Waimea Canyon State Park
Under $25Drive up from Waimea to the main lookout over Kauaʻi's colorful, 3,000-foot-deep Waimea Canyon.

Photo: syntheticaperture, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.
Forested state park on Kauaʻi offering high overlooks of Kalalau Valley, native-forest hiking, and camping by permit.
Kauaʻi, HI
Kōkeʻe State Park sits at roughly 4,000 feet on Kauaʻi and gives visitors wide views over Kalalau Valley. Its trails pass through native rain forest and follow the rim of Waimea Canyon, and neighboring forest reserves offer more routes. The park suits people interested in native plants, forest birds, and insects. Visitors can also picnic in the wilderness, pitch a tent, or stay in lodging. Seasonal plum picking and trout fishing are available, and a public hunting area for pigs lies nearby. Recent storm recovery and roadwork have affected access, so check current conditions before visiting.
The closest stops to Kōkeʻe State Park, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.
Drive up from Waimea to the main lookout over Kauaʻi's colorful, 3,000-foot-deep Waimea Canyon.
4.1 mi awayMore like this
A remote, wild beach park on Kauaʻi's western coast, reached by a long unpaved road and backed by dunes and sea cliffs.
6.4 mi awayMore like this
Hike the first 2 miles of the Kalalau Trail to Hanakāpīʻai Beach, or see Kauaʻi's roadless cliff coast from a boat or a helicopter.
7.9 mi awayMore like this
A north-shore Kauaʻi state park with beaches, taro terraces, and the start of the Kalalau Trail.
8.1 mi awayMore like this
A National Historic Landmark at the mouth of the Waimea River on Kauai, marking where Captain James Cook first came ashore in Hawaii in 1778.
12 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing
Historic Lihue building that now houses the Kauai Museum, with exhibits on the island's history and culture.
21 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums