The Waimea Canyon in west Kauai is one of the most magnificent sites on the island. It was nicknamed the Grand Canyon of the Pacific by Mark Twain for a really good reason! The Waimea Canyon Kauai is the biggest found in the Pacific and visiting is one of the top things to do. The first look into Waimea Canyon is dramatic and impressive. It may leave you reeling as you witness the plunging rock faces on all sides and realize just how deep it is. Measuring one mile wide, ten miles long and close to 4,000-feet deep, the unfolding scene is breathtaking.
Thousands of years ago floods and rivers carved their way through Waimea Hawaii, flowing wildly from the pinnacle of Mount Waialeale. You’ll get an amazing view of gorges, bluffs and ridges in the distance blanketed by siennas, lavender, roses and other vibrant native flowers. There are noticeable lines etched into the walls of Waimea Canyon Kauai experts say illustrate how the lava flowed and the different volcanic outbursts happening over many centuries in Hawaiian history.There are several lookouts and Kauai hiking trails, suitable for both the advanced and novice hiker, that reveal fantastic panoramas of the canyon from numerous interesting aspects. The natural wonder is part of Koke’e State Park which comprises more than 4,000 acres with almost 50 trails that wind their way through the area and Alakai Swamp which is nearby.
The Drive Through Waimea Canyon & Up to Kokee
By car, there are two ways to visit Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Park, 20 miles from Waimea. From the coastal road (Hwy. 50), you can turn up Waimea Canyon Drive (Hwy. 550) at Waimea town; or you can pass through Waimea and turn up Kokee Road (Hwy. 55) at Kekaha. The climb is very steep from Kekaha, but Waimea Canyon Drive, the rim road, is narrower and rougher. A few miles up, the two merge into Kokee Road.
The first good vantage point is Waimea Canyon Lookout, located between mile markers 10 and 11 on Waimea Canyon Road. From here, it’s another 6 miles to Kokee. There are a few more lookout points along the way that also offer spectacular views, such as Puu Hina Hina Lookout, between mile markers 13 and 14, at 3,336 feet; be sure to pull over and spend a few minutes pondering this natural wonder.
Kokee State Park
It’s only 16 miles from Waimea to Kokee, but the park is a whole different world because it is 4,345 acres of rainforest. You’ll enter a new climate zone, where the breeze has a bite and trees look quite continental. You’re in a cloud forest on the edge of the Alakai Swamp, the largest swamp in Hawaii, on the summit plateau of Kauai USA adventure tours. Days are cool and wet, with intermittent bright sunshine, not unlike Seattle on a good day. Bring your sweater and, if you’re staying over, be sure you know how to light a fire.The forest is full of native plants, such as mokihana berry, ohia lehua, and iliau (similar to Maui’s silversword), as well as imports like Australia’s eucalyptus and California’s redwood. Pigs, goats, and black-tailed deer thrive in the forest, but the moa, or Polynesian jungle fowl, is the cock of the walk.
A nature walk is the best introduction to this rainforest; it starts behind the museum at the rare Hawaiian koa tree. This easy, self-guided walk of about a quarter mile takes about 20 minutes if you stop and look at all the plants identified along the way.Two miles above Kokee Lodge is Kalalau Lookout, the spectacular climax of your drive through Waimea Canyon and Kokee. When you stand at the lookout, below you is a work in progress that began at least 5 million years ago. Waimea Canyon is a Adventure Place For Vacations. It’s hard to stop looking; the view is breathtaking, especially when light and cloud shadows play across the red-and-orange cliffs.There’s lots more to see and do up here: Anglers fly-fish for rainbow trout, and hikers tackle the 45 trails that lace the Alakai Swamp. That’s a lot of ground to cover, so you might want to plan on staying over. If pitching a tent is too rustic for you, the wonderful cabins set in a grove of redwoods are one of the best lodging bargains in the islands. The restaurant at Kokee Lodge is open for continental breakfast and lunch daily from 9am to 3:30pm.