Kokee State Park

Kokee State Park is at the top of Waimea Canyon, overlooking the Kalalau valley and Na’Pali coast. The views are endless and amazing; you’ll want to take photos as you go, but there are many areas where you can walk up to the edge of the canyon, so if you value your life, watch where you’re going. Bring food, water, charged up cell phones, and sunblock. We spent the better part of two days there, without even hiking to the bottom of Waimea. Just an amazing place.

The canyon is a beautiful place with stunning views… some great hikes here too… it’s known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific for good reason… Well worth a visit :-)

You can see napali coast! Green clean grass. Not too crowded and a peaceful atmosphere. Great memories with my family on a picnic 3 years ago. Great place to take photographs.

A first-​class option for visiting the west side of Kauai, Kokee really should not be missed. They make it easy for you, with a road right up to the top, parking lots at most of the lookouts, and bathrooms at some. First things first: gas up outside of the park and before you even start the drive up Waimea Canyon Drive. Drive up to the top first, because after you get out of the car once you won’t want to do the long drive without breaks. The topmost lookout, Pu’u o Kila, is stunning, with views of Ni’ihau, Wai’ale’ale (one of the wettest spots on Earth), and the valley below. You cannot believe the colors you will see. There is also a hiking trail up here at the top, and you can go as far in as you feel – note that hiking up here is plentiful, and although we did not choose to hike the signs for the trails are well-​marked and this would definitely be something I would try in a later visit to Kauai. But even if you choose to travel by car, the lookouts are stellar. Next is Kalaulau, with an expansive lookout and a few picnic tables. If you didn’t bring a picnic lunch, though, hit Kokee Lodge for lunch (we did, see separate review). My favorite spot was probably Pu’u Hinahina Viewpoint, for which there was barely any parking and really no more than a guardrail, but which had the best view of Waipo’o Falls in the whole park. Pu’u Ka Pele was fine, but really you could skip as long as you hit Waimea Canyon Lookout, from where you can view this «Grand Canyon of the Pacific» in all its glory, waterfalls and death drops and all. It is a stunning place that puts you in your place, universe-​wise, but still makes you feel a part of the whole. Highly recommended.

This was a wonderful road trip. Each lookout was amazing, all the way to the top. Make sure you drive slow, so you don’t miss a lookout point.
Breathtaking views, and if you go early enough, there are some trails too.

Who goes on almost 9-​mile treks in not-​for-​hiking Skechers, an over the shoulder medium-​sized-​bag, and only 750-​ml of water? This girl! And by herself. My cousin’s husband thought I was crazy. Sometimes.
From my Holo Holo Charters review, the day before I went on to hike the Nu’alolo trail to Lolo Vista, I saw this point from the bottom on a boat. I was so in love with its natural beauty, I wanted to stand on top and look down and ‘make it my b*tch,’ if you will. Wanted to say, been there, done that. NEXT! Plus, I discovered that the point was called Lolo Vista and that is what I called my dear grandfather that passed away almost four months ago. Lolo. So, even more reason I wanted to make the 40-​minute drive thru windy roads in my cousin’s 4-​Runner with no power steering.
The drive was easy and the roads were not busy for a Thursday morning. I finally made my way up to the lodge I was looking for per the travel guide and parked. It was near a visitor’s center and I stopped in to get an update on the trail and a map so I didn’t have to carry the guide book with me. Later, as I’m dying up the trail on my way back, I’m so glad I didn’t add the extra weight.
So I started my hike. And it starts just outside the entrance to the parking lot. And you start off with going up hill. Then down where they’ve added logs to create steps so you’re not sliding down the hill. The trees keep you shaded until you reach an open field with tall grass and spikey plants. Wear a light long sleeve and pants to avoid itching these scratches the entire trail. Then you’ll reach dryer grounds and open land, and eventually see the ocean. Here, you’ll go up and down, down some steep slopes and then back up again. The Skechers’ traction sucked! Overhead you’ll see and hear the helicopters carrying tourists that aren’t IN the park like you. On the ground is so much better IMO. You’ll reach the turning point for the connecting trail, which was closed when I went, and then continue onto Lolo Vista. At this fork you would have almost reached a landing for an amazing view. Prepare to have your breath taken away. The Nu’alolo Valley is over 2000 ft below and the ridges across are God-​only-​knows how far. You can only imagine what is down there and how many people have gone down to explore it. What about scaling the hillside? Know anyone that’s done that? It was just gorgeous. But since I was on a time limit, I had an obligation to be back at the house for my nephew, I took a few pics and continued to Lolo Vista.
And there I was at the end, looking down, around, breathing in the salty air. Mission: Accomplished.
The way back was tough because it was ALL uphill. Legs, feet, rump were burning. I had to ration my water, satisfy my growling stomach with granola periodically, sit down in the shade where I could to take pressure off my feet, and pray to the Hawaiian Gods for more sprinkles and shade. It was hot! It was dumb to be there at high noon. I eventually made it back but it definitely took longer than on my way out. I failed to recognize that this trail was labeled ‘Strenuous.’ I probably came across a total of 10 people on this trail. It is not a busy trail but perhaps it was the day and time. Tough hike but totally worth it. Oh, beware of the raptors, zombies and wild boars eyeing you thru the trees… and your imagination if you happen to be doing this trek by yourself because NO ONE will find you!

