Mt. Waialeale
Mt. Waialeale
4.5
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This mountain is considered to be the wettest area in Hawaii.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
4.5
18 reviews
Excellent
13
Very good
5
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
0
ShaktiDance
Hilo26 contributions
Oct 2023 • Solo
OK folks: first of all, get real… Most of these reviews are written by people who flew over. Here’s one from someone who’s hiked it several times.
Wai’ale’ale is the wettest place on earth. The trail is minimal, and crosses the river many times. If the river, floods, which it frequently does, those crossings become manifestly dangerous, especially at,& below the slot, canyon, which comprises the middle 1/3 of the trail.
Getting to the trail head is extremely challenging in and of itself. A four-wheel-drive with good clearance and expert driving skills is absolutely required. Expect to put some damage on your car in the process: you will be driving through a river, through a pond, and over a deeply-rutted road which becomes a river in heavy rain. If you want to walk an extra 5 miles each way, you can park at the Arboretum and avoid damaging your vehicle.
Expect to get wet. And muddy. Bring Tabis. If you’re used to hiking barefoot, wool socks will help you stick to the slippery rocks when in the river. Resistance to rain is useless: you’re going to get wet. So for gear, I usually hike this trail in a bathing suit. Everything in your pack should be in a Ziploc bag and you don’t need to bring water, but a life straw is a good idea.
Pick your day wisely. The ideal day to hike Wai’ale’ale is cloudless & rainy days should be avoided… If it’s raining a little at the coast, it’s dumping in Wai’ale’ale. And hiking Wai’ale’ale in heavy rain is not fun… very dangerous, cold, no view.
Start extremely early. This way you’ll have time to jump in some of the innumerable gorgeous pools that line your route. Go in with an attitude of reverence… this is Sacred land, and you are blessed to have the opportunity to gently explore it. She is incredibly powerful, treat her like a goddess she is.
The trail is difficult to find. In particular, River crossings can be challenging to identify recently someone scratched all the rocks in the trail. There are places where you will need to step on a very particular rock in order to make safe progress… those are currently marked to anyone who has a really sharp eye. But if you’ve never gone before, then I highly recommend going with someone who has or an expert guide.
If your hiking skills are less than excellent or you have significant health problems, this is not the hike for you. If it was a ski slope, it would be rated black diamond.
Enjoy 🙏
Wai’ale’ale is the wettest place on earth. The trail is minimal, and crosses the river many times. If the river, floods, which it frequently does, those crossings become manifestly dangerous, especially at,& below the slot, canyon, which comprises the middle 1/3 of the trail.
Getting to the trail head is extremely challenging in and of itself. A four-wheel-drive with good clearance and expert driving skills is absolutely required. Expect to put some damage on your car in the process: you will be driving through a river, through a pond, and over a deeply-rutted road which becomes a river in heavy rain. If you want to walk an extra 5 miles each way, you can park at the Arboretum and avoid damaging your vehicle.
Expect to get wet. And muddy. Bring Tabis. If you’re used to hiking barefoot, wool socks will help you stick to the slippery rocks when in the river. Resistance to rain is useless: you’re going to get wet. So for gear, I usually hike this trail in a bathing suit. Everything in your pack should be in a Ziploc bag and you don’t need to bring water, but a life straw is a good idea.
Pick your day wisely. The ideal day to hike Wai’ale’ale is cloudless & rainy days should be avoided… If it’s raining a little at the coast, it’s dumping in Wai’ale’ale. And hiking Wai’ale’ale in heavy rain is not fun… very dangerous, cold, no view.
Start extremely early. This way you’ll have time to jump in some of the innumerable gorgeous pools that line your route. Go in with an attitude of reverence… this is Sacred land, and you are blessed to have the opportunity to gently explore it. She is incredibly powerful, treat her like a goddess she is.
The trail is difficult to find. In particular, River crossings can be challenging to identify recently someone scratched all the rocks in the trail. There are places where you will need to step on a very particular rock in order to make safe progress… those are currently marked to anyone who has a really sharp eye. But if you’ve never gone before, then I highly recommend going with someone who has or an expert guide.
If your hiking skills are less than excellent or you have significant health problems, this is not the hike for you. If it was a ski slope, it would be rated black diamond.
