A collection of travel and adventure stories

Kalalau Trail Hiking 1999 - Part II

Description and Directions >>

Description:
The Kalalau Trail is an arduous 11-mile trail winding through the Na Pali Coast of Kauai. The trail provides the only land access to this part of the rugged coast. Hikers cross into 5 valleys before ending at Kalalau Beach. Kalalau Beach offers beautiful views of mountain cliffs, blue ocean water and a refreshing waterfall. A trail provides access to Kalalau Valley with tropical fruit trees and cool water streams. The Kalalau trail will take a full day to hike for most hikers. Day-use hiking permits are required when continuing beyond Hanakapi'ai Valley (about 2 miles in). Camping permits are required to stay at Kalalau Beach. Permits can be obtained from the State Parks office in Lihue. See http://www.hawaii.gov/dlnr/dsp/NaPali/na_pali_permits.htm for more information.

Activities:
hiking, camping, picnicking, sightseeing

Directions:
The trail begins in Ha'ena State Park (near Ke'e Beach) at the northwest end of Kuhio Highway (Route 56) about 41 miles from Lihu'e Airport.

Story Date 5/24/1999
Publish Date 1/19/2005

Story Perspectives >>

According to Pilipo: CONTINUED FROM PART I...

THE BEACH
Just down that trail behind our campsite is the north end of Kalalau Beach. About halfway down the beach is the maintenance shack. This is where the Park Service people stay when they periodically helicopter in to tend the grounds. Great people, by the way.... By the end of the trip, my 7 lb chair was the Kalalau Throne at the shack, and I had an ice cold Bud right out of the cooler that he helicoptered in with. He made a friend for life...

At the north end of the beach are many campsites among the trees a bit inland and on the coast a bit north (on the helipad if you dare.) There is a dry chemical toilet up north and two near the maintenance shack at the center of the beach.

There are several campsites along the trail from the north end to the south end at the waterfall. The waterfall is the main source of water for the beach. It's a really cold shower as well. During the day, it is a focal point of the camper community and many friends are made there. If you're a nudist, it's the place to be seen. :) Actually, there is much nudity at Kalalau, and it is not an issue. Why the state is trying to discourage it is beyond me.

I even tried it myself for a brief period. Very brief, I didn't want to burn anything important. I was at the south end of the beach, having just come from the waterfall. I figured I was safe since the beach was deserted. As I dropped trou near the water, ready for a swim, a tour catamaran came around the bluff from the south about 150 yards out with 50+ elderly shutterbugs aboard. The state should encourage nudity in my opinion. Look how much faster camera batteries and film are used up! Oh yeah, and camera lenses as well.

My first thought was to raise trou, but the contagious Aloha at Kalalau prevailed and I relished the moment. Some of them even waved back :)

LIFE IN PARADISE
Our tent turned out to be storage for our gear. We slept on the beach! When I went to bed, I stared up at the sky for hours. The moon was almost full and it was very bright. The clouds that sometimes made their way over the cliffs and beach made it seem like the stars were moving. At home, I sometimes see patches of sunlight on the ground drift with the clouds during the day. I remember the day when I was young that I figured out why it did that. Seeing the moonlight do the same thing down Kalalau Beach was magical.

During the day, we had meals around the campfire; sometimes at our camp, sometimes at other camps. You never know who you'll meet or where you'll spend your next meal. The other campers were very cool and we all talked of this amazing place and how pictures won't do it justice. We also roasted on the beach and tended to our own pursuits like journals, music, walks, etc..

One night was spent on the beach with many other campers around a raging bonfire. The music was fantastic and we shared a common high as the sparks flew away to the beat of the drums and deep resonance of the dijeradoo.

I didn't go into the valley on this trip. I regret that after hearing the stories of my friends that did. I guess there's always next year. And by the way, next year we're having our supplies kayaked in.

To Pele who found us worthy enough to allow us the pleasure of experiencing Kalalau...
To the kind spirits that seem to inhabit the beach, valley and trail...
To the friendship, laughter and music shared...
To the many trips and friends to come later...
We wish you and bid you Aloha...

LESSONS LEARNED:
* Get in shape before you take this trail! This trail is an ass-kicker. There's hardly a level spot on the entire 11 miles, so get on that stair-climber months before you go.
* Take a water purifier (and iodine tablets, if you want to be REALLY safe). In the realm of pumps, there are filter types and there are purifier types. The filter types will not remove the leptospirosis that some people have become afflicted with on this trip. It's nasty, and you don't want it. Trust me. Yes, boiling water will take care of the problem, but you don't want to be boiling water on the trail. Also, you don't want to carry the weight of enough water for the entire trip! A good purifier pump is about $75 and will be your best friend, I assure you.
* Pack Light! I brought a backpacking stove with 1 bottle of fuel. DUMMY! I should have brought the solid fuel tablets and the little foldout stand to hold them and the pot. That's what everyone else had and they worked really well. I could have saved about 6 lbs there. Plus, I took too many clothes - you won't need that many at Kalalau. If your pack is over 30 lbs, you brought too much!
* Use good socks and boots! Many people do this hike in tennis shoes, or even barefoot. Unless you've walked this trail before and do it more than once a year, don't try it! The footing is, at best, mediocre. In our group, we had some pretty bad blisters, too.
* Keep yourself hydrated. Drink LOTS of water on the trail. Also, bring a 2.5 gallon collapsible water jug for camp so you don't have to make a lot of trips to the waterfall each day.
* Bring a first-aid kit. Make sure it has tweezers, aspirin, a sewing repair kit, a sting pencil and some kind of itch cream (cortisone or benedryl). Also, don't forget the bug spray if you're stopping at Hanakoa to camp.
* Start early in the day. The sun hits the Na Pali Coast about 10, and gets downright hot by 1. It's not so bad on the ridges where the wind blows, but when you get down into the valleys, the air is still, the vegetation is thick, in some places there is no shade, and it gets HOT!
* Don't take freeze-dried meals! You'll hate yourself the second day (or the first day!) Consult a trail cook book on some great meals that are light, and require only water and seasonings.
* Power bars suck on the trail! Regardless of the hype, when you're on the trail beat to death and your mouth is nice and pasty, the last thing you want to put in it is a power bar. It takes too much energy to eat the damn thing! The harvest types aren't as bad, but they both require water to get them down. Take dried fruit like apples, berries, etc... REI has prepackaged fruit for just this purpose. Sweet tarts are good every once in a while too :)
* Don't plan on Zodiac-ing out your pack or yourself. This was my plan, after all the stories I read on the internet. Upon arrival, however, I found out that Captain Zodiac had his permit yanked. Many of the people that were boated in left their ice chests and trash at Kalalau when it came time to hike out. Zodiacs do not land on Kalalau any more! Sooo, unless you've arranged to kayak out, you're walking another 11 miles. Be a good camper and don't leave anything but some good mojo behind.
* Got Aloha? The people you will meet at Kalalau are some of the best people on Earth, so be friendly and generous. You'll be suprised how it comes back to you. If you can carry a little extra, cigarettes make great trades, as do other fundamental commodities like good food and fine spirits (or any spirits.)