# Nualolo Cliff Trail - Kauai



## hotcoffee (Jul 17, 2009)

*[These posts were moved here from Ellen's Kauai thread.  I thought  the info. deserved its own thread. - DeniseM Moderator]*



avelox said:


> 2. Kalalau Trail - if you viewed the NaPali from offshore then you must view the offshore from the NaPali. I use the adjective spectacular a lot when I try to describe the views offered on this trail. If you get a great day then succumb to the temptation to hike further into the Hanakapi'ai Falls. Be advised, these hikes are not for the sunny Sunday after church trekkers. These trails demand that you pay attention and it is often very muddy and most get very muddy on the trail coming and going. I will include the wondrous and magical Ke'e Beach in this tip. An overnight camp out at this beach is also a rare treat not to be missed if at all possible. The stars are not just big and bright at night at Ke'e Beach...they also dance!



Did you go the full eleven miles on this trail or just the first two?  We had six in our party last year, and we just did the first two.  Great scenery, but very muddy.  It rained off-and-on while we were on the trail. We were pretty wet and muddy when we returned to the Beach Club.  

We passed an old couple on the trail who told us they were going the entire eleven miles. I could not imagine them doing that. We passed them, spent time at the beach at the end of the two mile portion, and returned. Then, we passed them again on the way back. Afterward, I kept reading the news about Hawaii to see if two bodies were found on the Kalalau Trail. I don't know if they ever made it to the end, or if they eventually came to their senses and gave up. . . .


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Jul 17, 2009)

The 'Awa'awapui and Nualolo trails in Koke'e Park are equally spectacular as the Kalalau. Both of these trails run along the top of one of those knife edge Na Pali cliffs that you see from a boat or helicopter.  They are not nearly as technical  as the Kalalau (though they are certainly not Sunday strolls), and are much drier.  

You can do either of these trails in about about four hours time, hiking to the viewpoint then turning around and coming.  Or you can do them as a loop using the Cliff trail that connects them; the loop hike requires about six or seven hours.  Note that the trailheads on Koke'e Road are about 1-1/2 miles apart (and about 700 feet difference in elevation). So if you don't have two cars you still have a bit of a hike once you get back to the trailhead.  Or try to thumb for a ride back to where you parked. 











This photo is looking back at the Lolo lookout at the end of the Nualolo Trail as were hking on the Cliff Trail toward the 'Awa'awapuhi.


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## post-it (Jul 17, 2009)

Steve,

Those photos make me want to jump on a plan and get there tonight.  What time a year are these photos?

I'll have to save this reply of yours for a future trip.

Thanks for sharing.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Jul 17, 2009)

post-it said:


> Steve,
> 
> Those photos make me want to jump on a plan and get there tonight.  What time a year are these photos?
> 
> ...



Those are from August.  

Some added comments on the thes trails.

1. The trails are several thousand feet above sea level, so the temperatures are a bit lower.

2. Bring plenty of water.  The Na Pali area is on the dry side of Kauai.  There is little water on the trail, and the hiking is strenous - there's at least 1000 feet change in elevation on the trails.  So with temperatures in the 80's you will lose a lot of water.

3. In places the top of the ridge is about 20 or 30 feet wide, and it's about a 2000 foot drop on either side of the trail.  It's a spectacular setting, but not for the vertiginous.


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## post-it (Jul 17, 2009)

Steve,

Do you normally stay at both the Point and Pahio Bali Hai Villas when you are there?  I could see the advantage to splitting the time on both sides of the island.  Pahio Bali Hai Villas look nice, maybe I shoud consider this for our next trip.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Jul 17, 2009)

post-it said:


> Steve,
> 
> Do you normally stay at both the Point and Pahio Bali Hai Villas when you are there?  I could see the advantage to splitting the time on both sides of the island.  Pahio Bali Hai Villas look nice, maybe I shoud consider this for our next trip.



We try to spend two weeks on Kaua'i every other year, spending one week on the south side and one on the north side.  This trip is the first time we will be staying at Bali Hai Villas on the north side.  In the past we've stayed at Shearwater and at Ka 'Eo Kai.  Before we got into staying a full week on the north side we also spent some time at place in Kilauea one time.

