Kukui Trail

Jun 11, 2007 7:52PM

Unlike any other trail on Kauai - feels like you are hiking on the Mainland because you never see the ocean. Be ready for the brutal climb back out of the valley!!!

Dec 03, 2007 6:01AM

My wife and I hiked this trail on Christmas Day in 2005. If you ever found yourself standing at the Waimea Canyon lookout with all the other tourists and thinking, "I wonder if you can hike down to that river valley way at the bottom," then this trail is for you. The hike down is not too bad. The only things you need worry about are the sun (there is very little tree cover most of the way down). I should also note that there is a point relatively early on on the way down where the trail gets pretty narrow and might cause some folks some hesitancy. I'm fairly certain you are no more frightful than me, and I was able to get through this narrow spot. It's narrow, but it only lasts for 4 or 5 strides. Once you get past it, the rest of the hike down is a snap.

When you get near the bootom you enter dense tree cover. It's really pretty and we wish we had more time to wander through it, but we were there to see the river and head back. The river was unseasonably low, so we got to sit on a rock right in the middle of it. Really enjoyed that. The mosquitos down by the river can be a bit of a bother (not sure if this is always the case, but there were plenty of mosquitos when we were there). The best way to get away from the mosquitos is to head back to higher elevation. That's what we did. The hike back up is as difficult as the hike down is easy (you know how that works). My thighs were killing me by the time we made it back to the top. Definitely one of the best workouts I have gotten on a hike. The hike was worth the effort though. The views along this trail are not as stunningly pretty as those on Nualolo or the Kalalau Trail, but this is one of the only trails that allows you to get down into the canyon's bottom and look back up at all the tourists who only get to see the vantage point from up top.

Apr 16, 2008 11:47PM

Great Views. We saw lots of goats. Not the worst trail I've been on, but not the best either. It appears to be somewhat maintained. I'll do it again someday.

Apr 27, 2008 1:20AM

I hiked this trail yesterday, and it was dry all the way. Some spots were steeper than others and so a little more slippery due to loose dirt or gravel, but otherwise OK. The trail at the lower level close to and in the forested area need some serious trimming, but nothing sharp that would scratch a hiker. Mosquitos appear in this area all the way to the rover's edge, but as long as one keeps moving, there is no problem. The river was calm and could be a great place to take a swim. The hike back up was a great workout, and fortunately there was little sun to make things uncomfortable.

William Fraser

Jan 02, 2009 6:54AM

I hiked the Kukui Trail in 1975. it was totally awesome and challenging. Late coming back, I pumped back up the trail to the road and caught the last hawaiian Air flight to Honolulu; I was at the trailhead in Nov 2008 and it looked just as pristine and awesome.
One note, a low stream level does not equate to low water when you come back to climb out of the canyon. !!!Don't go upcanyon expecting the stram to stay low. You can get trapped up there by high water...wbfraser

Chuck

Jan 07, 2009 5:12AM

I can't stress enough what others have written above. Don't get fooled on how easy the walk down the hill is. The hike back up is brutal. I've hiked the first mile several times and then turned back. Unless you just want to see the river the last mile there isn't much to see except mosquitos and there are some Historic Heiau's along the river. We plan on hiking down again next month but plan on hiking out to Waimea instead of the reverse trail back up! I got some great rainbow pictures crossing the valley last trip.
SIDE NOTE; Whether you deside to hike this trail or not, stop and do the nature loop. It's pretty easy and you get to walk right up to the canyon rim. There are also small signs along the trail identifing many of the plants.

Mark Knafl

Jan 07, 2009 5:49PM

This trail was stunningly beautiful, BUT the bottom portion of the trail is unmarked. The first mile of the trail, up to the "red dirt descent" is full of amazing views and worth hiking. I would say it is as beautiful as any trail I have been on including the Grand Canyon, and Bryce Canyon. However, it is almost steep enough that you can lean forward and touch the ground in front of you on the way out. This is tough, but wouldn't have been a problem if we didn't get lost in the forest section of the trail. We were lost for about 2 hours wandering around looking for the path, and getting diverted onto other paths. Having only one quart of water for 2 hikers added to the drama. As I said there were not signs in the forest section, and the path was overgrown and "disappeared" as you got closer to the river. After finishing the trail, even with the drama, we would do the first mile of the trail again. We would even do part of the red dirt descent, but just not all of it. It is a beautiful trail, but be very careful about going into the forest section.

Jul 14, 2009 8:38AM

I've been hiking this trail 3-4 times per week for several months, and it still kicks my butt every time. Bring plenty of water, especially if you're not accustomed to this kind of hike.

As others have stated, the trail is considerably worse below the treeline after the red dirt descent, but the trail is normally easily identifiable towards the end of summer as the dry weather stunts the underbrush and increased traffic wear the path in. During and soon after the rainy season, however, the grass can completely obscure sections of the trail so I wouldn't recommend trying to get to the river during those times.

