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Hiking on Kauai

Take A Walk On The Safe Side

Kauai's natural beauty has long beckoned people to climb its ridges and peaks, to traverse its luxuriant tropical rainforests and to forge its rivers. The island's beauty can be as beguiling as it is enticing, for the unique beauty can be partnered with the unique dangers of Kauai's geography and weather. For instance, the millions of years of erosion that sculpted the magnificent pinnacles of the Na Pali coast can also be a recipe for disaster for careless hikers on Kauai's many ridges and peaks. And the heavy rains necessary to feed the lush growth of the island's rainforests also spawn flash floods that can trap people in a narrow valley.

Kauai's backcountry trails are no walk in the park. Over the years a good number of people, many of them experienced hikers, have gotten themselves lost or injured. Some of them didn't return alive; some haven't returned at all.

Most official trails on the island are well marked, but there are hunter's trails and pig trails branching off the main routes that could lead to confusion. Another danger, besides getting lost, is falling off steep ridge trails from unsure footing. Volcanic rock often has a layer of crumbly gravel on top, which is like stepping on marbles.

An unlikely peril, but real nevertheless, is the uluhe, or false staghorn fern. It's a weed-like quicksand, which grows in places like Koke‘e. The uluhe reaches heights of eight feet and is so dense it covers slopes and voids in the terrain. It grows in sunny, exposed areas and gives the false impression that there is dry, passable ground underneath. People leaving the trail to shortcut through the ferns can slip into mire and disappear.

Flashfloods are possible hazards in the steep valleys of fast-moving streams. You can have a clear sky above but heavy rain can be falling higher up the mountain. A stream's level can rise very quickly, trapping hikers on one side or the other.

A hike of two or three miles in the Waimea Canyon may have an elevation loss and gain of 2,000 feet. The sun's heat re-radiates off the bare rock walls of the canyon and leaves unsuspecting hikers susceptible to heat exhaustion and dehydration.

Hikers need to be prepared for tropical conditions. Pack clothing and sturdy footwear that will protect you in hot dry weather as well as cool rainy conditions. Bring food and first aid supplies and twice as much fresh water as you think you'll need. Stay on marked trails and keep back from high ridges. Let someone know where you will be hiking and when you will be back. Know your physical condition and don't overtax your abilities.

Take a Walk on the Safe Side

Disclaimer: There are inherent dangers to anyone who travels. Any reader of the information on this website must assess all conditions and take appropriate action to ensure their own safety. Information provided here may not reflect current or changing conditions. Travelers should read and obey all warnings posted at the travel sites they encounter. The author and publisher of this website does not assume and hereby disclaims any liability to any party for any errors or omissions contained herein.