6 Best Kauai North Shore Hikes Near Princeville & Hanalei – 2024
Dramatic cliffs along the coastline. Beautiful, white, finely powdered, sandy beaches along deep blue Pacific Ocean waters. Breathtaking waterfalls. Lush dense rainforest jungles.
Kauai’s North Shore has them all. If you’re visiting Kauai, the North Shore must be part of your Kauai itinerary!
Many of the best Kauai hikes are on the North Shore, including one of the best hikes in all of Hawaii, the incredible Kalalau Trail hike along the beautiful Na Pali coast.
With family and kids? You’re in luck! If you are searching for kid-friendly hikes or hikes for seniors or pregnant women, we have many easy Kauai North Shore hikes that require little climbing.
Adventure tourist seeking a thrill? Some of the most challenging hikes are on the North Shore of Kauai, with different trails for hikers of varying abilities.
And where better to stay on the North Shore, than the charming towns of Hanalei and Princeville? Some of the best Kauai North Shore hikes are near Hanalei and Princeville.
Join us for a virtual tour of the best Kauai North Shore hikes, from easy family hikes for kids, beginners, seniors and pregnant women, to challenging hikes for the experienced and fit hikers! Select the ones that are most suited for you and your group.
Up for an active adventure on the scenic Wailua River in Kauai? Discover the Secret Falls kayaking + hiking excursion on the east side of the island!
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Best Easy Kauai North Shore Hikes
1. Wai Koa Loop Trail Hike
The Wai Koa Loop Trail hike is one of the best easy hikes on Kauai, excellent for beginners, seniors, pregnant women and families with small kids.
A pleasant hike of roughly 1 1/2 hours, the Wai Koa Loop Trail takes you through one of the largest mahogany plantations in America, a tropical forest with eucalyptus, bamboo and pine, serene lagoons, small farms, orchards and the Old Stone Dam in the midst of pretty gardens.
My parents loved the Wai Koa Loop trail, and there are many benches along the way where they could rest and relax, with beautiful nature views.
The Wai Koa Loop trail can be accessed from the North Shore Dog Park (use the Kauai North Shore hikes map below for directions), and is open from 8:00 am to dusk.
2. Queen’s Bath Trail Hike
One of the best easy hikes near Princeville, the Queen’s Bath Trail is a short, 0.8 mile roundtrip distance, from a trail parking lot at the end of Kapiolani (see the Kauai North Shore hikes map below for directions).
The Queen’s Bath Trail is a dirt trail downhill to the rocky cliffs of Queen’s Bath, a sinkhole that is now a tidal pool along the coast.
Queen’s Bath is popular local swimming haunt during low surf and calmer waters, and sunsets here are very pretty and colorful.
In winter and during high surf, the waves come crashing over the rocky barrier, and make Queen’s Bath an extremely dangerous area, so stay away. If the gate to the trail is locked, do not hike this trail, naïve tourists have been swept away.
Note: This trail is closed through March 2024 due to safety concerns.
>> Book these 5 star rated, highly popular, Kauai Tours now!
3. Okolehao Trail Hike to First Two Viewpoints
The Okolehao Trail to the first one or two viewpoints is one of the best easy Kauai hikes near Hanalei Bay and Princeville, for those who are comfortable with climbing about 920 feet on a trail.
The first viewpoint comes about a half-mile into the trail, but does involve significant climbing. You get commanding views of the coastline, Hanalei and Hanalei Bay.
The second viewpoint is roughly 1.3 miles into the trail, a second flat overlook with significantly better, panoramic views of the North Shore of Kauai including Hanalei Bay and the coast, the towns of Hanalei and Princeville, and much of the surrounding landscape.
While the Okolehao Trail continues further up, the hike becomes difficult with rope sections and technical climbing sections, meant only for experienced hikers.
Hiking the Okolehao Trail is one of the best things to do in Hanalei!
4. Na Pali Coast Viewpoint on Kalalau Trail (0.5 miles)
The entire Kalalau Trail is an epic 22 mile hike along the ruggedly beautiful Na Pali coastline to a remote stunning beach, Kalalau Beach, accessible by land only through this trail.
While the entire hike is hard and meant only for the experienced and physically fit hiker, the initial section of the Kalalau Trail to the Na Pali Coast viewpoint is something hikers of most abilities can manage.
This initial section is a short hike of 1 mile round trip distance and an elevation gain of about 500 feet, but the payoff is stunning views of the Na Pali Coast and Ke’e Beach along the way.
To plan this hike, check our detailed guide to visiting Haena State Park!
Best Kauai North Shore Hikes of Moderate Difficulty
5. Hanakapi’ai Beach via Kalalau Trail First 2 Miles
About the end of the first 2 miles on the Kalalau Trail you come to Hanakapi’ai Beach, a picturesque beach, just past the Hanakapi’ai Stream.
The Kalalau Trail first 2 miles is something most visitors to Kauai attempt, at least to cross hiking the Kalalau Trail off their Kauai bucket list.
This part of the Kalalau Trail is highly popular and kid-friendly, and I’ve seen many families with kids on the trail. But note that the hike is rated moderate to hard, with the trail going up and down the Na Pali coastline, with significant climbing.
You should be carefully crossing the Hanakapi’ai stream since it floods quickly after rain storms, and swimming on the Hanakapi’ai Beach is strongly discouraged due to rogue waves and currents, especially under high surf conditions.
