The 5 Best Hiking Trails on Kauaʻi in 2024

Hiking is one of my favorite ways to explore the place I’m visiting. It’s a great way to learn about and appreciate its unique natural environment—and burn calories, too. (Because eating is my second favorite thing to do!) Kauaʻi boasts miles of trails, from hikes to waterfalls to paths meandering through majestic mahogany trees. Here are the Top 5 trails on Kauaʻi, as voted by you in the 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards.

READ MORE: 14 Things Unique to Kauaʻi 

1. Waimea Canyon Trail to Waipo‘o Falls

Waipoʻo Falls on Kauaʻi.
Photo: Getty Images/Edmund Lowe Photography

With more than 50 miles of hiking trails, Kōkeʻe State Park on Kauaʻi is a hiker’s paradise. Because of its views of stunning Waimea Valley, Waipoʻo Falls Trail is one of the park’s most popular. It’s a moderately difficult 2-mile roundtrip hike to the top of that 800-foot waterfall you see at the Waimea Canyon Lookout. (SEe photo above) The trail meanders along the canyon’s rim, offering unique views of this deep, colorful gorge—you won’t see much of the waterfall, just FYI—and ends at a small ʻawapuhi (ginger)-lined swimming hole. See ʻōhiʻa and koa trees and even catch a glimpse at native birds, too.

READ MORE: 3 Great Hikes at Kōkeʻe State Park on Kauaʻi 

2. Nounou Trail (aka Sleeping Giant)

The view from Nounou Trail on Kauaʻi.
Photo: Getty Images/Matthew Micah Wright

One of the most popular hikes on Kauaʻi, the Nounou Trail (aka Sleeping Giant) is a steady climb to the top of this mountain, which resembles a sleeping giant. The views of the eastern coastline are stunning. The trail starts with several switchbacks lined with ti plants and through a shady forest of ironwood and strawberry guava trees. There are three trails here—East, West and Kuamoʻo—though we suggest the east fork, which ends at picnic tables with views of the Wailua River and Mount Waiʻaleʻale, one of the wettest spots on Earth. More advanced hikers can continue up to the summit for 360-degree views. As with all trails in Hawaiʻi, check weather conditions before starting.

READ MORE: Giant Steps: Hiking Nounou-East “Sleeping Giant” Trail on Kauaʻi

3. Kuilau Ridge Trail

The view from Kuilau Ridge Trail on Kauaʻi.
Photo: Getty Images/Mike Hipple

This easy, 4.3-mile roundtrip hike is great for all skill levels. It follows an old road that’s wide and well graded. The climb along the ridge in the foothills of the Makaleha Mountains is pretty gradual, with native ʻōhiʻa and ironwood trees. There’s a nice grassy field with picnic tables early in the hike; we suggest continuing on, though, as the views of Nounou and Waiʻaleʻale are breathtaking.

READ MORE: What To Know Before Hiking Kauaʻi’s Kuilau Trail

4. Māhā‘ulepū Heritage Trail

Māhā‘ulepū Heritage Trail on Kauaʻi.
Photo: Getty Images/CampPhoto

This mostly flat trail runs about 4 miles along Kauaʻi’s rugged southern coast. Starting at Shipwreck Beach, it offers gorgeous views of coastal cliffs, tide pools, sand dunes and, of course, the ocean. The best part, though, was exploring the Makuawahi Cave, largest limestone cave in Hawai‘i and one of the richest fossil sites in the Pacific.

READ MORE: Take a Historical Hike on Kauaʻi’s South Side 

5. Wai Koa Loop Trail (aka Stone Dam)

The mahogany forest on the Wai Koa Loop Trail on Kauaʻi.
Photo: Catherine Toth Fox

(Public access to this trail from Anaina Hou Community Park is currently closed. You can access it via the Kauaʻi North Shore Dog Park.)

This 4.5-mile loop trail is wide, flat and great for any hiker. Walk through the lush Kīlauea Forest and through the largest mahogany plantation in North America. The footpath also offers views of Namahana and ends at the Kīlauea Stone Dam, a historic dam built in 1880 at the height of the sugar plantation era in Hawaiʻi.

READ MORE: Hiking Kauaʻi’s Majestic Wai Koa Loop Trail