The years that we don't spend two weeks on Kaua'i we usually spend one week on Kaua'i and one week on another island.


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## post-it (Jul 17, 2009)

Steve,

Please give us a report then so I can consider this resort more seriously.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Jul 17, 2009)

post-it said:


> Steve,
> 
> Please give us a report then so I can consider this resort more seriously.



There should be lots of reviews already in the Reviews area. I will add a writeup when we return but I know that there won't be much to address that isn't already covered.


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## jlr10 (Jul 18, 2009)

T_R_Oglodyte said:


> Those are from August.
> 
> 3. In places the top of the ridge is about 20 or 30 feet wide, and it's about a 2000 foot drop on either side of the trail.  It's a spectacular setting, but not for the vertiginous.



Each time we go to Kauai I try to push myself a little bit farther past my comfort zone in hiking.  Took me three tries to finish the first two miles on Kalalau, the first try was stopped because a a knee injury on a prior hike and the second due to very high winds.  But once I did that I went straight back to the falls.  Was exhausted but pretty happy and proud of myself.  

The loop trail has been on my list of trails I wanted to do.
(I hiked 'Awa'awapui previously)  20-30 feet wide with a 2000 foot drop would be okay.  But some of the trail descriptions describe parts as being very narrow on the Cliff Trail portion, with some areas washed to inches.  Did you find this to be true? 

My standards require that if I stumble I need to survive.   Would the cliff trail meet those standards?


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Jul 18, 2009)

jlr10 said:


> Each time we go to Kauai I try to push myself a little bit farther past my comfort zone in hiking.  Took me three tries to finish the first two miles on Kalalau, the first try was stopped because a a knee injury on a prior hike and the second due to very high winds.  But once I did that I went straight back to the falls.  Was exhausted but pretty happy and proud of myself.
> 
> The loop trail has been on my list of trails I wanted to do.
> (I hiked 'Awa'awapui previously)  20-30 feet wide with a 2000 foot drop would be okay.  But some of the trail descriptions describe parts as being very narrow on the Cliff Trail portion, with some areas washed to inches.  Did you find this to be true?
> ...


There was one stretch along the Cliff Trail where part of the face of the cliff had eroded and we needed to walk carefully. There was one section of about 50 yards where we had to go carefully across a washout section of loose dirt.  There was also a stretch in which the trail was a narrow ledge on the face of the cliff.

The trail traverses the face of the cliff in the photo below. IIRC, the dark horizontal cleft in the cliff face just to the right of dead center of the photo is part of the trail, and the washout section was somewhere between where I was standing when I took the picture and a point somewhere around the bend at the left end of that cleft that the trail follows. _[updated description: Notice the cleft in the face of the red cliff that is in the midground on the right side of the photo; the cleft is dipping slightly toward the right side of the photo. Then to the left of that red cliff there is an area of pinkish soil and rocks on the side of the area of vegetation that extends down from the top of the small peak. The trail follows that cleft, crosses the top edge of the pinkish area, then enters the vegetated area. Beyond the vegetation there is another red cliff area, also with a cleft on its face.  That cleft is where the trail continues after you leave the vegetation.  The stretch along this cliff is the tricky stretch that people describe.] _In the washout section the trail went across a slope of loose red dirt like that appears at the right edge of the photo.






That was the most technical portion of the hike.  The other more technical portion is some areas in which the trail has eroded so much that is actually a 5-to 6-ft deep storm water channel.  In those areas there are large boulders to scramble across, and occasional areas where you need to pick your wasy down a 4- or 5-ft face.  These technical challenges, IMHO, are comparable to those on the Kalalau Trail.  This trail is less challenging than the Kalalau because it is generally drier than the Kalalau, and because it does not have the general gradient of the trail isn't as steep as the rise and descent of the Kalalau. I had forgotten about that section; that is the trickiest part of the climb.