Use our detailed guides to plan your Hanakapiai Beach via the Kalalau Trail hike and your visit to Haena State Park.
>> Book these 5 star rated, highly popular, Kauai Tours now!
Best Hard Kauai North Shore Hikes
6. Hanakapi’ai Falls Trail Hike (via Kalalau Trail)
A side trail from the Hanakapi’ai Beach, the Hanakapi’ai Falls Trail, is a hard, 4-mile round trip, hike to beautiful Hanakapi’ai Falls.
The total hike to Hanakapi’ai Falls, starting from the Kalalau trailhead in the Ke’e Beach parking lot of Haena State Park is a roundtrip distance of 8 miles, a strenuous hike meant for experienced and fit hikers, but one of the best Kauai waterfall hikes!
Hanakapi’ai Falls, one of the best Kauai waterfalls, is an amazing 300-foot waterfall in lush, dense rainforest jungle settings, with a base pool quite popular for swimming.
If you do choose this hike, make sure you plan your Hanakapiai Falls via the Kalalau Trail hike and the visit to Haena State Park well in advance!
>> Book these 5-star rated, highly popular, Kauai tours now!
Map of the Best Kauai North Shore Hikes
The below map of the best Kauai North Shore hikes shows the locations of the trails, trailheads and nearby attractions.
Hiking Gear Checklist
Many of Hawaii’s hikes are demanding, make sure you are well equipped and well prepared. Here’s what we typically take with us:
- Water Bottle: I hate plastic bottles, and with opaque bladders you can’t see if it is moldy inside. We use this Hydro Flask water bottle – light, stainless steel, wide mouth (you can add ice), with double-wall vacuum insulation (greatly refreshing for hikes in summer). You can also get it with a Flex Straw Lid!
- Hiking Shoes: My preferred hiking shoes are the medium range Merrell Moab 3 Waterproof Hiking Shoe (men’s, women’s, men’s mid), great for Hawaii’s trails through mud and streams. My wife loves her high-end Salomon X Ultra 4 GTX Hiking shoes (men’s, women’s), also waterproof.
- Sunscreen: Hawaii’s sun can be harsh. Avoid sunburn with sunscreen compliant with Hawaii’s 104 Reef Act. The Sun Bum Original SPF 50 Sunscreen Spray, moisturizing with Vitamin E, is our go-to when we travel to Hawaii. Apply liberally and regularly!
- Trekking Poles: Great for hikes that involve climbing, both going uphill and downhill, and on trails that are wet, muddy and slippery! Improve your footing with this collapsible, high-end Black Diamond Trail Cork Trekking Poles, available for men and women.
- Headlamp: Planning a sunrise or sunset hike? Hiking in the dark is no fun, especially on many of Hawaii’s rainforest or ridge hikes. We love these two headlamps: the budget Black Diamond Spot 400 Headlamp and the premium Petzl Actik Core Headlamp, with many features.
The Best Kauai Tours
Have you booked these top Kauai guided adventures yet?
Sunset catamaran tour of the Na Pali Coast (relatively more stable ride, insane views on good weather days!)
Doors-off helicopter tour of Kauai (unobstructed views, chance to see more of the island than you can by land, no middle seats!)
Kayak on the Wailua River plus hike to a waterfall (a super fun activity for active travelers, albeit a little muddy sometimes!)
Raft trip to the Na Pali Coast plus snorkeling (prepare to get wet on this exhilarating adventure!)
Eurocopter ECO-Star helicopter tour over Kauai (the most booked Kauai helicopter tour on Viator with close to 2K reviews and a 5-star rating!)
Entire Kauai Island Air Tour (super popular, less expensive than a heli tour, large bubble windows for flightseeing!)
Renting a Car in Kauai
The best things to do in Kauai are scattered all over the island.
Public transport options on Kauai aren’t great, so if you want to explore the island beyond your base, you’ll want to book a rental car for your Kauai trip.
We always use Discover Cars to book Kauai car rentals. They search across a variety of rental car companies, both budget and brand, to offer you the best deals, AND they offer free cancellations. Plus, there are no hidden fees.
>> Check availability and prices on Kauai car rentals now!
Lihue Airport-Hotel Shuttle
Not planning to pick up a rental car at Lihue airport? Pre-arrange round trip transfer from the airport to your hotel and back!
This shared shuttle serves hotels or vacation rentals in Princeville, Kahala, Poipu, Kapaa, or Lihue, and then back again. It’s convenient and inexpensive, and saves time and hassle!
>> Check prices and availability for shared round-trip airport transfer in Kauai now!
Where to Stay in Kauai
Depending on whether you want a vacation rental with more room and the option to cook some of your meals, or you want a resort or hotel experience, and depending on which part of Kauai you want to choose as your base, you have a variety of options.
Since you’ll likely want to base in a couple places on your trip to Kauai, we suggest starting your search for Kauai accommodations by browsing vacation rentals on VRBO.
We have stayed in VRBO rentals in both Poipu and Princeville and find that the choice and quality are generally great.
>> Look for a Kauai vacation rental on VRBO now!
Want detailed recommendations for accommodations in Kauai? Check out our comprehensive guide to the best places to stay in Kauai!
More Kauai Travel Inspiration
Headed to Kauai for a vacation? Check out our many comprehensive guides that will help you plan the perfect Kauai itinerary!
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