One Of Hawaii's Most Overlooked Hikes Is A Half-Day Trek With Muddy Trails And Uncrowded Cliffside Views

Hawaii is a mecca for hikers. From soaring volcanic ridges to lush rainforests, there are all sorts of raw and rugged landscapes to get lost in. The island of Kauai is a particular standout. It's nicknamed the "Garden Isle" and is known for its rich biodiversity and eye-watering natural wonders, which include the so-called "Grand Canyon of the Pacific" at Waimea Canyon and the pristine waters of Salt Pond Beach Park. But there are also some more hidden gems beyond the well-trodden paths, such as the half-day Nualolo Trail.

It's a there-and-back route that clocks up 3.8 miles each way (7.6 miles in total), taking anywhere between three and six hours to complete. You'll hike through a variety of terrain, gaining 1,566 feet as you move from emerald fern thickets to exposed muddy outcrops. All that comes with just a fraction of the crowds found on the more popular trekking paths of northern Kauai, like the legendary way to Hanakapiai Beach via the 22-mile Kalalau Trail or the more accessible Iliau Nature Loop to lookouts over the Waimea Canyon.

The reward comes right at the end of the trail, when you emerge to find 180-degree vistas of the stunning Na Pali Coast wilderness. It's dashed with white-sand beaches, washed by wild Pacific Ocean waves, and showcases the whittled canyons that carve up this northwestern edge of the Garden Isle.

The Nualolo Trail begins and ends at the same point: A parking lot beside the Kokee Natural History Museum on the Kokee Road. It takes just over an hour to drive there from Kauai's south coast. The path first follows a uphill section with a few zigzags and then changes to a gradual descent through dense forests that contain flowering ohia lehua and koa trees, along with all manner of amazing tropical birds.

Around the second mile, the trees drop away and the landscapes are characterized by ruts of earth, tree roots, and rock. These sections of the hike can be particularly treacherous, especially after heavy rains, when the whole trail surface can turn into slicks of mud. Wearing the right walking boots is key, as the muddy path angles consistently downhill to make it even more slippery.

The last mile of the Nualolo Trail is a vertigo-inducing section across a knife-edge ridge. The vegetation thins out here as you approach the last lookout, Lolo Vista Point, opening up seriously spectacular views of the Kauai shoreline. On Tripadvisor, one hiker warned those who make it here, "Don't be disappointed when your pictures fail to capture just how majestic the view from the overlook is." They sweep north to include the Nualolo Kai State Park and its famous fluted cliffs, and west to encompass vast stretches of the open Pacific Ocean.

If you're feeling energetic and want to convert a half-day hike into a full-day loop through the Na Pali wilderness, there's a possible extension that takes you along the cliffs to one of the region's more popular walking paths: the Awaawapuhi Trail. It involves branching off the Nualolo Trail just before you get to Lolo Vista Point and hiking the 2.1-mile Nualolo Cliff Trail.

The junction of the two paths is just after the 3-mile marker on the Awaawapuhi Trail, and the route heads northeast from there. Warning: It can be tough going through wild meadows and thick tree groves, plus there aren't many glimpses of the coast to balance it out. Eventually, though, you'll connect to the wide Awaawapuhi Trail, an easier route that runs parallel to the Nualolo Trail a little to the north. You join that trail really close to its final lookout point, a dramatic buttress that's sandwiched between two walls of rock, with the lush Nualolo Valley opening before it.

The return route is a gradual ascent through fields of ferns and high grasses. It's not quite as tricky as the way you came out and brings you back to a parking lot that's around a 45-minute walk along Kokee Road from where you began the day. You can also complete just the Awaawapuhi Trail as an out-and-back hike. It's a less-challenging option that's more doable on rainy days since it's not quite as steep. However, it can get hot when the sun's beating down, so bring plenty of water!