The ocean moves eternally in a great, blissful ripple.. HONOLULU (KHON2) –A 41-year-old Kapa‘a man died Sunday while hiking the Kalalau Trail on the way to Hanakāpī‘ai Beach on the Nāpali Coast. Now, after 5 years of traveling the world in search of outdoor adventure, the Kalalau Trail is everything we crave from the outdoors. We're glad you found us! Because of this, many choose to stay 2 nights at Kalalau for a full day on the secluded beach. This waterfall is the closest place to access freshwater besides the final river crossing .5 miles back on the trail from the beach. Na Pali Coast kayak tours are usually one-way journeys that usually leave from the north shore near Ha’ena beach where you’ll make your way across the Na Pali Coast to Polihale beach, taking advantage of the trade winds that blow across Kauai from the northeast. Finally, note that there are 3 main river crossings that could pose a flash flood threat. In mid-April, a record-setting rainstorm flooded the Hawaiian island of Kaua’i, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate and closing the Instagram-famous Na Pali Coast State Park, home to the sea-cliff-topping Kalalau Trail.The closure is indefinite, and state officials say that they expect it to continue for a while as they assess and repair the damage. Spend as much time as possible at the beach and exploring nearby areas. At this point, you can either hike two miles to Hanakapi’ai Falls, or continue on if you possess a permit. The ocean current made swimming impossible, but walking down the beach there are a ton of caves. Experiencing the coast by water allows for private beach access and exploring amazing sea caves! Trekking poles are necessary. The classic approach to backpacking the Na Pali is to backpack to the half way point at Hanakoa Valley and decamp. Hiking the Nāpali Coast. The hike wasn't at all as dangerous or challenging as the blogs and guide books made it out to be. The forest is basically trying to encompass the trail. The third and probably easiest option is to take the new hiker shuttle which runs to/from Princeville or Waipa to Haena Beach. Sunset on the Kalalau Trail, above Hanakapi’ai Beach. How far in advance you need to plan depends a lot on the time of year. This beach also offers great snorkeling, where people will usually see turtles. This can be signified by extra fast running water and red-ish orange sediment in the river. The trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible year-round. In the first 6 miles or so of the trail, mud is inevitable cause it rains a little every day. Much. While most set out for a high-paced hike on Kalalau Trail, rushing past Hanakoa Valley, those who choose to explore Hanakoa Valley and Falls will not be disappointed. Together they are inspiring others to explore the outdoors, get outside their comfort zone, and #BraveForAdventure. And I hope you go. Statistically, the trail weaves its way in and out of dozens of valleys and hills, contains 50+ switchbacks, and has a combined elevation gain of 5,000 feet which, in turn, correlates to 10,000 feet since you’re doubling back on this trail as an out-and-back. Hiking Hanakapi`ai – A Family Day Down Napali The most popular hike on Na Pali is to Hanakapi`ai where you will find a lush river valley. I had no idea bathrooms could be so disgusting (and dude, I’ve seen some gross bathrooms) plus, dozens of massive orb spiders filled the bathrooms at Kalalau Beach. Napali Coast is a 16 mile (26 km) coastline stretching from the remote and wild Polihale Beach on the west to Kee Beach on the north shore of Kauai. If need be, there are dozens of other small streams and rivers but they are more stagnant. During our trip on the Kalalau Trail in late January, we somehow managed to score a few days of great weather between the storms that preceded and followed our trek. 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