Kalalau Trail-Which way?
 

When we hike a portion or the Kalalau Trail will we know which way to go to head to the falls?

And, do I have to pack a lunch, or will someplace in Hanalei do it for me?

And another thing, how long will it take to do the hike to the falls and have lunch while there? I'm guessing 5-6 hours..yea or nay?

once you are at the beach, walk towards east toward the trees and you'll find the trail to the falls. definitely pack your own lunch, bring plenty of water and start early! i started around 7:30am and was done by 1:30ish, so 6 hours is about right.

btw, have you decided which shoes to wear yet? ;-) i just bought a pair of Keen H20 sport sandals that i'm going to try hiking in at Yosemite next month. they're really comfy...

have fun!

you know what guimbymoy, I think I am just going to wear my hiking shoes.

I tried on a pair of Keen H20 sports, and they weren't comfy to me..The real icee tried them on and like them...Same, he just ordered us some Bite Sandals..really cool looking and comfy as soon as I put them on, but after about 15 mins..they hurt..now for him, he loves them.

btw, you may want to bring a pair of sport sandals on this hike anyways. if you are going to the falls, there were a couple of stream crossings. i changed my boots to sandals when i got to them. messy but a gorgeous hike! the bamboo grove was really neat.

I do have a pair of Merrell's that I love. Maybe they will work, or maybe I will get lucky and find some before or when I get there.

ttt

quimbymoy, those Keen's H2's may just be more comfortable than I thought. Found them today in Cabela's Bargain Cave (they only had 3 sizes and mine was one of them) for only $49.95..For half price they might wear well after all!!!

wow that is a really great price! i got mine using my REI dividend (a measly $7) and then using their annual 20% coupon on top of it and i thought $67 wss good!

did you get those on-line?

yes, guimbymoy, only women's were on sale in cabela's bargain cave. They just had sizes 6, 6 1/2 and 8, I think. The men's weren't on sale.

I believe I saw the men's and women's for like $51 at sierra trading post in their sale stuff.

Just looked and there are sizes 6, 8 & 8 1/2...glad I wear the 6! The only color is periwinkle, but for $49..I'll take it!

alohaaaaa,
I'2....one tip...get at the trailhead as early as possible...one,so you can get a good and safe parking spot and, two, so you don't have to rush and you can enjoy every step of the way.

Dunno about hiking it in Keen's H2O's tho.
I love my Keens but that sole is too smooth...I hike in my Chaco sandals that have the big, thick lug soles, like you'd find on some hiking boots...especially if the NaPali is a bit muddy after a rain or 3.

We just bought a sandwich at Safeway and brought it along.

Did Cabela's have 13 EEEEs? :-?

Kal, I'm just going to hike in my regular hiking shoes..and take the Keen H2's or my Merrell's for round and about and other stuff.

Just couldn't pass up the $49.95 deal! I bet when you find the 13EEEE, they will be lots more than just a $50 bill!

Now when you say get there early, just how early...8 ish 9ish?

What other trails do you recommend? Nothing extremely strenuous, please.

i would definitely start before 9. at 7:30 there were only 3 cars in the lot, one being mine. the earlier you start the better to beat the afternoon heat... and the crowds.

sorry i can't remember the hike i took at waimea canyon. i was so sore from this kalalau trail the day before that i only went on light hikes at waimea. the issue i had at waimea was that i didn't have a 4WD vehicle so i couldn't get to the trailhead at most trails. i hooked up with a guy with a jeep and he drove us to the start of a trail that wasn't too hard - i remember it having sweeping views of the canyon. if you don't have a 4WD you would have to walk an extra mile to the trailhead. more walking than i had the energy for. ;-)

oo, i should go to cabela's - i'm a 6-1/2!!

tina

sorry, tina, it was 6,8 & 8 1/2

but they did have the leather uppers, not the H2's..didn't check the sizes on them

thanks for the tip anyways. once i find a pair of shoes i like, i like to buy more than one! i envision wearing out these sandals this summer.

btw, i don't know if you have seen this book "hiking kauai" by robert smith. it has descriptions of all the trails in kauai. for some "not so serious" hiking, there are some trails on nounou, the sleeping giant that don't seem too hard. there were a lot of trails i wanted to go on, but i was traveling alone and didn't feel comfortable hiking alone, so it was mostly sightseeing for me.

send me a private e-mail if you want more details on some trails.
tina

hi i2.. This is a great trail and most of it you really have no option but one trail, as it hugs the side of those amazing napali sea cliffs cutting in and out of the ridges. You will then descended down to the beach. This is a great place for lunch (please pack out what you pack in of course!)
yeh..be sure to bring plenty water and start early. that way the sun and crowds are not too much (not that i've really seen any actual crowds on the trail:o). Took us about an hour each way to and from the falls. There are a few gorgeous stream crossings and a bit of a rock-side scramble as you approach the falls. Be careful if the stream seems really burly and it is raining inland as floods are possible here, but otherwise this hike is awesome.

I'2,

I'd rec a hike up the back side of The Sleeping Giant.

The first 5-10 mins of the hike up the back side is very "aerobic" but after that, it's a mostly switchbacks.

And when you get to the VERY top of his noggin, you'll be rewarded with a 360 degree view of the entire CocoCoast as well as Mt Wally, Wailua River Valley, King Kong etc.

Takes about 45 mins going up the back side.
Picnic table at a rest stop near Da Big Guy's chest, too.

As for getting up to NaPali, go as early as poss and have b'fast at a certain cafe in Hanalei that Auntie M get's mad at me for recc'ing...but it will "wake you up" :S- before that beautiful hike.

Hey Kal, where does the hike up The Sleeping Giant begin? Can an old fart like me make it in comfort?

I'd like to do the 2 miles out and 2 miles back to the waterfalls on the Kalalau Trail. How strenuous is this hike -- I'm concerned about iceeu2. ((a)) ((b))

Hey, Budman and iceeu2, if you all make it, then I guess we'll do it, too. I don't think you'll have time to do a trip report before we get there, though (don't you all leave the island the day we get there?) so I'll guess we'll have to compare notes when we get home.

One of our daughters is definitely not a hiker, but I'm hoping she'll enjoy this, anyway!

Another question: Can you swim once you get to the falls, or are the falls something you just view from a distance?

And the advice was to pack a lunch, but where is a good place to pick up a picnic lunch on the way? I think we'll be getting there pretty early (8 or 9 a.m.). Do we need to get our lunch the night before?