Exploring Waimea Canyon on Kauai
At Waimea, Highway 550 branches off toward Waimea Canyon. A bit further west, Highway 552 also heads up, but the views aren't quite as impressive. The winding highway runs about 15 miles (24 km) northward and there's plenty to see along the way. Our day trip barely gives us enough time — let's start just before Waimea at the bottom.
Hanapepe Lookout
At the Hanapepe Lookout we get a little taste of what Waimea Canyon has to offer.
A few hundred meters further on, Salt Pond Beach Park invites you for a swim — it's one of the most beautiful beach parks on Kauai.
Waimea Town
In Waimea, Captain Cook was the first European to set foot on land, and a stone statue commemorates the occasion. If you walk straight to the ocean, you'll find the black sand beach where he landed. We just grab a quick coffee here and take it along for the next leg of the trip.
Waimea Canyon Lookout
After Waimea we belatedly take the 552 toward Waimea Canyon. It's best to take the 550 directly from Waimea. A mandatory stop is the Waimea Canyon Lookout. Completely blown away, I try to take the perfect photo — it turns into dozens.
Various Stops Along the Road
Time and again there are pull-offs where you can stop and snap an amazing photo.
Pu'u Hinahina Lookout
We make a second stop at the Pu'u Hinahina Lookout and it's well worth it. Overwhelming impressions, despite the heavy cloud cover — we would have loved to see the colors in sunshine.
Kalalau Lookout
A few miles further on, the Kalalau Lookout offers a stunning view of the coastline.
Pu'uokila Lookout
Not much further we reach the Pu'uokila Lookout with a connecting trail — a beautiful hike along a streambed with gorgeous views of the coast and the Kalalau Valley. And if it happens not to be raining on Waialeale (5,148 ft / 1,569 m), you might actually see it — one of the wettest spots on Earth, when it's not hidden beneath the clouds.
Kokee Museum & Campground
We drive back to the Kokee Museum, Campground & Lodge for a lunch break. There's a nice exhibit about Kokee State Park and an affordable restaurant. The whole grounds are overrun by wild chickens.
Hiking in Kokee State Park
There are numerous hiking trails in Kokee State Park — you can pick up route information at the Kokee Museum. Due to limited time, we opt for a shorter route to Waipo'o Falls and its viewpoint. A dirt road for four-wheel-drive vehicles branches off the highway to a parking area. We don't have 4WD, so we walk the extra mile. From the parking lot it's about half an hour to an hour to the waterfall (the viewpoint is along the way) — depending on how long you linger over the spectacular scenery. It's absolutely worth it.
If you're short on time and a strong hiker, you can do the round trip in about 1.5 hours.
If you want to do more hiking, consider staying up here. There are also a few lodges for rent at the campground near the museum.
Back to Waimea
For the return to Waimea we take Highway 550, and that turns out to be a great choice. We drive alongside the Waimea Canyon practically the entire way down to sea level, enjoying the fantastic views again and again.
Continue reading the Hawaii travel report: the West and North Coast of Kauai.
