Most Kaua‘i residents don’t have to wander far from their digs to find a remote place to hike in solitude. The majority though, clings to the sandy coastline, dismissing a rugged interior boasting accessible and well-maintained trails. With work, family,
Most Kaua‘i residents don’t have to wander far from their digs to find a remote place to hike in solitude. The majority though, clings to the sandy coastline, dismissing a rugged interior boasting accessible and well-maintained trails.
With work, family, errands and housekeeping, many of us travel no further than a mile or two to the beach for a scenic fix, leaving the lush valleys and trails to hikers. There are dozens of hikes set in neighborhoods island-wide that don’t require “hiking.” Meander, walk, skip or shuffle: These trails are a stone’s throw away and worth the tiny bit of extra effort to reach them.
Last weekend I explored the Kuilau Ridge Trail with a friend. Under five miles from my house, I couldn’t believe I’d never taken the time to check it out. We opted to shuttle cars so we could hike the entire 4.25-mile route from Kuilau Ridge to the Moalepe Trail culminating at Olohena Road.
Leaving a car at end of Olohena where it meets Waipoli Road, we drove to the head of Kuilau near the end of Kuamo‘o Road. Just beyond mile marker six and before Keahua Arboretum is the trailhead of this spectacular and moderate hike.
At 8 a.m. last Saturday there was just one mud-splattered pick-up truck parked at the dusty turnout. The heavy, black cage in the bed alerted us to this being a hunter, but on this well-groomed meandering trail we didn’t count on running into him, as boar will likely not travel these high, open spaces.
The trail is a gradual and easy ascent through a light canopy of trees and dense ferns. Within 30 minutes there’s a perfect rest stop at a pavilion with picnic tables offering a majestic view of Mount Wai‘ale‘ale. On this bone-dry day the razor back of the range whose name translates as “rippling water,” is sharp and clear with just a scarf of cloud near the peak. Don’t put your camera away yet, as there is another remarkable view just minutes beyond the picnic tables where the trail makes a natural bridge affording views of both Wai‘ale‘ale to the west and the ocean to the east.
Even though it was the weekend, we only passed one other hiker and that was in the last 200 yards of the trail. This is a quiet and stunning hike. If you don’t want to shuttle cars, a good turn around is at a bridge that marks the start of Moalepe Trail.
As for difficulty, short of the gradual ascent at the start, for the most part the surface is flat. Moalepe Trail did have tire track imprints that made the ground uneven, but certainly not treacherous. The only unclear point was at a fork on the Moalepe Trail. My friend assured me the two paths met further on, but we stayed to the right.
The entire hike only took two hours and that was with plenty of stops and traveling at a relaxed pace.
