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.
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Here are two different and closer views, click to enlarge.
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title=''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:
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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.
The link to the Google Earth file returns a file not found error.
The link works now.
Is there any chance you could provide your waypoint file – at least from the start to Hanakapiai? I haven’t done this trail in 31 years and I’m taking my wife to Kauai this spring. The first two miles is all she’s going to be able to handle on this trail. I’m putting everything for our trip on my GPS and would love to have your waypoints if you would be willing to provide them.
Sincerely,
Yar
Just wanted to say – Thank You! Searched the web for a while before I found your excellent site. There is some great information here.
I’m trying to travel light.
Are there enough water sources available to travel with 3L of water and my filteration system for two?
Hi Scott,
Yes, there is enough water along the way, unless you drink more than 1L per mile–I sweat a lot, and even I get by with a 1.5L bottle. The places to find flowing water are Hanakapiai Valley (2miles from trailhead), Hanakoa (4 miles from previous), and almost every mile thereafter. Oddly, the 2 “wet” valleys between Hanakapiai and Hanakoa have little surface water, while every little valley on the “dry” part after Hanakoa has a good stream. Of course, weather patterns can change, but I think unless there is an extended drought, Hanakapiai and Hanakoa will always be flowing.
So the longest stretch without water is always 4 miles, and often much less.
I know you say you do have a “filtration system,” but just to be clear for everyone, filtration is technically not sufficient. Leptospirois is a long bacteria, but only 1 micron in diameter, so theoretically it could go through a 1 micron filter (still the smallest on the market I believe). For this reason, I also add purification drops to my water after filtering, I use the brand SweetWater. Perhaps the new UV or ozone filtration systems don’t need this, I haven’t read their specifications yet.
Here’s a hiking secret of mine: try to hike at a pace where you can breathe through your nose–and avoid talking. Breathing through your mouth loses more moisture and can contribute to dehydration. That’s how that old trick of sucking on a stone reduces your water need.
Great maps. Thank you very much for that information! The Kalalau Trail is truly remarkable and a life-changing experience I will never forget. See you on the trail!
Do you have a filtration system you can recommend and a site I can find it on. Also if you have a place where you typically find te sweetwater drops that would be great! Iam taking myself, my girlfriend, and our two younger siblings on the kalalau trail in July for a planned 4 night stay andmy major concern is how do I provide them with water.
Hi Maveric,
I’ve always used the cheapest 1 micron filter I found on the market. They’ve worked well and I’ve never gotten sick from anything. Here are the links:
You should also be able to purchase these at any outdoor store such as REI. That might be recommended so you can look at the products and even try them out (REI usually has demonstration models sitting out). These two models might be a bit small for 4 people, but then again, you want the lightest filter possible–you’ll just have to spend a bit more time pumping every time to fill up everyone’s bottle.
I don’t know how the UV or ozone purifiers work. They’re usually smaller and lighter, but they probably require batteries, which might be a limiting factor.