I kinda wish there was a blanket 5 star review i could write for all things Kauai. I mean is there a bad beach??? (oh actually there is, by JoJo’s shaved ice on teh south shore… it’s super dodge and dirty but i digress). north shore Kauai is my new happy place. every beach we went to was awesome in it’s own way. really loved Koke’e although parking is a biatch (those grand marquis really don’t like huge dropoffs and gaping potholes). get there early or late. but it’s so freakin beautiful there with Kalalau mountains in the background, amazing surf and waters and plenty of fun people watching.
so grab a fresh coconut and settle in for some awesome.

If you’ve taken (or will take) the boat tours of the Na Pali coast, this is basically the same valleys, but from a different angle. You can even see the cruises from the lookouts.
This is definitely one-​of-​a-​kind. A must see. At the Kalalau lookout, hop the fence on the right side and you’ll find a small trail. There’s a nice clearing there for better photos.
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PHOTOS:

My husband and I came here on our honeymoon — this review is a little late. :-) We did the Nualolo trail — it was amazing!!! We’re day hikers, and not very fast, but WOW did we love it. I will say that the first 5 or so miles of the trip were NOT enjoyable. There weren’t too many views, and a lot of it was jungle. But when we got to the very last bit when you come out over the cliffs — that made it worth every little step and MORE.
My favorite memory is a very small narrow trail with cliffs/​slopes off to either side — I asked my husband to stop and turn around so I could take a picture — he replied «ARE YOU CRAZY???» :-)

I haven’t been here since high school, but I love this place. It is so beautiful. Amazing hikes all over the place. My fave hike is the ginger pool hike (probably not the official name). I used to camp here a lot at Camp Slogget for school and church things and at the cabins. I wish I got up here more often for the hikes and the view. Love the Kalalau lookout. That about as close as I’ve gotten to it as I haven’t hiked in yet. I digress. The little park at the top is a nice place to chill out. Big grassy area. Cute little country store. Feed the chickens. Lol. Takes a bit to drive up, but you stop along the way at lookouts. Chance of car sickness, but worth it.
Side note — I’m not a fan of Koke’e at night. Too many ghost stories and ghost hunts. Hahaha.
Definitely a place you need to stop at when you’re on Kaua’i. Oh, beautiful.

This place is absolutely amazing if you are into hiking /​camping instead of the typical tourist activities of Kauai designed only to consume every last penny you brought with you. There are FAR too many trails and hikes to start naming them off here and describing them. If you will be here for a while, I highly suggest you pick up The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook to help you pick which trail (s) you would like to do. It also has a lot of great maps which can help you find your way.
This website also has a lot of useful information about the trails:
There are two ways to get here — Waimea Canyon Drive (from Waimea) or up the Koke’e Rd from Kekaha. They merge together just before mile marker 7. The Kekaha route is a bit less windy… There are plenty of camp grounds and lodges to stay at up here. There is also a museum, general store, and restuarant. It is recommended that you check in with the museum to see if they think the trails will be too muddy to do in hiking on.
There are multiple lookouts on the road to the top. If you decide to stop along side the road instead of the «official» lookouts, please be careful and watch for traffic! The road doesn’t end until it get’s to the final lookout: Pi’u o Kila. This is also the trail head for Pihea/Alaka’i Swamp.
DO NOT attempt to do any of the various trails in the rain, or if it has been raining a lot lately. They will be pure mud, and you will have a very difficult time ascending and descending the various cliff edges.
Speaking of which, although the west side of Kauai is the driest, it still rains A LOT up here. That said, clouds can roll in very quickly, so be prepared for the worst. Bring lots of water and stay on the marked trails; there are lots of hunter and pig trails which will get you lost!

An absolute must-​see not just on Kauai, but in all of the Hawaiian islands.
If you are the type to buck the «please don’t feed the chickens» request, buy some chicken feed in Waimea rather than giving them bread or cereal. Then walk up to the woods once you’ve reached the top of the canyon, open the bag and get ready to run.

The very top of the mountain (2^nd tallest peak on Kauai, 1^st wettest spot on Earth) is called Mount Waialeale. You will be able to see almost the entire Kalalau Trail, waterfalls, helicopters, birds, insane erosion, and beautiful greenery.
You definitely have to go here if you’re visiting Kauai. Plan to go on a very clear day. Bring your cameras! Extremely beautiful views!

If you’re in Kauai, you have to take the road trip up the Waimea Canyon before you leave the island; unless you’ve taken the open door helicopter ride up the canyon which is a better choice (use either Jack Harter or Inter-​Island and ask for the photography tour).
Take the road north and take a few stops at the normal view points and places you see others taking pictures; but don’t use up all your shots as the ultimate goal is to get to the end of the road. There you’ll get the money shot of pictures of the Na’Pali coast line.
Tips:
— Always rent a Jeep (open top) when in Kauai.
— Fill up gasoline at Hanapepe as there’s no gas stations on Waimea Canyon Drive.
— Get there early in the morning before the afternoon haze clouds your photos and the crowds show up.
— Bring some hiking shoes (just not flip flops) as the clay is slippery and you don’t want to fall off a cliff.
— Pack some lunch or snacks for the trip.
— Have at least a 24 mm (wide angle) lense and bracket your pictures as there’s lot’s of shadows that you can fix later with HDR software in PS.
— Take a tri-​pod if you have one.