Opaekaa Falls Trail Still Closed

Paul writes to ask:

We were also hoping to hike to the bottom of Opaeka’a Falls via the short, standard trail/route that starts just upstream of the falls. However, I recently found out that the state closed this trail because two women fell to their deaths from the top late last year. Are folks still using this trail? Is the state serious about enforcing this closure? I have never been a fan of blanket trail closures by the authorities in an attempt to “save competent outdoors folks from ourselves”. Any insight you could provide on the status of the Opaeka’a Falls Trail would be greatly appreciated.

Here is a Honolulu Star Bulletin article about the closure.

The public land around Opaeka’a Falls is still closed by special decree of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. Personally, I feel the closure is unwarranted, though I have been too busy to address my concerns to the state or even to blog about it. I don’t know what it would take to get it open again. When it was open, it wasn’t even a real trail and certain sections are hazardous, I guess it was just too close to the road and too easy for non-experienced hikers to get into dangerous situations.

The photo above shows the fence and signs that the state installed all along the trailhead area (with a memorial to the women—click to enlarge). I have seen state rangers there enforcing the closure, and I assume fining the people they find. However, looking at these photos I took a while ago, there is no mention that the area is off limits. I have heard that residents nearby, for whatever reason, report cars parked there, so you don’t have much of a chance of sneaking in.

I think the DLNR made a big mistake installing the fence. It is obviously easy to hop over or go around. If you went around on the left side, you’d end up on the right trail. But if you went around on the right side as it looks possible to do in the photo above, you would find yourself on the steep slope with slippery vegetation that is precisely the spot where the women fell to their deaths.

One website I found suggests hiking to the falls from the bottom, after kayaking up the Opaekaa stream from the Wailua River. I have paddled up there, but the stream is blocked by trees in a way that seems to make it impossible to just get out and walk. There may be a way to hack through or maybe land elsewhere and walk up, but I haven’t found it.

The Other Glass Beach

Update: now with pictures!

Today, I want to have a little fun with my readers—I hope it is fun for you, too.

I was reading a thread about the Glass Beach at Port Allen on Trip Advisor where they cover pretty much all the details: dirt road access past industrial area, old dump site by the coast, a beach literally covered in beach glass (depending on the season and tide), plenty of blue guide toting tourists by day, probably scary at night. I was thinking of replying that there’s another “glass beach” on Kaua’i, but then I figured I’d have to give detailed directions, and in a way I’d be responsible for revealing it to the hordes.

It’s another dump by the sea (probably sounded good at the time), though it has a lot less glass. But it does have lots of other little treasures reshaped by the sea, and a few engine blocks encrusted in the “limestone.” Locals probably know about this place, but for the rest of us, I lead you there in a riddle:

I had actually planned on making the riddle easier, but to make it ryhme, I had to change it. To make up for that, I’ll give you a few clues (stop reading if you really want a challenge). To know what part of the island, you need to decipher the first line or recognize the vague landmarks in the other lines. Then, unless you know the area, you’ll actually have to go there and look around for those landmarks. But it should all make sense as you find your way there.

The beach itself is rather ugly, though most of the trash you see here has washed up from the sea.

If you’re not into beachcombing, there are some cool rock formations further south along the coastline, if I remember correctly.

There are some patches of “glass sand” here, just nowhere near as much as at the Glass Beach near Port Allen.

Here are some “treasures” we took home, I’m sure there are plenty more.

Let me know if you follow the riddle and make it there—or if you don’t. But if you do find it or already know where it is, please keep it a challenge and don’t reveal it here or elsewhere.

Free Wi-Fi

Update: Thanks for the comments, I’ve added those locations to my list below. It seems like old town Kapaa is the newest surf spot. Plus, now I’ve done some more research, though only on the web not in person.

In an email, Tara asks:

i am new to the island and love your blog. i’m a writer searching for cafes or coffee shops w/free internet on the island; my old stomping ground was the cow’s end in venice, ca and i miss it. do you have any pointers?