My thought would be to just take the trail. Worst case is that you get to a section you don't want to cross and then just turn around and go back the same way that you came.  Since you'll eliminate the need to hike between trailheads at the end of the hike to retrieve your car, you probably won't make your day any longer by doubling back.  

FWIW that washout section is closer to the Nualolo end of the Cliff Trail than to the 'Awa'awapuhi end.  It's in the heart of the most spectacular portion of the Cluff trail. It's about about one-quarter of a mile beyond the Nualolo trail junction.

I'll likely be back on it sometime in the next several weeks, hiking with my son.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Jul 18, 2009)

Here are a few pictures of the tricky section of the Cliff Trail - the one with the man appears to be from earlier this year.  I don't recall it being that narrow several years ago. Either conditions have deteriorated, or maybe I just pushed it out of my mind.

Can't wait to get back, though!!!  Looks like fun to me.    (These are not my photos; I found them by doing a Google image search for "Nualolo Cliff Trail".  And if you do that Google search you will find a TUG photo of DD and I at Hanakapa'i falls that is in a TUG thread.






*The cliffs do not overhang the slope as it appears in the picture below!!!. Look at the sea-sky horizon in the upper right corner and you can see the camera is tilted tilted clockwise by about 45 degrees.*   Rotate the picture counterclockwise in your mind so that the sea-sky horizon is horizontal and you will have the angle correct. The actual slope are as shown in the photo above.





 The photographer was taking some liberties to make the scene look much more scary than it is. Here's the same photo rotated so the horizon is level.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Jul 18, 2009)

If you want a truly scary hike, you should do El Camino del Rey.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Jul 18, 2009)

hotcoffee said:


> Did you go the full eleven miles on this trail or just the first two?  We had six in our party last year, and we just did the first two.  Great scenery, but very muddy.  It rained off-and-on while we were on the trail. We were pretty wet and muddy when we returned to the Beach Club.
> 
> We passed an old couple on the trail who told us they were going the entire eleven miles. I could not imagine them doing that. We passed them, spent time at the beach at the end of the two mile portion, and returned. Then, we passed them again on the way back. Afterward, I kept reading the news about Hawaii to see if two bodies were found on the Kalalau Trail. I don't know if they ever made it to the end, or if they eventually came to their senses and gave up. . . .


If you go past the first beach (Hanakapi'ai stream) a camping permit is required.  No permit is required to hike upriver to the falls.

About ten years ago one of the secretaries at the company where I was working hiked all of the way in to the Kalalau Valley and spent several days camping there.  They headed back when a big storm hit Kaua'i, but they - along with quite a few other hikers - got stranded at the Hanakapi'ai stream crossing due to high water.  They wound up camping in the rain on the west side of Hanakapi'ai stream for about four days.  Kaua'i County was airdropping supplies to the stranded parties from a helicopter until the river flow dropped sufficiently for safe crossing.


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## jlr10 (Jul 23, 2009)

T_R_Oglodyte said:


> Here are a few pictures of the tricky section of the Cliff Trail - the one with the man appears to be from earlier this year.  I don't recall it being that narrow several years ago. Either conditions have deteriorated, or maybe I just pushed it out of my mind.
> 
> Can't wait to get back, though!!!  Looks like fun to me.    (These are not my photos; I found them by doing a Google image search for "Nualolo Cliff Trail".  And if you do that Google search you will find a TUG photo of DD and I at Hanakapa'i falls that is in a TUG thread.
> 
> ...



 These pictures tell me that my "If I stumble I die" rule would have to be enforced.  I think I will stick with out and back and leave the loop trail for the less faint hearted!  Thanks for the pictures.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Jul 23, 2009)

jlr10 said:


> These pictures tell me that my "If I stumble I die" rule would have to be enforced.  I think I will stick with out and back and leave the loop trail for the less faint hearted!  Thanks for the pictures.



The stretch that is like that is about 1/4 mile long.  So you could do separate out and backs for the Nualolo and 'Awa'awapuhi, each time heading up the Cliff trail to the washout area.  When you stitch the two together you will have effectively done the whole trail.