Jul 17, 2009 9:27PM

Our family, which includes four teenage children, is planning to hike one of the trails on this side of the island next month. How feasible/logistical is it to hike down the Kukui to the valley floor and then out the canyon towards Waimea rather than venturing back up to the trailhead? Is this advisable, a marked trail to follow, how long for the whole trip not counting stops, and where might we park the van for the way out?

Dec 01, 2009 2:20AM

We tried this trail today and it was pretty hard. My wife and I are in fairly good shape and we decided to turn around after only going 1/2 way down. The ascent definately takes your breath away, and not because of te beauty. The views were OK but with all the plants imported from other places around the world it definately lacks the tropical feel of Hawaii. If you want a good workout then this trail is perfect for you.

Feb 17, 2010 12:57PM

I visit Kauai in may and want to hike a few trails. I read that the best view from the Kukui Trail is about 1 mile down. If that's true I would only go that far, because I'm not an experienced hiker. In the Ultimate Kauai Guidebook it says the Honopu Trail has the best views, but it´s an unmarked and therefore there's probably no information about this trail on your website. I will be on Kauai for 5 days. If I want to do 3 hikes which ones would you recommend?

Jul 26, 2010 3:15PM

Me and my girlfriend are going to Kauai To get married from October 24 for 2 weeks. We were wondering what gps to buy because we have never used one before and where wondering if it needs a map up loading because we are buying it in London. we are hopeing to do quite a bit of hikeing and my be go to the secret tunnles. Could you advise me on what you think would be best.

Regards Ashley king

Aug 11, 2010 1:52AM

Many years ago I remember hearing about a package deal that included backpack ing around ~1/2 of Kauai & then sailing back to where you started. I have not been able to find this offered on any of the websites I've recently searched. Is there such an option available? I'm considering coming later this month & would really look forward to this type of trip combination.

Oct 27, 2010 3:42AM

Great hike - for experienced hikers, drop a notch from strenuous to moderate - trail is generally steady grade and lots of sections with soft, red dirt - it's like hiking on a cloud. I did it today in my 'Vibram feet' and it was a dream. Views and rainbows were fantastic. The 'description' once again is for the less experienced so don't be put off - it's probably the best hike for some good elevation gain and exercise - can really make good time on it - also would be good for trail runners.

Apr 11, 2011 7:30PM

Any recommendations for multi-day hikes in this area?

Jul 27, 2011 10:55AM

Just got back from Kauai. Another amazing trip! So many great memories and one of them was the Kukui Trail. My family has visited the Waimea Canyon many times, but this was the first time we hiked the Kukui Trail. As others have said, the hike down is easy, hike out a bit harder. Was a great workout for myself, husband and two teenage boys. Worried when we saw others who did not seem to be carrying enough water on their way down. Still regret that we did not offer. We just gave them bug spray.

Aug 10, 2011 6:55PM

Hi! My girlfriend and I did the round trip today. "A workout" is an understatement! We completed the hike in 4 1/2 hours. We are both in decent shape and we stopped to take lots of pictures. The driving directions on this site are way off. Kukui is between the 8 and 9 mile markers on hwy 550. There is space on the side of the road there for about 7 vehicles, a communication tower at the entry as well as an emergency phone. Look for the "Inukshuks" (rock statues) along the path to keep you on track and enjoy all the breath taking views! Aloha!

Mar 30, 2012 7:48AM

Did this a week ago. It was raining the first 1 mile, so the clay/dirt was slick. The slick trail likely explains up/down I had same transit time of 1.5 hours. My fitness level for your comparison: I am a 57 y.o. who mountain bikes undulating terrain on singletrack 4 - 6 hours/week and hikes the same trails with my dog an hour once/twice as week. There were definitely mosquitos once get into the river valley. If you want to cool your feet in the river, bring DEET. The panorama, especially the 2 waterfalls in the distance, awesome.

Mar 12, 2013 3:06PM

Hi there! A group of friends and I were planning on hiking the Na Pali coast over spring break, but unfortunately all of the camping permits are sold out. So, where would you suggest camping? Are there any trails that link up with the 6 miles of the Na Pali that you can hike without a permit that also have camping? Thanks for the help! If we are there four 3 days and 2 nights and plan on camping what are the must see things to do? Thanks for all of your help in advance!

Nov 08, 2014 8:31AM

Hiked the Kukui Trail yesterday. Round trip it took 3 hrs. I am a 53 yr. old hiking enthusiast. I recently hiked Mt. Whitney. I would definitely say that this trail is a strenuous workout. The climb up (in the hot sun) was a challenge. I would recommend Taking lots of drinking water and sunscreen!

Tammie Nyman

May 11, 2015 6:24AM

Trying to find out if there is a place to leave a car at the top of Kukui trail for an overnight while we hike to the bottom and camp one night then hike out the next day.