Kālepa Ridge — Local services in Kauai

Loved this trail. It’s an unmarked trail that we had trouble finding, so sharing how we did. Drive up to the Kalalau lookout, park, and pay. When you walk up to the lookout, follow the fence to the far left (if looking out) and you will see on the left where the fence starts a worn portion of the grass where people entered the trail. Since it’s unmarked, locals will not help you find it. The attendant in the lot told us that he’d be liable if he helped us find the unmarked trail, so declined to help us.

It was misting/ during our hike, but cleared fortunately as we reached the end. The way out took us most of the time as it’s pretty steep and slippery and downhill. We took our time with footing given the slipperiness and the ridges. Recommend hiking shoes. Don’t wear flip flops.

Towards the end you are on the ridge and it is a psychological challenge if you’re afraid of heights. At times the path is a few feet wide with 3000-4000 ft cliffs on your right, so footwear is key to ensure steady footing. There is always a side trail that hugs a border fence if you want to keep your distance from the ridge. We used it at times.

The views were incredible and we spent time throughout pausing for photos and at the end. The pictures do not capture the full beauty of the scene, well worth it

The hike back up took about 30 minutes and much faster going back up. You’ll spend most of your time on the way out

I’d recommend to all to do this if...

This is a must do hike in Kauai. It is a difficult trail with steep descend in the beginning with rocky terrain but don't let it affect your motivation. After 1/4 of the hike, you get an option to go along the existing trail or take a separate one along the fence on your left. The trail along the fence is pretty straightforward and safer compared to the original trail as you are not walking along the edge of the ridge anymore. We followed the original trail while going and came back via the fence trail. This was great because we got to see the beautiful views of the napali coast on our way and would definitely recommend doing that. If you want to save time on the way back then go for the fence route. The trail ends at the end of the ridge right above the ocean and the views are breathtaking! We also did the Hanakapiai beach hike and found this one even more beautiful. If you reach the end and are greeted with a cloud then wait for sometime because it will clear up and you will see the...

For best visibility, make sure to start your hike at around 8:30-9 AM. If you start at 11 AM onwards, the clouds will roll in and you wont see much down the hike. When you enter the lookout, the trail is to your left behind the fence. Once you are down, go right and you will see a gate. Enter and your hike down will start there.

This hike is easy to moderate. If you have fear of heights you can stay to the left where the fence is and just pop in and out of you wanna see views near the cliff. It can be muddy at times so watch your footing. I would say the most tiring is getting back up but very doable.

This trail isnt as hard as people portray it to be. Everyone can do it. Also take your time. This will take you around 2-3h if you are not in a hurry. Have fun and be careful! If it has rained recently, wait 2-3 days before...