A narrow, windy trail along the spine of a ridge outcropping leads to the giant's nose

Best Kauai day hikes

Two years ago I went on a hiking-focused multi-week visit to the amazingly beautiful island of Kauai. For regular readers of hikerly, you remember the…

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A narrow, windy trail along the spine of a ridge outcropping leads to the giant's nose

Sleeping Giant (Nounou Mtn.) East Trail 
4 miles – 1,200 feet

Nounou Mountain aka Sleeping Giant is one of the more popular hikes on the east shore of Kauai for good reasons. The hike is fairly…

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The end of the trail feels like the edge of the world.

Koke’e State Park via Nu’alolo Valley Trail 
7.6 miles – 1,600+ feet

If you are looking for a really tough hike in the Waimea Canyon region, you’ll inevitably get a recommendation for the 11-mile loop on the…

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It was worth the hillside scramble to get to the bottom of the Lower Ho'opi'i Falls for a gorgeous lunch break on the rocks.

Ho’opi’i Falls hike 
2.2 miles – 563 feet

If you want a hike in Kauai that takes you off-the-beaten path to waterfalls that mostly only locals know about, this hike is for you….

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View from the picnic area of the Makaleha Mountain Range.

Kuilau Ridge Trail 
4.5 miles – 845 feet

The Kuilau Ridge Trail is an easy hike convenient to the east shore of Kauai that offers some gorgeous views of Mount Waialeale and the…

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The first view of Hankapi'ai Beach beneath the Kalalau Trail

Na Pali coast to Hanakapi’ai Falls 
8.2 miles – 1945 feet

If you are looking for an adventure hike or backpack in Kauai, Na Pali Coast State Wilderness Park is sure to come up. This northern most…

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