Hiking Kauai's Kalalau Trail

KAUAI, Hawaii - Once was not enough.

Neither was twice or thrice.

No matter how often I've cursed my adventurous spirit during four sweaty, thigh-burning, hikes of the 11-mile Kalalau Trail along Kauai's northwest shore, I always vow to do it again.

I've done it in winter, when rains drench the rainiest spot on earth, nearby Mt. Waialeale. The storms can last for weeks and turn Kalalau Trail's melodic streams into nightmarish torrents, and narrow dirt and rock trails into slippery slides.

I've done it in the spring, starting in the middle of a storm then getting stranded on the wrong side of Hanakapiai Stream for two days until the "passing showers" passed.

I've done it carrying a 35-pound backpack filled with "essentials" like several Nikon lenses, two cameras, a radio, and an aluminum beach chair.

I've done it in and out in two days, trying to best the five-hour, one-way record, and ended up with blisters, a still-sore right knee - and nowhere near the mark.

Finally - finally - after 18 years, I think I've discovered the best way to enjoy not only this memorable trek but the spectacular Na Pali shoreline.

A friend visiting from Los Angeles last summer had just three days to spend on Kauai. But he was determined to see Kalalau Valley and suggested having a boat drop us off on the beach so we would only have to hike out. It also would be a way to see the Na Pali coast with its sea caves, waterfalls, and thousand-foot cliffs.

Several businesses in Hanalei operate Zodiacs for tours along this favored Hawaiian coast, and do drop-offs, pick-ups or both to Kalalau.

Along with six other passengers, we caught our 15-foot rubber ferry at Tunnels beach near the end of Kauai's Highway 56 at Haena. Our one-way trip cost $55.

By 6:30 a.m., we were on our way through emerald water one moment, turquoise the next. A rainbow arched over nearby Bali Hai peak and rain clouds filled distant valleys.

The ocean was smooth and benevolent. No wind, no swell, no worries. (Tour boats shut down along Kauai's north shore from October to April when swells pound the rocky coast.)

Forty-five minutes and a half-dozen waterfalls later, the enormous beach and valley at Kalalau came into view.

Fifty yards off the beach, we dove over the side for the short swim to the beach, towing our plastic-bagged supplies behind.

The beach at Kalalau is wide and backed by sand dunes. Camping is permitted only along the shoreline, including in several beach caves.

Drinking water is taken from Hoolea Falls at the western end of the beach. Be sure to treat the water - by boiling or with purification tablets - before drinking. (Numerous goats inhabit the area and may contaminate streams.)

We spread the sheets we'd brought in the largest of the three caves, which we'd share with several other campers. (It's sometimes difficult to find a dry spot: Ground water seeps through the cave ceiling.)

Then we headed east for a side trip up the valley.

An unmarked but well-worn, narrow trail runs alongside the Kalalau Stream. Just follow the guava trees, and don't be afraid to sample the fruit's innards.

A sweaty, mile-long walk up the valley floor leads to a series of cool fresh-water pools, each spilling gently into the one below over a natural lava rock slide.

One thing you're certain to see in and around Kalalau is naked bodies - male and female, adults and children.

After rounding a grove of banana palms during our hike back to the beach, we bumped into a family of five, naked except for tennis shoes or thongs. On the hike out the next day we encountered a man wearing nothing except an enormous backpack.

The next morning, I awoke, my eyes caked with sand. After breakfast, we started the hike out of Kalalau Valley.

The trek begins with several hundred yards of mostly level trail meandering along a rocky beach and through shoreline brush. Don't be fooled into thinking your thongs will suffice for the walk. You're going to need all the grips your Vibram soles can offer.

Take care when you reach the shallow, boulder-filled, Kalalau Stream. A rope handhold drapes a few feet over rocks in the stream.

As leader of this two-man expedition, I stepped first and promptly slipped, falling on my okole - Hawaiian for buttocks. My ego was bruised, and my favorite visor floated downstream to the Pacific.

We continued upward over a series of slippery, red-dirt switchbacks that took us from breezy cliffsides to the misty recesses of shadowed valleys - one of the most difficult sections of the trail.

After another two miles, we entered Hanakoa Valley, where a shaded, steep, half-mile hike leads to Hanakoa Falls. Sheer rock, 1,000 feet high, surrounds the waterfall. Swimming in the pool below the feathery cascade is an experience you'll never forget.

At the eight-mile mark, with Hanakapiai Valley and its pocket beach in view, the burn in my legs began to sear as the downhill switchbacks meandered through sharp grasses, thigh-high branches and rocks.

Hanakapiai Stream is wider and sunnier than Kalalau and Hanakoa. It's usually very shallow and tame near where it flows into the ocean and a good place to recharge for the final two miles.

You'll be tempted to take an ocean dip but be warned: Several people drown here each year because of a rip tide.

Climbing the rocky, dusty trail from Hanakapiai Beach has always been a killer for me. The first quarter-mile is in open sun; as usual I drank nearly all my water. My friend was muttering something about a prime rib dinner as he nearly sprinted up the trail, which is worn to rock from the throngs of visitors who walk this easily accessible portion.

The last few hundred yards mercifully are in shade. I collapsed alongside the trailhead at Highway 56, nine hours and 10 minutes after we started.

Nearby, a slim man dressed in gym shorts, tank top, running shoes and those funny half socks was stretching. After a few minutes he ran toward us.

"Where you going?" I asked.

"Kalalau Valley," he said, jogging up the trail.

IF YOU GO: -- A number of businesses along the main street (around Highway 56 and Aku Road) in Hanalei sell Zodiac trips to Kalalau and farther along the Na Pali Coast. Visitors can choose round trips, with or without snorkeling excursions. Or they can take the boat one way and hike the trail out; others pick up the boat after having hiked the trail in to the beach. Some possibilities: Captain Zodiac Raft Expeditions (phone 1-808-826-9371), Na Pali Adventures (1-808-826-6804), Paradise Adventure Cruises (1-808-826-9999) and Blue Odysseys Boat Tours (1-808-826-9033). -- Camping in Hanakapiai, Hanakoa and Kalalau requires a state permit. Hiking beyond Hanakapiai also requires a permit. Day hikes to Hamakiai don't. Get permits from the State Parks office, 3050 Elway Street, in Lihue; phone 1-808-245-4444.

Tim Ryan, a journalist and freelance writer and photographer, lives on Oahu.