Hiking Awa’awapuhi Ridge Trail, Kauai

Hello loves! Hope you’re doing well and staying safe.

For all of you explorers and adventurers, this is an amazing, no MAJESTIC, trail to hike in the Koke’e Park Kauai, Hawaii. When my husband and I were researching hiking trails around Kauai, this one was definitely on top of our list because you get the incredible view of the Nā Pali Coast. Definitely one of our favorites! Here’s our experience hiking this amazing trail and hope you have a fun and a safe experience as well.

SAFETY

Check the weather

First of all, your safety is the most important. Please check the weather because Kauai can suddenly surprise you with pouring rain. We went during the month of December and we had a lot of rain up in Waimea Canyon. So, make sure you check the weather consistently because you don’t want to hike down a muddy ridge, it can get slippery and very dangerous.

Water

Take enough water for the hike there and back. We took a Hydrapak of 2L and three 16oz water bottles. That was more than enough for both of us to get by.

Food/Snacks

Take snacks to refuel and gain energy. We usually take Cliff Bars, fruit, nuts, and beef jerky. I can’t go hiking without my snacks or else I get hangry! Also, you never know what can happen, so in case of emergencies, you have something to eat.

Right gear

I like to be super comfortable when I hike. I need the right gear to hike long trails. For this specific hike, I wore my Lowa Boots, long leggings (part of the trail gets narrow with shrubbery), rain jacket, hiking socks and my REI day backpack. You can check out my gear by clicking here: My Hiking Gear.

TRAIL INFORMATION

Miles: 6.3 miles (10.13 km) | 3 hrs

Location: 22°08'29.5"N 159°38'54.9"W

Elevation gain: 2125 Feet

Level: Moderate to Hard

Parking: Yes

Fee? No

THE TRAIL

We decided to leave our place before sunset because we read that the clearest times during the day in December are early in the morning and in the afternoon. The hike can get dangerous when it rains, so we didn’t want to risk it. We drove to Koke’e Park and parked at the parking lot right in front of the trailhead. The trailhead is before the Kalalau Lookout. We were the first ones there so we took advantage to have the place to ourselves.

We were able to hike the trail in about 3 hours. The beginning of the trail was fairly easy. A bit muddy and slippery but very doable. What helped along the trail were the tree roots because they created traction for us. We did end up slipping once or twice, which is totally normal :). So, be ready to get dirty. Along the trail, you will see trail markers indicating the miles you’ve hiked. This was nice because we didn’t have to continuously look at my husband’s Garmin watch to see how far we’ve hiked.

Throughout the whole trail, there were no viewpoints. You will literally be hiking in the Kauai jungle until you get to the ridge. Most of the trail is wide and in good condition, however there was a narrow part with lots of shrubbery. We were amazed at how maintained it is. The hike itself may give you enough confidence to identify it as easy, but don’t underestimate it because you will be hiking down 1500ft, so the way back may leave you a bit breathless, not just because of the views, but because of the altitude.

When you arrive at the ridge, there will be a gate to the viewpoint. This is were it can get a bit tricky and difficult. If you decide to hike down the ridge, make sure you are NOT afraid of heights because even though I am not, I did get a bit nervous for it did get pretty narrow and steep. You will literally take into account every step because you will find yourself in the middle of two steep cliffs. The views will give you all the feels though! I was blown away by how majestic the view was and I couldn’t believe I was there! I felt so small and powerless. I love when nature does that. We arrived to the official viewpoint and that’s where we stopped. It’s possible for you to go further, but I recommend not to. It gets even steeper and narrow. It looked pretty dangerous and it seemed like every step was uncertain because it didn’t look sturdy. Make sure you consider your safety first.

In the midst of it all, we continued checking the weather to see if rain clouds were getting closer. Thankfully we had no rain the whole time we were out there so we were definitely safe!

This hike is amazing! People from all over the world come to be amongst these ridges and witness its magnitude and drop offs. It an absolute must. Make sure you place it in your hiking bucket list because trust me, you will not be disappointed!

I hope you have the best time hiking this trail. Remember to always have fun and stay safe. Check out the video of the hike below to give you a closer look. Love you all and happy hiking!

Watch our hiking experience here!