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## Kildahl (Jul 23, 2009)

T_R_Oglodyte said:


> If you go past the first beach (Hanakapi'ai stream) a camping permit is required.  No permit is required to hike upriver to the falls.
> 
> About ten years ago one of the secretaries at the company where I was working hiked all of the way in to the Kalalau Valley and spent several days camping there.  They headed back when a big storm hit Kaua'i, but they - along with quite a few other hikers - got stranded at the Hanakapi'ai stream crossing due to high water.  They wound up camping in the rain on the west side of Hanakapi'ai stream for about four days.  Kaua'i County was airdropping supplies to the stranded parties from a helicopter until the river flow dropped sufficiently for safe crossing.



Was planning to do the the first segment of the Kalalau trail and the side trail to the falls today but it has rained all night and there are reports of minor flooding in Hanalei. Will wait until Saturday now although there are forcasts for rain each day.


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## hotcoffee (Jul 23, 2009)

Kildahl said:


> Was planning to do the the first segment of the Kalalau trail and the side trail to the falls today but it has rained all night and there are reports of minor flooding in Hanalei. Will wait until Saturday now although there are forcasts for rain each day.



I'll say this.  The trail is quite muddy (especially since it has been raining a lot).  You need sneakers that you don't mind getting pretty messed up.  When you finally get back to the trailhead, you will probably want to change out of those very muddy sneakers into your sandals or flip-flops.

I saw people trying to take that hike in sandals.  Bad idea.  One guy finally removed his flip-flops and hiked barefoot.  Trouble with that is there are a lot of roots and stuff to step over.  A pair of broken-in waterproof hiking boots would be great, but who brings them on a vacation?

By the way, if there has been a lot of rain, that stream just before the beach  at the 2 mile point will likely be high.  I found it better just to turn right and pick your way downstream until you reach the beach than try to cross the stream.  It was pretty high when I took the hike.


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## thheath (Jul 23, 2009)

*Sierra Club Hikes*

I suppose most hikers know this but for those that don't be aware of the local Sierra Club chapter on Kauai.  They welcome all hikers for their organized hikes and have access to many non-public areas.  Their hike schedule is on their website.  http://www.hi.sierraclub.org/kauai/

The hike leaders are friendly and very informative about hiking and the local area.


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## Kildahl (Jul 23, 2009)

hotcoffee said:


> I'll say this.  The trail is quite muddy (especially since it has been raining a lot).  You need sneakers that you don't mind getting pretty messed up.  When you finally get back to the trailhead, you will probably want to change out of those very muddy sneakers into your sandals or flip-flops.
> 
> I saw people trying to take that hike in sandals.  Bad idea.  One guy finally removed his flip-flops and hiked barefoot.  Trouble with that is there are a lot of roots and stuff to step over.  A pair of broken-in waterproof hiking boots would be great, but who brings them on a vacation?
> 
> By the way, if there has been a lot of rain, that stream just before the beach  at the 2 mile point will likely be high.  I found it better just to turn right and pick your way downstream until you reach the beach than try to cross the stream.  It was pretty high when I took the hike.



Thanks for the suggestions. I did bring my light hiking boots as I recall what the trail did to my "tennies" and white socks 20  years ago.


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## DeniseM (Jul 23, 2009)

For hiking, 4Wheeling, and ATVing, we take an old pair of tennies and throw them away before we leave.  One less thing to take home, and we don't care when they get thrashed!


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## jlr10 (Jul 24, 2009)

hotcoffee said:


> A pair of broken-in waterproof hiking boots would be great, but who brings them on a vacation?



I don't have waterproof hiking boots but if I did I would take them.  I take my hiking boots, backpack and hiking sticks for every trip to Hawaii, and especially Kauai.  That is why we go, an go, and go.  So few days and so many trails...


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## Kildahl (Jul 24, 2009)

jlr10 said:


> I don't have waterproof hiking boots but if I did I would take them.  I take my hiking boots, backpack and hiking sticks for every trip to Hawaii, and especially Kauai.  That is why we go, an go, and go.  So few days and so many trails...




We understand Kalalau Trail is closed for the time being due to the rains the past few days. Will head to the other side of the island tomorrow.


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