Hooked on Hawaiian hiking

Now that I'm in Hawaii, I have endless hiking options awaiting me, and I'm taking full advantage of this! I've been hiking almost every single day. While on Oahu, some of the hikes I did were Diamond Head, Koko head and Moana falls. 
Diamond head is pretty easy. It provides awesome views of Waikiki at the top. A girl from Scotland and an American guy joined me for this hike. It had been 4 years since I'd hiked Diamond head. I'll tell you this, nothing about it has changed. 

Koko head was more of a challenge. It consists of 1,048 steps up the side of the crater. Driving to Koko head, you see from afar the massive "staircase" leading to the top. At this point you might question your sanity. These steps are constructed from old railroad ties. As you huff and puff your way to the top, the incline increases, testing your endurance. It's a good way to get your cardio in for the day, and to get buns of steel. Koko head pales in comparison to the ultimate "stairway to heaven" hike that I braved 4 years ago. It was like Koko Head on steroids. It's nearly 4,000 steps up the side of a mountain. It's actually illegal to do but if you're sneaky, you can climb the giant mountain and have the bragging rights that go along with it. It's not the safest hike, which is why it isn't legal. My legs were excruciatingly sore for days after, but it was so worth it!

Stairway to Heaven~ 2008

Koko Head hike

At the top of Koko Head

Top of Koko Head

Manoa falls was easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy. A bit muddy and the falls were more of a trickle, which was disappointing. You want to yell "aww, come on, I hiked all the way for this?!" I guess the waterfall is more abundant in the winter. 

Manoa Falls

When I got to Kauai, I was in hiking heaven. The hikes were more secluded and less crowded. It's easy for me to gage how much I've changed after moving off of Oahu 4 years ago. I really dislike the crowded island these days. My style is the more laid back, chilled islands. Waikiki is a rat race, not a paradise. 
Anyway, there are lots of awe-inspiring hikes waiting for you in Kuaui. I strived to do most of the hikes solo. I needed to do a lot of thinking, and hiking creates the ultimate thinking conditions. 
Hiking in Hawaii is awesome. There are no dangerous animals to worry about. I found it difficult to thoroughly enjoy hiking in Alaska due to my inability to get over my irrational bear phobia. 
You don't even have to worry about snakes in Hawaii. Because there are none! It's perfect. 
But don't let your guard down completely. There has been lots of tourists coming back home in a body bag after deadly hiking accidents. Falling off the side of a cliff, drowning in currents....
Just be careful. 
These are the hikes I did in Kuaui. I'm rating them from best to worst:
#1. Kalalau trail. Unarguably the best hike on Kauai. This hilly trail snakes along the pristine Na Pali coast. There's an option to hike the entire grueling 22 miles, which includes a night of camping, but most out-of-shape tourists choose to hike a measley 2 miles in to the secluded beach. If you're feeling adventurous, you can hike 4 miles to Hanakapi'ai falls. Which is what I did. There is a monster of a waterfall there to greet you. The sight of this majestic waterfall plummeting over black lava rock speckled with green fuzz makes all the hard work worthwhile. Take a while to soak in the sights of this pure eden. Eat some trail mix and refuel. Better yet, take a refreshing dip and feel the force of the water by swimming under the falls. Then prepare to hike back the way you came. If you choose only one hike to do in Kauai, choose the Kalalau trail. 

Beautiful Na Pali coast

Bamboo carvings along the way

Refreshing waterfall at the end

#2. Nualolo trail. 7.6 miles. This trail can be deceiving. It's mostly downhill all the way there. Actually, I ran most of the way down, watching out for dangerous tree roots. Don't want a broken ankle on this trail! At the end of the trail, you have amazing views of the coast and regal mountains. I couldn't believe my eyes as I stared at the stunning landscape, wide-eyed. There are a few dangerous spots that could send you tumbling a very long way to an unpleasant death if you happened to slip or the ground gave out. Again, be very careful. 
I met a very nice California couple at the top whom were traveling with their 9 year old son. I chatted with them for a while at the lookout as we ate our lunch. 

Life at the top of this mountain is fine and dandy, you're enjoying an unbelievable view of the coast, then you remember you have to hoof it up the mountain. Uffda. It's uphill almost the entire way. If you're not dripping with sweat after 3.8 miles of steady incline, you're not human. 
I had so much fun on this hike. I saw only 5 people hiking on the way in, and no one on the way back. I had the forest to myself. I was like a little fairy bouncing through the forest. Just me and nature. Not many things make me happier. 
#3. Sleeping giant. There's a mountain in Kauai that looks like a giant sleeping on his back. I think it was about 4 miles roundtrip. Uphill there, downhill back, with rewarding 360 degree views at the top. 
#4. Hoopii falls. This is a very easy hike that brings you to 2 separate waterfalls after about 25 minutes. 
#5. Moalepe trail. This is a flat 4 mile trail with good views of the mountains. It's popular with mountain bikers and equestrians. I only saw 1 other person on this trail. So peaceful. 
Hawaii is my tropical utopia playground and I'm beaming with joy that I can hike wherever I want, whenever I want. And I don't even have to carry bear spray with me!