I have been thinking this would make a good post topic, but I wanted to do more research before writing. I’m learning that’s not the way blogging works, so I’ll just give you what I have for now:

• The Small Town Coffee Co. across from the library in Kapaa has free wi-fi, I just confirmed that on their website. They’re in a quaint location, and even with no parking to speak of, they are always busy, so they must be doing something right. I’m not going to do a full review, but the coffee’s good, their barista is a two-time barista contest winner. The inside is a bit rustic, but I prefer that to any shiny new chain store, and it reminds me of one of my favorite cafés, Simple Pleasures Café in the outer Richmond, SF.
• Shawn says Java Kai, the other independent coffee shop in old town Kapaa, has it and so does their other shop in Hanalei.
• Jonathan reveals that Blossoming Lotus, also at the light in old town Kapaa has a “freely accessible signal,” but since I actually don’t have a laptop or an iPhone, I don’t know if that’s equivalent.
• Kukui Grove mall outside of Lihue has signs throughout their interior walkways and food court that wi-fi is available and free.

In the comments Shawn also links to a website with wifi-search, both free and for pay. There are some discrepancies in the data (and it is likely to be outdated quickly), but it gives a few more free ones:

• The Shack restaurant, now Polynesia Café but I don’t know if they kept the wi-fi.
• Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, next to Foodland in Waipouli.
• Aloha Beach Hotel (was Resort) in Wailua.
• Starbucks in Kukui Grove (but the one in Borders nearby and the one in Kapaa are for-pay).
• Grinds Café (more of a diner than a café) in ‘Ele’ele.
• Waimea Brewing Company (micro-review: good beer too) and Waimea Plantation Cottages

You can’t search the whole island, so here are all cities/zip codes with results: Waimea, ‘Ele’ele, Koloa/Poipu, Lihue, Kapaa, Princeville, and Hanalei. Also, Hanapepe, and Kilauea have some new cafés and bookstores that would be likely candidates, does anyone know if they do wi-fi yet?

I’ve never actually used any of these access points, so I can’t tell you the quality of the signal and the connection. If readers know of other places, let us know in a comment.

Kalalau Trail Conditions

There has been some discussion in the press and on this blog recently about the condition of the Kalalau trail. An article in the Garden Island newspaper paints a scary picture, one letter to the editor concurred and another admitted to cancelling a hike due to that information. While I personally know most of the people quoted in the article, I think they are over-reacting, perhaps in order get the state department of Land and Natural Resources to take action.

I disagree with this approach, and I’m writing this article to inform people so they can be better prepared. There is no doubt that the trail is not maintained regularly. There are many sections where hikers must pay attention and a few that require caution. But except in the case of vertigo (fear of heights or exposure) mentioned in a comment, the trail is passable. At least two other comments agree with me.

So when I hiked the Kalalau trail back in May, I took photos of the difficult sections to post here. I haven’t heard that the trail has deteriorated significantly or been repaired either since then, so I would assume it’s about the same.

Note: Please do not rely too much on this information. Trail conditions can change at any time. My experiences and opinions will necessarily differ from yours.

First of all, here is what the owners have to say about their trail:

This picture is characteristic of the first two miles to Hanakapiai. This is the wet side of the island, and there are springs on the slope that keep the area wet, so there is usually mud. The fact that these two miles are very popular with tourists makes it even muddier. In a dry season, as was the case here, it’s easy enough to get around the mud. But sometimes the mud is unavoidable and you have to get dirty.

The first big stream crossing is Hanakapiai stream. Here the water was very low and it was easy to cross on the dry rocks. On a normal wet season, you will probably need to remove your shoes to walk across in the water. After big rains in the valley, the stream will flood with brown water and strong currents. My rule of thumb is when water is flowing higher than your thighs, do not attempt to cross.

In the mile after leaving Hanakapiai valley, the trail is significantly overgrown. Bushes are usually only a nuisance, but on a slope, they tend to push hikes towards the edge of the trail, which then erodes. Here you can see one short section where this has happened and the tread is no longer flat. There are also several places where the trail is near a high drop-off, but it’s not intimidating because the slope below is well vegetated.

Here is the first half of the Hanakoa stream crossing, which is the deeper and stronger of the two. Again, in dry conditions such as those pictured here, crossing is not a problem. In normal conditions, you may or may not make it across on dry rocks, and it’s usually simpler to remove your shoes. When walking in a stream, a hiking stick really helps. Do not cross when the stream is deep and brown. I am including the major stream crossing because they are more dangerous than any part of the trail. One woman was swept away to her death several years ago. I have never heard of anyone “falling off” the scary sections of the trail.

Speaking of scary sections, they are next, as soon as you climb up and out of Hanakoa valley. Here is a photo looking down on some dicey switchbacks, an eroded section and the narrow ledge.

