Frommer's Kauai - Jeanette Foster [141]
YMCA of Kauai—Camp Naue
Attention, campers, hikers, and backpackers: This is the ideal spot to stay before or after conquering the Na Pali Trail, or if you just want to spend a few days lounging on fabulous Haena Beach. This YMCA campsite, located on Kuhio Highway, 4 miles west of Hanalei and 2 miles from the end of the road, sits right on the ocean, on 4 grassy acres ringed with ironwood and kumani trees and bordered by a sandy beach that offers excellent swimming and snorkeling in the summer (the ocean here turns really rough in the winter). Camp Naue has two bunkhouses overlooking the beach; each has four rooms with 10 to 12 beds, $15 per bunk. The facilities are coed, with separate bathrooms for men and women. There’s no bedding here, so bring your sleeping bag and towels. Large groups frequently book the camp, but if there’s room, the Y will squeeze you into the bunkhouse or offer tent space, at $15 per person. Also on the grounds is a beachfront pavilion and a campfire area with picnic tables. You can pick up basic supplies in Haena, but it’s best to stock up on groceries and other necessities in Lihue or Hanalei. Remember this is the Y, not the Ritz; they only have one employee who handles all the bookings (they don’t take reservations) plus everything else related to the Y activities. The best way to find out if they have space available is to call 80 8/246-9090. (And keep calling; they can’t return long distance calls.) Don’t send email or a letter—the Y simply is not set up to answer mail. Instead, a few months before your trip, call and they will let you know if there is space in the campsite or if the bunkhouse will be available.
Na Pali Coast State Park
Simply put, the Na Pali Coast is the most beautiful part of the Hawaiian Islands. Hanging valleys open like green-velvet accordions, and waterfalls tumble to the sea from the 4,120-foot-high cliffs; the experience is both exhilarating and humbling. Whether you hike in, fly over, or take a boat cruise past, be sure to see this park.
Established in 1984, Na Pali Coast State Park takes in a 22-mile stretch of fluted cliffs that wrap the northwestern shore of Kauai between Kee Beach and Polihale State Park. Volcanic in origin, carved by wind and sea, “the cliffs” (na pali in Hawaiian), which heaved out of the ocean floor 200 million years ago, stand as constant reminders of majesty and endurance. Four major valleys—Kalalau, Honopu, Awaawapuhi, and Nualolo—crease the cliffs.
Unless you boat or fly in (see “Boating” or “Helicopter Rides over Waimea Canyon & the Na Pali Coast”), the park is accessible only on foot—and it’s not easy. An ancient footpath, the Kalalau Trail, winds through this remote, spectacular, 6,500-acre park, ultimately leading to Kalalau Valley. Of all the green valleys in Hawaii (and there are many), only Kalalau is a true wilderness—probably the last wild valley in the islands. No road goes here, and none ever will. The remote valley is home to long-plumed tropical birds, golden monarch butterflies, and many of Kauai’s 120 rare and endangered species of plants. The hike into the Kalalau Valley is grueling and takes most people 6 to 8 hours one-way.
Despite its inaccessibility, this journey into Hawaii’s wilderness has become increasingly popular since the 1970s. Overrun with hikers, helicopters, and boaters, the Kalalau Valley was in grave danger of being loved to death. Strict rules about access have been adopted. The park is open to hikers and campers only on a limited basis, and you must have