Kauai Forum: Waialeale "Blue Hole" hike

Thanks KauaiHiker. I'm guessing the average tour doesn't take the average person boulder-hopping up the stream. How was the road past the Arboretum? Also, how difficult was the hike up and past the stream?

The road has been improved over the past years with more rocks and gravel to fill the mud holes. But it is still rutted and usually requires more clearance than a sedan car. Any SUV will usually do, but 4WD is best when it's wet, which is most of the time. Then again, I'm alwayas amazed at the tourist cars you see parked at the trailhead (also trailhead for the tunnels hike).

Boulder hopping in the stream is what it is--there's at least 2 miles of it each way so it does get tiring. If you're a fit and experienced hiker, it's a moderate hike, but for most people it is very strenuous.

Thanks again KH!

We are interested in hiking to the "Weeping Wall". Can this site be seen while hiking this trail? Is this the place referred to as the Back Wall?

MOmom2: The "weeping wall" or "back wall" is the cliff face at the far interior of the "Blue Hole" (all these names have been made up by various guidebooks, so they're often inconsistent and not historical). The Blue Hole is not really a hike, it's totally off-trail and very difficult. Access is at least 30 minutes on a dirt/muddy road, to reach the "Jurassic Park" gate, and then 15 minutes of walking on the dirt road. After that, you need to hike *in* the river for 2 miles, hopping on boulders, and wading through some pools. Then you need to climb over some small ridges and scramble on some more rocks to reach the back wall. It is an adventure only for very fit hikers with backcountry experience.

Thanks for clarifying a few things KauaiHIker. This sounds like an awesome experience! I can't wait to add this to our resume of backcountry hikes. Only 8 more weeks to go!

You will find 3 references on the net by individuals who have hiked all the way to the "back wall." All 3 references were from trips over 5 years ago when the route was flagged. The flags have been removed since the "Ultimate Guide to Kauai" was updated in 2008 to include the first half of the route from the end of the road to the convergence waterfall about 2 miles upstream.

Beyond the convergence waterfall, the route is no longer marked, which means THIS IS NOT A DAY HIKE. The route is incredibly dangerous, overgrown, with lots of exposure in certain spots. You can't make it all the way in a single day unless you know exactly where to go. So if you're determined to do this hike, you need to plan for an overnight bivouac (hammock and rainfly only...there's no space for a tent anywhere along the hike).

Incredibly strong hikers (and I'm talking people who can do Half Dome round trip in a day...ie 20 plus miles, with LOTS of elevation gain and loss) can expect to reach the back wall in 6-8 hours one way from the trailhead if you manage to find the way...but this is not likely now that the flags have been removed.

Instead of attempting to go all the way, I recommend you just boulder-hop upstream from the end of the road to the convergence waterfall, which takes about an hour and a half each way, and is a fabulous destination. Great waterfall views, lots of places right around the waterfall to explore, and leave it at that. This is an incredibly risky hike to attempt in a single day. DO NOT hike after sunset, as the risk for broken ankles or legs is extremely high. The moss-covered rocks in and along the Wailua River are the slickest you'll find anywhere in the world.

Since were talking about this the other day I found a really good USGS Topo Map. I've cropped it down to just this area. The end of the road to the weird is marked in a dotted line to get an idea of where the "hike" begins. Good idea of elevation changes though using this map.

hawaii-guide.com/images/…waialeale_topo.jpg

I think a lot of folks do underestimate this trek - it's not really a hike as much as it is trailblazing to the extreme. But for those who make it, arguably well worth the work.

Correction. "weir" not "weird" - sorry about that.