Exciting Hawaii Hiking: Honopu Ridge Trail

Ask people who have hiked on Kauai in Hawaii about what are the best trails on the island and you will probably hear Kalalau and Awawapuhi-Nualolo. A lesser used trail but one that is equally fantastic is the Honopu Ridge Trail located in the Kokee area of Kauai. No, it is not one of the main hiking thoroughfares on Kauai. However, it has a fantastic reward for those who hike it to its conclusion.

Along with my wife Jacque, I did this a few years ago and the payoff at the end were fantastic views of the Na Pali Coast far below plus some awesome ridge hiking on some thrilling sections of trail. A very interesting and unexpected finding at the end of the trail are benches and lounge chairs made of sticks and slats of wood that have been lashed together. If you are like me, you'll be amazed to find something like those manmade benches there.

This area is the domain of mountain goats (literally). Very likely, if you hike the Honopu Ridge trail you will encounter, or at least hear, these horned denizens of the cliffs.

Enroute to the end is a tramp along a trail that is brushy in some sections and thickly wooded in others. Wayfinding can be a problem, particularly early on, and the trick when arriving at a junction is to take what seems to be the path that gets the most traffic. Or, look for colored ribbons that mark the main path. If no ribbons exist, the basic drill is to continue downridge toward in the direction of the ocean.

Do note that if you start feeling uncomfortable with the narrowness of the ridge and the huge dropoffs, there is nothing wrong with turning around and heading back. And you have let someone know where you are hiking, right? One of the cardinal rules of hiking is to file a flight plan with someone before you head out.

The trailhead for the Honopu trail starts a short distance past the the Awaawapuhi trailhead and it is before the first Kalalau lookout. A key landmark is a dirt parking area under some trees on the left side of the road. This parking area is used by goat hunters and intrepid hikers like you!

If you are looking for an adventure off the well-trampled past used by most tourists, then Honopu Ridge is for you.