Another first time hike completed with Bella. My running group has done the entire Napali Coast run in a single day before, but we didn’t hit the falls due to time constraints. Bella and I made a quick neighbor island jaunt and checked off one more must do in completing the Hanankapiai Falls Trail. This is a must see trip. You have to finish this trip and make sure to turn it into picnic hike. Take the time to swim in the deep, cold pool at the base of the falls. It’s worth the extra time, trust me!
We ran the trail on the down hill and flat spots. There are not many of those though. The entire trip with an hour swim / picnic took about 5 hours. Worth a scramble on rocks and some small vertical faces. None the climbs were serious and with moderate conditioning you should be able to accomplish this hike. It is a slog in the mud but well worth the effort.
This is a must see falls. It has to be my favorite swimming hole now. It’s 4 plus miles each way, but expect it to take much longer than a normal hike. As I said, we took 5 hours with a lot of running.
The Westin in Princeville was a great spot to stay. The villas have complete kitchens that make the stay less expensive as you can shop at Foodland and cook your meals in the room. The local rate was about $200 per night, much cheaper than the St. Regis next door.
I would add this to my bucket list if you have not done it. Hike on!
runningoahu 