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Kalalau Trail in Kauai, Hawaii

Hike Difficulty

The Na Pali Coast hike along the Kalalau Trail is VERY challenging.

The full hike is a grueling 11 miles one way, with steep ascents and descents (elevation change is about 800 feet).

From the trailhead at Ke’e Beach, the trail ascends to the ridgeline and then descends to sea level at Hanakapiai Beach in Hanakapiai Valley.

Then it ascends 800 feet from Hanakapiai Valley to the ridgeline before you arrive at Hanakoa Valley.

The last few miles of the trail are more exposed, with heat becoming more of a factor. Make sure to stay hydrated. This stretch is notorious for narrow sections with dropoffs.

Narrow section of the Kalalau Trail in Kauai, HI, featuring dropoffs
Parts of the Kalalau Trail are narrow and exposed

It takes fit and experienced hikers about a full day to hike from the trailhead at Ke’e Beach to the endpoint of the trail at Kalalau Beach, so the Na Pali Coast hike is a backpacking adventure on Kauai.

Although the Kalalau Trail is graded, it is never level and you have to watch your footing all the time. There are several stream crossings along the way, as well as loose dirt, steps, exposed tree roots, and vegetation.

Some sections are impossibly narrow and feature severe drop-offs on the ocean side.

Crawler’s Ledge is one of the notoriously difficult sections of the trail, but there are other sections that have steep drop-offs as well.