You can’t go to Kauai without seeing Waimea Canyon. It may not be as stunning as the Na Pali Coast, but it’s a close second. On the road up the canyon, we were treated to some breathtaking views of a vast green landscape.
I took a few panoramic shots, because even my wide-angle lens couldn’t capture the breadth of what we could see.
Last time we were here, Kyra fell asleep in the car. This time she loved the view.
As we continued the climb up the canyon road, we were treated to a great view of Waipo’o Falls, a towering 800-foot waterfall.
We passed a few of the crowded viewpoints because we wanted to hit the top: the Pu’u O Kila Lookout. We noticed Kyra had fallen asleep in the back seat. Again?
Up at Pu’u O Kila, we started up the Pihea Trail. We’d been here before, many years ago, and were disappointed by the view. Here’s the photo from 2019, where we looked down into the Kalalau Valley but saw nothing but fog:
And here’s the view this time from almost the same spot:
Some research taught me that there are often clouds in this valley because the moist sea air sweeps in and moves up the cliffs, turning into vast cloud banks. Even though it was sunny in the east, the west was nothing but fog. It was disappointing, but we pressed on.
And then the clouds parted!
It was astounding.
Words really can’t describe the view along this valley to the distant ocean. It was fascinating to watch the clouds move in and out… the view changed literally in minutes, shrouding the scene in fog again…
… and then clearing out to reveal the green and brown and blue far below.
It’s worth noting the shoreline at the far end of the valley is Kalalau Beach, the terminus of the Kalalau Trail and its eleven-mile hike along the Na Pali Coast. It was interesting to see it from such a different perspective.
After some effort, we reached the top of the trail. It’s not obvious from this photo, but two steps behind Kyra and Pepper, there’s a sheer cliff that drops a thousand feet straight down. It’s a little unnerving to peek out over the edge.
We stayed for a while, marveling at the view and chatting with a family from Kauai who’d hiked the trail behind us. Eventually we bid farewell to the valley and headed back to the canyon. We did a few short hikes, basking in each new vista.
Arizona’s Grand Canyon is incredible, but I think I like Waimea even better.
It’s like the Grand Canyon has been sprinkled with waterfalls and greenery!
It was another great day exploring a place unlike any other.