One of the guide books calls it "Wild, Raw, Unforgettable". Indeed, everybody who satisfies his/hers Wanderlust and spends a day on this trail will experience lasting impression of the stunning wild natural scenery, red lava, red soil and the thundering noise of waves pounding the volcanic rock.

The trail is very long, 12 miles or 20 km in one direction. For a single day hike a good destination is the Hanakapi'ai Valley, approx. 2 miles / 3.4 km, what is 4 miles / 6.7km in both directions. Considering that the trail has many wet and slippery parts, this distance is more than enough for an entire day. However, I saw even families with infants(!!) walking along the trail... See the images. Hm... Despite all my experience and best care I failed to even stay on my feet. On one wet spot while sliding sidewards I was forced to go down on my knees into the red sticky mud. My hands, the camera bag and even one lens were encased by the mud. If the trail is wet, I would not recommend to walk with small children along the Kalalau Trail. It is too dangerous. Just an opinion...

Once returned from the trail, we stopped in the charming town of Hanalei. The town is located in close proximity to the "wettest mountain on the planet." Sudden appearance of dark clouds and a rain fall reminded us why this side of Kauai is so lush!