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Wai Koa Loop Trail

Kilauea, Hawaii

3.3/5
based on 4 reviews

Details

Distance

5 miles

Elevation Gain

227 ft

Route Type

Loop

Description

Added by Dan Deublein

Adventure through a majestic mahogany forest to see the historic Kilauea Stone Damn built in the 1880's!

The trailhead is located at Anaina Hou Community Park, off Kuhio Highway near the Kauai Mini Golf Course. A Waiver for the trail must be signed within the office located at Kauai Mini Golf. There is plenty of parking and the trail is open to the public from dawn to dusk. There is no charge unless you wish to rent mountain bikes. 

The footpath, which can be very muddy, starts at the bottom of the hill below the Kauai Mini Golf course. You will begin your hike through the largest Mahogany Forest located within the United States. Be sure to keep a look out for wild roosters, chickens and boars!

As you continue on the loop, you will reach an area called the Community Gardens. Enjoy the views of freshly grown vegetables and fruits which are sold throughout Kauai. 

The trail will then open up to majestic lush green fields where you can appreciate the Hanalei and Namahana Mountains. Shortly after, you will arrive at a beautiful lily pond, an ideal place for a short break. 

At approximately mile 2.2, you will reach the breathtaking beauty of the historic stone dam. There are lush green gardens, walking paths that cross small bridges and the gentle sound of trickling streams. The large stone dam was constructed in 1881 and holds 10 million gallons of water. You can hike to the backside of the damn where you will find a rope swing and enjoy swimming in the fresh waters of Kauai. 

From the rope swing, the trail will continue back as you complete the loop. You will arrive back at the trailhead and more than likely will require a good shower from the mud!

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Features

Fitness
Photography
Running
Hiking
Bathrooms
Dog Friendly
Easy Parking
Family Friendly
Food Nearby
Forest
River
Romantic
Scenic
Waterfall
Wildflowers
Wildlife
Swimming Hole

Wai Koa Loop Trail Reviews

This trail is easy and offers great views, but it has been closed since April 2018.

This was a long hike, flat hike and I feel like I didn't really get anything out of it. It actually felt like a waste of time. I think this is better suited for people 65 and older and that's exactly who we saw walking around here. The only cool part was the old dam and that is nothing compared to the many other amazing a beautiful places Kauai has to offer.

This is a nice walk through a Mahogany forest and over to a very cool old damn. Its cool to see the perfect rows of trees that have been planted along with some large old growth trees mixed in. The only downsize is that there's no bathrooms along the way so I ended up hurrying the last 2 miles.

This trail has some very pretty scenery. Would have liked to have swam in the river up above the dam but there were a ton of signs about getting sick so I didn't want to risk it. I like that the trail had a lot of signs talking about the area.

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Hike to the Waterfalls at Kauai's Secret Beach

Relax at Kauai's Secret Beach

Camp at Anini Beach Park

Hike to Wyllie's Beach

Scramble the Okolehao Ridge Trail

Hike to Turtle Cave