The switchbacks are in the lower-left of the image above. This is a small, steep gully, and what little dirt has accumulated is slowly eroding. Please walk carefully on the last switchbacks and across the gully, the dirt and rocks can be loose, and hikers are the main cause of the trail erosion here. The the slope is not a danger if you fall, but you don’t want to knock rocks onto other hikers below nor destroy the trail. Next are the two most impressive passages:

First is a short traverse on a packed dirt and rock ledge. The slope below the ledge is significant and consists of loose rock, so falling off the ledge might be fatal. However, the ledge is sturdy and the tread is flat exept in one short, easy section that hops over a boulder (see overview picture above).

The second is what I call the balcony. The slope below is steep and goes down practically 100 feet (30 meters) to the ocean, so falling off would likely be fatal. However, the ledge is solid rock and the tread is generally flat, though narrower than the dirt section. There are a few steps up and down on this balcony, but nothing that would throw you off balance.

There are two dangers that you should be aware of. The trail is narrow next to a rock face, so turning around with a large pack, while feasible, could throw you off balance if you bump the wall. Then, I have experienced strong wind right around the corner in the photo above. Again, if you have a large pack, it could throw you off balance in this critical point, or it could blow your hat off. This photo is looking back at the balcony section, with a backpacker for size.

At around 7.5 miles and several small valleys after the balcony above, is a heliport. The landing pad is a grassy ledge to the right of the trail, and there are old terraces, sometimes with makeshift tents, to the left. I consider this an emergency campsite (on the old terraces, not on the helipad). Should you get caught by nightfall here, I would advise against hiking either way, even with flashlights, due to the trail hazards.

Immediately after the stream by the heliport is what I consider the most dangerous part of the trail. Erosion by goats and water here has made the tread of the trail slanted, on gravely dirt, above a steep dirt slope that goes down perhaps 200′ (60m) to the ocean. While it doesn’t look too scary, please pay attention to where you place your feet because one misstep could be very dangerous.

There are several small eroded places for a quarter-mile ( 400m). You can see several of them in the photo above, where the trail curves inward and upward to avoid them. If the dirt is dry, and you step confidently but carefully, you will get by without a problem. If weather conditions are not ideal, you should definitely slow down and step ginergly to get by.

Update: here is a helicopter’s view of this section of trail. The helipad is almost perfectly centered, the part to the right (towards Kalalau) is the eroded part I show above. The part to the left looks similar but for some reason it didn’t have those same problems. And yes, that waterfall does splash directly into the ocean above a sea arch, but you can’t see it from the trail.

After the eroded section, you climb through several small hanging valleys where the bushes grow over the trail and push hikers towards the steep edge, so pay attention to your footing. And just before you reach the top of “Red Hill” where you can finally see into Kalalau Valley, there is another similar eroded section that requires you to step cautiously because of the exposure. The trail on Red Hill itself is eroded and washed out, but there is no exposure to speak of.

At the bottom of Red Hill, you cross a small forest and arrive at Kalalau Stream, the last major water crossing. Use the same precautions as when crossing the other two streams. The 10-mile-marker is right at the stream, next to the big boulder.

This warning sign used to stand at the bottom of Red Hill, for the benefit of those hiking back, but I didn’t see it last time. It acurately sums up the dangers of the trail, except it forgets to mention that the trail can be overgrown, which is both a nuisance and sometimes a hidden danger.

Kalalau Trail Map

The last time I hiked the Kalalau Trail, I took my GPS to record the trail and make a map of it. If you have Google Earth installed, click this link to download the trail data you see here. Also, I just noticed that there are newer, clearer satellite images in Google Earth for parts of Kauai, including Kalalau valley.

Here are two different and closer views, click to enlarge.

Update: A guy from Oahu wrote to tell me he blogged about his day-hike to Kalalau and back (that link takes a while to load). At the bottom of his page, he made an animated flyover of the trail that he created from my Google Earth data.

I did have to manually recreate several points because the tree cover was too thick in spots for satellite reception. Those points are marked in red on this elevation graph. I also forgot to calibrate the GPS’s altimeter, so all the elevations are 100′ too high, but otherwise generally accurate. Click to see wider graph:

One detail I’m still unsure about is the length of the trail. It is generally described as 11 miles, but the 10-mile-marker is just over a half-mile from the end of the trail. My GPS, which seems to have recorded almost every curve in the trail only measured 10.2 miles. I guess I’ll have to go back and measure it again.