Hiking the Na Pali Coast, with kids

Hiking is one of my favorite things. Walking in the wilderness instantly improves my disposition. Unfortunately, it does the opposite to my daughter. My compromise to go to Kauai left me some negotiating room. “If we go to Kauai, we’re going hiking,” I said. She really wanted to go to Kauai. She agreed. 

I set my sights high when I suggested we hike from Ke’e Beach to Hanakapi’ai Beach, and then inland to Hanakapi’ai Falls. Round trip, it would amount to eight miles, farther than we’d ever walked in one day. Brian was doubtful we’d even make it to Hanakapi’ai Beach, two miles in. Simon was eager to give it a try.

It took Remy a bit to find her stride.

I think all the people, old people, passing us by was incentive for Remy to keep on truckin’.

Views of the magnificent coastline kept us motivated.

So did the glimpse of Hanakapi’ai Beach.

We picnicked on the beach.

We stayed longer than we’d planned.

We had heard there was a bamboo forest between Hanakapi’ai Beach and Hanakapi’ai Falls so, having cooled down in the stream, we decided we’d at least try to make it to the bamboo.

“We’ve come this far. We should keep going,” Simon said. We forged on.

Our water supply was diminishing. “If we keep going, we have to get in the water to cool down when we reach the waterfall,” Brian said. I’m not proud of our decision, but we continued on. (Remy & Simon: if in the future, you are running low on water, do NOT continue increasing the distance between you and drinking water)

It was all I could do to resist jumping into this sun-warmed water hole.

We criss-crossed the stream, back and forth, back and forth, until the waterfall was in sight.

We made it!

Hanakapi’ai Falls is one glorious spot on Earth.

But the pool was icy.

“How about we jump in that sunny water hole we passed a while back?”

“Yeah!” We scrambled back.

 

Back at the trailhead, we all high-fived each other, reveling in our accomplishment.

Then Remy said, “That was the best time I’ve ever had hiking.” My already high spirits soared.