Hiking the Kalalau Trail - Kauai, Napali Coast

Amazing!   . . . after 23  years I finally was able to return to Kauai!  It's an island I was able to visit with my family as a young person growing up in a traveling family.  This island was always a favorite of ours . . . and now I'm remembering why.

It is BEAUTIFUL!

(Like all the Hawaiian island - each in their own way!)

My sister Kim and I spent a week taking our parents back to Kauai, a place they have always loved but find difficult to visit and enjoy all on their own right now.  What an amazing adventure.

I have so many photos . . . places I want to remember for always.

Today, I'm sharing photos of the Kalalu Trail.  It begins at the end of the road.  At Ke'e beach. 

Hiking this trail is something I've always wanted to do and now we had an opportunity to experience the first two miles of the trail.  Someday I hope to come back and do the whole 11 miles one direction. But that will be story for another time . . .

The trail is an awesome hike, glorious and beautiful, scenes from the Napali coast, tropical rain forest, muddy trails, river crossings, scenic overlooks around every corner . . .

I'm sure you'll agree - it was beautiful!

First scenic overlook . . . many more to come!

Kinda scary . . . it's certainly not a beach where you want

to go swimming!

Although while we were there a bunch a young guys

showed up with short surf board that they carried all the way up the trail

and were surfing on the waves on the beach.

Notice - the wild life . . .

pretty tame looking kitty cats.  But they were totally

wild just used to being fed lunch scraps

by the hikers.

Time to head back up the trail.

We're heading back to Ke'e beach once again.

Here we are -

almost back where we started.

You can see the people have arrived upon the beach.

Lots of snorkelers and beach sitters.

Ahhh . . .
Someday we're going to do the full 11 miles!!