Waimea Canyon State Park on Kauai – Epically Beautiful

Each time we Waimea Canyon State Park I am just so amazed at the earth. I’ve been to many beautiful places like the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Hawaii Volcanoes NP and more, but none are at all like Waimea Canyon on Kauai. Whether you want to visit for some epic, challenging hikes or if you’re just interested in checking out the many viewpoints, a day here will probably become you’re favorite thing about Kauai.

Have you hiked at Waimea Canyon State Park before? The first time I did a big hike here I though I’d gone crazy because it was such a precarious trail, but I’ve since done other Na Pali Coast hikes that were much more so. If you have any questions about visiting Waimea Canyon or want to provide you’re own tips, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more!

Why Visit Waimea Canyon State Park on Kauai?

Kauai is full of lush valleys and beautiful mountains, but none compare to Waimea Canyon State Park. The deep reds and oranges of the canyon walls paired with the deep greens of the jungle above and below the canyon really are striking. Just taking in the views is an amazing experience. The overlooks you can drive to and pull-offs you can stop at make visiting Waimea Canyon easy no matter your physical abilities or hiking plans.

When it comes to hiking through, wow! One of the most beautiful sights in Waimea Canyon State Park is the towering Waipo’o Falls. You can see if from the first main overlook and it often has a rainbow over it. Hiking to the top of it is one of the most unique hikes we’ve done anywhere in Hawaii and it’s incredible. While not everyone is going to be in the mood to clamber across the top of a cliff and between red dirt gullies, if you have it in you, it’s awesome!

Note: I would not consider the hike to the top of Waipoo Falls and Mini Falls a kid-friendly hike unless they are really experienced and NOT wild children. This hike is dangerous, but beautiful.

Tips for Visiting Waimea Canyon State Park

Given the orientation of Waimea Canyon running north/south, the views you get are very much influenced by the movement of the sun throughout the day. If you’re there early in the day, you’ll have the sun directly on you as you look across the canyon at the different viewpoints, making some of the views not as spectacular but getting better through the day.

For those looking to do some hiking in the canyon, going in the morning is ideal because the light will be on the opposite side of the canyon for you and you’ll get awesome views. Midday is best for hiking in general though, as all of the Waimea Canyon glows when the sun is overhead. My favorite time of day to visit Waimea Canyon State Park for the drive and viewpoints is in the afternoon as the sun is coming from behind and really illuminating the eastern side of the canyon, including Waipo’o Falls.

If you’re not planning a hike into the canyon, a great way to add onto your visit is to pop over to Kokee State Park where there are even more viewpoint and trails (the back end of the Na Pali Coast) and a really interesting visitor center all about birds. I love spending time on this part of Kauai, and while Waimea Canyon State Park is the highlight, there are lots of other places around here to enjoy nature.

Gear for Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Parks

What you need to pack for your day in Waimea Canyon State Park very much depends on your plans. If you’re planning on hiking, you need good sturdy boots or Keens, lots of snacks and plenty of water for each person. You’ll also need both sunblock and a light jacket, because the weather on the west side of Kauai can bee really funky and you’ll be hot one moment and then soaked the next. If you’re not hiking, then you can approach your visit to the canyon very chill like, just bring some snacks and a camera and then you can even pop over into Kokee State Park to have lunch at the lodge. It’s an easy day.

Hikes at Waimea Canyon State Park

Hikes in Waimea Canyon State Park: I love hiking in Waimea Canyon State Park. You’ll see that the trails are very unique. One moment you’re hiking through a dense, woven jungle and then the next you’re strolling past a grassy swamp edge, or maybe you’re coming out of the woods into a cliff-top gully trail with no edge… It’s all awesome with lots of safety points to keep in mind.

• Waipo’o Falls via Pu’u Hinahina and Canyon Trail – this is my favorite hike and not to be missed. It may be scary for some though, and it’s not small-kid-friendly
• Kukui Trail – this is actually a part of Kokee State Park but goes into Waimea Canyon
• Complete Waimea Canyon – this is a hard, long hike that goes through the whole canyon. Amazing and difficult!

Parking at Waimea Canyon Viewpoints

When you make your first stop in Waimea Canyon State Park, it will likely be at the first structured overlook site. When here you need to use the parking kiosk to purchase a day use pass that you’ll display in your vehicle. The machine DOES take credit cards, so there’s no excuse to not get your parking pass. As you drive from stop to stop you don’t need to get multiple parking passes as long as you keep your first.

If you’re pulling off the side of the road to enjoy a viewpoint of the canyon, be sure that you’re pulling fully off the highway. There are areas where it’s clear that you can pull over safely, so be smart about it and be extra cautious when you’re crossing the highway. After your day up in canyon country, head down to Barking Sands Beach or stop at Glass Beach on your way back to your hotel. You’ve earned some ocean time!