Image from flickr's a L p, Creative Commons licensed for commercial use
Waimea Canyon, on the west side of the Hawaiian island of Kauai, should be on everyone’s Kauai sightseeing list. About ten miles long, a mile wide and 3,600 feet deep, the canyon’s incredible scale is hard to fathom on an island that’s only 26 miles across and 21 miles north to south.
Nicknamed the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific" by Mark Twain, its inland vistas go on for miles and provide stunning panoramic views of towering canyon peaks and deep valley gorges, all dancing with vibrant colors of varying shades and hues. The movie The Perfect Getaway opens with footage of Waimea Canyon taken on a helicopter tour, and you can get a great feel for the canyon and the nearby Na Pali Coast and Kalalau Valley for just the price of a movie ticket. Watch it on the big screen if you can! Even better: plan a Kauai vacation if you can!
There are two roads into the state park, and you’ll enjoy better views of Kauai’s dramatic interior by taking the first road (Rt. 550) instead of following signs to a later road (Rt. 55). This first road is labeled Waimea Canyon Drive, but before you take either road be sure to check your gas gauge. It’s a 40-mile roundtrip, and there are no gas stations after you leave Rt. 50.
Continuing into the mountains, Kokee State Park and the Kokee Museum can be found around the 15-mile marker, and the knowledgeable staff’s suggestions and recommendations are a great way to become oriented for your visit. There are numerous trails to explore for both beginner and advanced hikers; in fact, there is probably no one place on all the Hawaiian Islands with a greater variety of hiking trails.
A common ranger recommendation is to drive to Pu’u o Kila Lookout and then hike the Pihea Trail to the Pihea Vista. Along the way, you can enjoy a serene bird’s eye view of the Kalalau Valley. If possible, begin this hike early in the day because clouds will often roll in by mid-day.
You can find further information about the Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Parks here or watch the video below to get a better idea of what awaits you should you win a free trip to Hawaii and decide to visit and see Kauai for yourself!
© COPYRIGHT STATEMENT: This article is the original work of Debi Willis. Under no circumstance may any portion of this article be broadcast, copied, published, rewritten or used without the permission of the author. To purchase this or any other article by Debi Willis, please email moviesandtravel [-at-] gmail [-dot-] com, replacing the bracketed info with the appropriate symbols and removing any extraneous spaces.
Comments
I haven't seen the movie "The Perfect Getaway", but I might now. They make a lot of movies over here in Death Valley area also. I think where the locations are unusual makes great background for movie plots. Here was Planet of the Apes.
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