NW corner of KAUA’I is called the Na Pali Coast. We fancied trying the Kalalau Trail again, and this time managed to get on an 0820 bus into the state park for this dramatic coastal path. ( Very nearly didn’t bother, as it was raining heavily when we woke up, but as we wouldn’t get another chance…)
Amazingly, after a 15 min drive it was much clearer at the Haena Beach trailhead , so we set off. They don’t want anyone approaching it to claim they were not warned, mind you ..
It’s 2 miles of very up and down track, including a couple of fab viewpoints for the coastline further west. I have a feeling this is where some of the Jurassic Park scenery was shot – it is really dramatic
We managed to ford the gushing stream to the beach – Lianne by wading through knee-deep, me by leaping goat-like across the boulders. But after this I was (oddly) getting grief from both ankles ( the old Achilles problem , tends to trouble Greek hero types of course,) so we turned back. The rain had set in again at this point , and then we saw these SMS alerts
Turns out they had cancelled all the park buses an hour or so after we set off , and were now worried that this corner of the island would be cut off ( it depends on a narrow road across a wooden bridge over a river prone to flash flooding – hurrah !)
Anyhow – we made it back safely and very chuffed we had got to see this highlight of KAUA’I. Seems that the weather in Big Island had been much worse and according to Van er got out just in time. Their SE corner of the island bore the brunt of the storms and they had 10 inches of rain over just 2 days ?!?
I must admit, I didn’t like the look of that path very much. But that coastline looks amazing. Glad you made it back OK though
So were my ankles , mate 🤕
Fantastic views back on the coastline. Very beautiful, but how did you get back without transport?
Ah, I should clarify – no more buses were allowed to bring walkers into the park after 10 am, but they were still sending buses to bring people back.