain and vegetation. Also, alternate route to Alakai Swamp Trail, which intersects Pihea Trail just before the 1.75-mile point. A short spur ends at the Pihea Overlook, the highest rim point of Kalalau Valley. Do not venture beyond the Pihea Overlook because the terrain gets very steep. The Pihea trail follows the northwestern bank of Kawaikoi Stream and ends at Kawaikoi Camp. While there is some boardwalk construction, portions of the trail are slippery and muddy. For the less hardy, the first mile along the rim of the spectacular Kalalau Valley is an easy walk, then you can head back to the lookout when you start to get hungry.