Na Pali Coast - May 2004

Na Pali Coast Trail Highlights

Phil Farrell - May 2004

The Na Pali Coast trail on the wilderness northwest shoreline of the Hawaiian island of Kauai is a rugged hike totaling 11 miles from Kee beach trailhead to trail's end at Kalalau beach. The trail swings in and out of gulches and valleys and up and over ridges, with a total elevation gain of about 2700 feet. We had excellent dry weather for our backpacking trip, although there were serious rains in the preceding days, so the trail was muddy the first day. Good weather made our 2.5 day trip possible. In bad weather, you would have to go slower.

Click on any "thumbnail" photo to see a larger photo, or view them in order: Start here.

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(75K)
The first mile of trail is rocky like this as it climbs a ridge. Karen shows her technique.
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(64K)
After the rocks, comes the mud. Most of the trail is this heavy red clay which is very muddy and slippery when wet. Phil poses by the first good view to the southwest, with the destination in the far distance.
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(55K)
We camped the first night at Hanakapiai beach, which is 2 slow miles in. It is mobbed by day hikers, but more deserted in the evening. Karen catches some of the beautiful pre-sunset light. The beach had very rough surf.
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(57K)
The backs of all the major valleys were ringed with cliffs with waterfalls. This is nearing the half-way point.
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(41K)
After the halfway point (Hanakoa Valley), the landscape gets drier and more open, and the trail is often perched on a cliff directly above the ocean, as Karen shows.
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(48K)
Close to the final destination, which is about a mile beyond the little knob in the middle ground.
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(37K)
At last, Kalalau Beach! Camping is good, but the surf is too rough for swimming. Even knee keep, like Karen here, you get pushed around a lot.
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(64K)
Our third day starts with a perfect cloudless blue sky, showing off the pali and waterfall above the camping area at Kalalau Beach. We were hiking the whole eleven miles out in one day, and so couldn't hang around. In fact, other groups started leaving about 6 am - we hit the trail just before 8 am.
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(63K)
Many sections of the second half of the trail were lined with this bush with beautiful blue flowers.
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(61K)
Karen at one of those spots where you really had to watch your feet, not the scenery!
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(48K)
Even the sheer cliffs are clothed in greenery. This is about the half-way point on the way back.
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(57K)
Still about 4 miles to go and we are tired! Our final destination - Kee Beach - is just visible in the far distance. Total time to hike out the 11 miles: 8.5 hours (including rest stops).

This page created on a Macintosh with the help of PhotoPage by John A. Vink.