Waimea Canyon

Contributor

Citysearch

In Short
Getting there is an adventure as you travel Highway 50 past waterfalls, valleys and lush flora and fauna. Poipu Beach, the Kauai Coffee factory and Indiana Jones' swinging footbridge are all interesting stop-offs. Don't dally too long at detours--you'll want to devote a few hours to the canyon. From the Waimea Canyon lookout, dramatic views of the "Forbidden Island" of Niihau and Kauai's endless green valleys are awe-inspiring. Centuries of volcanic eruptions and river flow have carved the stupendous gorge that spans more than 10 miles in length and 3,500 in depth. Trail maps from the ranger station outline numerous hikes through and over the canyon. The elevation makes the air 10 to 15 degrees cooler than ground-level, and by afternoon many areas are often shrouded in clouds. From the top of the canyon, the sun casts a kaleidescope of light and shadows with rich colors of rust, teal and saffron that will have you snapping photo after photo.