Hiking Kauai's Kuilau Ridge Trail

The Kuilau Ridge Trail is my favorite hike in Kauai. It is also one of the lesser known trails in the area, so it is generally less crowded.

The trail leads through dense rainforest with spectacular views along the way. The path is usually always muddy, so sturdy water shoes are recommended.

A little over a mile or so you’ll arrive at some benches and an open grassy area. Once you're up on the grass you'll see a small trail on the left through the trees that will lead to a lookout view over the forest canopy.

You can spot the Makaleha Mountain Range and views of Mt. Waialeale, the wettest place on earth. It’s a short but muddy trail to the lookout point. Near the beginning there is a steep little climb down that is slippery, but so worth the effort.

After the lookout, if you want to continue to the rest of the trail then head to the right of the grassy field. There’s not much else to see after this point, so I would recommend just turning around and heading back down the trail.

The beginning of the trail head is easy to miss. Just put Kuilau Ridge Trail into your GPS then look for a small parking area off to the side of Highway 580. Parking is limited to 4 vehicles, but if you continue down Highway 580 you will find parking next to the Kawi Stream.

We hope you make time for this hike while visiting Kauai!