Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Nou Nou Trail East - Kauai, Hawaii

Trails: Nou Nou Trail East (Kauai)
Distance: Just under 3 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: about 1000 ft
Hiking time: 1 1/2 hour
Area: Wailua, Kauai
Trailhead: Towards the end of Haleilio Road, off of Kuhio Highway
Trailhead Coordinates:

Sights: "The Sleeping Giant" Nounou Mountain Range
Directions via bus:
Directions via car: 
Recommendations for hike: Some sunglasses, some water.
Conditions: Some what muddy but it rained the night before. Not too steep but constantly ascending. A lot of covering.



 

So after my first night on the beach in Wailua, a bit tired, I decide to search for some trails. After talking with a local kayak tour guide, I find out there are some falls and trails in the area. I would much rather prefer waterfalls, however, the ones in the area are not trails. You can drive up to a lookout and see them. Not my kind of waterfall. I'm sure they are still amazing but I didn't want to walk 4 miles along a road. I wanted some nature.
However, not too far, a couple miles walk, there was a rather easy trail on Nounou range, the sleeping giant, because it resembles a sleeping giant.

It was relatively easy but a good work out. It starts off in a residential area. Right after the road goes uphill, it will curve to the left. There is some parking immediately on the right. It begins to climb gradually and stays consistent throughout. Switchback after switchback, you'll find it gets rather boring. There are a bunch of short cuts but I decided not to explore these on the way up. At the end, is a picnic area...  how anti climactic. Like you're gonna hike a mile and a half uphill to have a picnic. It's a nice view of the landscape though and considering lack of rest, it was a good trail.



 So that highest peak is the giant's head and his body lays to the right. From different angles, more North up the coast, it's easier to tell.



A quick view of the East coast, about half way up the trail.




 

 

 




 This was carved out at a bench on top.






 

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