Enjoy 🙏
Written 7 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nicole R
Appleton, WI452 contributions
Mar 2019 • Couples
We set off in search of the blue hole hike to the weeping wall with very unclear directions...not truly knowing how hard this was going to be. Fortunately we were able to drive all the way up the the river that leads you in but the ride wasnt easy to navigate and took us quite a while. By the time we got to the river it was noon and we were still a 3 hour hike away from the wall!! We hiked about a mile upstream when it started raining!! We decided to take a dip in the river and turn back because floods here can be unpredictable. I'm super stoked we made it as far as we did & stumbled upon the Jurrasic Park gates in the process!! Awesome adventure!!
Written 3 April 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Christina Rossaland
1 contribution
Aug 2018 • Couples
I had a wonderful time hear with my husband on our honeymoon. We had a romantic helicopter ride around the island and got to see the misty airs and Mt. Waialeale close up. I recommend it was great fun!
Written 13 February 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Richard j
Markham, Canada390 contributions
Jan 2019 • Family
We were fortunate to have good weather and no rain during a helicopter tour and flew into the old crater of Mt Waialeale.
It is impressive with the many narrow waterfalls that cascade down 3000+ feet of the mountain, it’s so-called ‘Wall of Tears’.
On an island as varied and naturally stunning as Kauai, this is amongst the highlights for us!
It is impressive with the many narrow waterfalls that cascade down 3000+ feet of the mountain, it’s so-called ‘Wall of Tears’.
On an island as varied and naturally stunning as Kauai, this is amongst the highlights for us!
Written 30 January 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Legopod
278 contributions
Oct 2017 • Couples
We had to park along the road before the main parking lot as it was pretty full when we arrived in the afternoon. We had to walk a bit to get to the top. A lot of greenery that the wettest place on earth is famous for! We could see the approaching rain clouds from up there, so didn't spend too much time here, and hurried back to the car after a quick look around. There are trails that you can take; make sure that you are dressed appropriately for the hike!
Written 24 September 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
thaward
The Villages, FL739 contributions
May 2018 • Couples
Mount Waialeale is in the center of the island of Kauai, and the top is seldom visible from the valleys and beaches below, due to the near constant cloud cover at the top. The best views are from helicopter island tours that fly around and over the island. With an elevation of just over 5,200 feet, the rising warm and moist air from the island condenses in the cooler area at the top of the mountain and creates a wet tropical mini climate where rain is nearly constant. Rain totals measure over 450 inches annually. The result is lush and tropical growth around the mountain, and water runoff and waterfalls through the Hanalei River to the north, which empties into the Hanalei Bay. It's an amazing ecosystem and ecological gem of the island.
Written 30 July 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mike O
Las Vegas, NV4,110 contributions
Nov 2016 • Couples
Mt. Waialeale is almost never seen from the resort and beach areas. It is almost always shrouded in clouds that produce rain and making it the wettest spot on earth. Most people view it via helicopter, or you can try Puu O Kila lookout. Early hours are usually the best. The clouds usually roll in late morning and early afternoon. If you are really adventurous there are trails from the lookout that take you through Alakai Swamp to Mt. Waialeale. I have heard people say that this is an amazing hike, but it is slippery and you will get wet.
Written 8 June 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
keithlky
2,854 contributions
May 2017 • Solo
This is the wettest spot of earth and looks absolutely marvellous! The lush green sceneries with waterfalls everywhere is just great!
Written 19 May 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Colin Archibald
Kingston, TN4,467 contributions
Oct 2016 • Friends
It is not often that the mountain is visible as it is most often covered in clouds. That is how is gets the reputation for one of the wettest spots on Earth. The mountain gets between 400 and 600 inches of rain per year with a reported average of 454 inches. The best way to really see the mountain is to take a helicopter tour of the island. Otherwise it can sometimes be seen from Puuo Kila Lookout at the top of Waimea Canyon.
Written 2 April 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SoCalOregonian
Murrieta, CA10,390 contributions
Nov 2016 • Couples
Can be viewed from the Puu O Kila lookout across the Alakai Swamp, provided it is not covered in clouds. At the Puu O Kila lookout there is a directional sign pointing towards Wai'aleale. There is also a trail that leads from this lookout to Wai'aleale
Written 19 November 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Mt. Waialeale
- According to Tripadvisor travellers, these are the best ways to experience Mt. Waialeale:
- Kauai ECO Adventure Helicopter Tour (From HK$2,720.53)
- "PRIVATE" Kauai DOORS OFF/ON Helicopter Tour & "NO MIDDLE SEATS" (From HK$2,923.67)
- Hughes 500 Doors-Off Helicopter - ALL WINDOW SEATS (From HK$2,533.44)
- Doors Off Air Kauai Helicopter Tour (From HK$2,478.87)
- Entire Kauai Island Air Tour (From HK$1,161.49)