Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Park-All you need to know.

Introduction.

Visitors have many questions about Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Park.  How do I know? I read them routinely on the various FB visitor pages, IG and others.  I’m like a ghost on these sites, trying to find the info our visitors want as well as answering questions. So, I decided to go through the most common questions and answer them one by one.  Here we go!

Is it worth visiting Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Park?

The short answer is YES and YES again.  Both State Parks are well worth whatever time you can give them.  Although they are two separate State Parks, one flows into the other until you come to the end of the road in Kokee State Park.

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Where are Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Park located?

Both parks are on the West side of the Island, above Waimea town.  Although they are two separate State Parks, they are adjacent to one another.  Waimea Canyon is first, then Kokee.

How do I get to Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Park?

There are two roads from the coastline to Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Park.  Highway 550 (Waimea Canyon Drive) is accessed from Waimea and is the easier and shorter (if coming from Poipu side) road to drive. 

The other road is 1.3 miles further up, off of highway 50 as you head towards Kekaha. You make a slight right onto Kekaha Road.  In a short distance, (at the Menehune  Food Mart, 8171 Kekaha Rd.) make a slight right onto Kokee road.  This road meets up with 550 (Waimea Canyon Dr.) outside the parks but is overall narrower, more winding and more difficult to drive than 550.  It is at this point that the name of the road changes to Kokee Rd.

Leaving Waimea Canyon and Kokee.

Just make sure when you leave the Parks, that you stay left (on 550 / Waimea Canyon Drive) at the Intersection of these two roads otherwise you end up on Kokee road which ends in Kekaha.  Once again, I encourage you to plot your route via Google Maps before you depart so you know what to expect. Remember, there is no wifi or cell service in the parks.

How long does it take to get to the State Parks?

If you are coming from Princeville, plan on at least 2 hours to Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Park.  It is only 63 miles but it is not like your usual 63 miles on the mainland.  On Kauai, there are no freeways and only a few short stretches with four lanes of traffic.  Plus, you may encounter heavy traffic in Kapa’a or by the turnoff for Poipu, especially mid to later in the day.

Once you reach the town of Waimea town, it is 10.5 miles to the Waimea Canyon lookout on Waimea Canyon Road. (Hwy 550.)  The 10 miles is an uphill, curvy road that will take you about 30 minutes. It is best to plug your departure into Google Maps for a good estimate from your location.

Is the road scary or dangerous?

As I just mentioned, the road to Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Park is a winding, uphill road with very few “straight aways.”  While the road does gain in elevation and looks back towards the coastline, it is not so close to the edge as to be dangerous at all.  Basically, you are going from an elevation of 9’ in Waimea town to 3,400’ at the Waimea Canyon lookout.

Due to the winding nature of the road, car sickness may be an issue.  So, prepare yourself with appropriate remedies in advance. 

Popular self drive tours.

Click below for the most popular guided tour to help you navigate! Not only for Waimea Canyon / Kokee State Park, but for all the highlights throughout all of Kauai. I see this app recommended again and again on the various Kauai vacation groups/pages

Ask anyone. They will tell you how much they love the Shaka Guide! It is the BEST!

If you want a guided tour just for Waimea Canyon and Kokee, the one below will do the trick.

Don’t want to drive?

A Waimea Canyon different kind of tour.

Honestly, we haven’t tried this (yet) but maybe it is something you’d like to experience. Just be glad it’s a downhill and not an uphill tour!

Can you drive to Kokee State Park?

Yes, in fact, it is almost impossible NOT to drive to Kokee State Park.  Waimea Canyon State Park and Kokee State Park are adjacent to one another.  The road through Waimea Canyon is about 7 miles.  If you just stay on Hwy 550, (now called Kokee Road) the road enters Kokee and 3.7 miles from the Kokee Lodge and Bar, you end up at the magnificent Pu’u O Kila lookout. 

The last time we were there, some portions of the road between the Lodge and the end were badly potholed. No, you do not need 4 wheel drive or anything. We did fine in our car. Just be on the lookout and go slow when you get to this point. The entire road is paved.

Don’t worry. It’s impossible to get lost if you stay on paved road. Even if you take a wrong turn, everything else dead ends so just turn around and go back.

Does it cost anything to get into Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Parks?

Yes, there is a charge if you do not have a valid Hawaii DL or ID card.  It is $10/vehicle and $5/person to enter the park.  Payment kiosks are located in the various parking lots. Kiosks only take credit cards.  Payment is on the honor system.

Do I have to pay for each park separately?

No, both parks are included in the one payment.  It doesn’t matter if you park in Waimea Canyon and pay or drive all the way through to Kokee before stopping to park and pay.  Your ticket is good for both parks.

Are reservations needed to hike in Waimea Canyon or Kokee?

No, you do not need reservations to do any day hiking in these parks.  You just need to pay the vehicle / person entry fees. 

What about reservations to camp?

Yes, if you plan to camp, you must make advance reservations for the campground.  Camping is available at the Kokee State Park.  Per the DNLR website (Department of Land & Natural Resources) “Kokee offers tent camping opportunities with minimally developed campsites. Camping Permits are currently available 90-days in advance.

Camping Rates:

Hawaii Residents:  $20 per campsite per night for up to 10 persons at site 1; 6 persons at all other sites. 

Non-residents:  $30 per campsite per night for up to 10 persons at site 1; 6 persons at all other sites.    *children 2 and under free.”

How much time do I need in the Parks?

If you are just driving through Waimea Canyon and Kokee, stopping to look at a few of the viewpoints, two hours is probably minimum.  However, you may feel rushed and want to see more.

Early arrival is recommended as it tends to get cloudy later in the day. 4 hours will give you time to take in the sights and also have lunch at the Kokee Lodge. (No, they do not provide lodging at the lodge.)  If you plan to hike, of course, plan on the whole day.  You will probably want to leave before dark as the road is without streetlights.

What about the Cabins in Kokee?

If you are curious about the cabins in Kokee, that’s a whole different topic. I did a complete post on the cabins in the past and update it annually: Ultimate guide to the Cabins in Kōke’e.

How cold does it get in Waimea Canyon and Kokee?

Weather in Waimea Canyon and Kokee can change in a heartbeat. Be prepared for clouds to roll in, for rain and/or for scorching sun.  You are at 3,400’ at the Waimea Canyon lookout and 4,153’ at the Pu’u O Kila lookout at the end of the road in Kokee.  The weather “down below” has nothing to do with the weather in these parks. 

Weather in Waimea Canyon and Kokee can change quickly!

While the climate is generally warm and humid, it can get chilly if winds pick up and it rains.  Normally, a t-shirt and shorts will do the job but make sure you bring a lightweight rain jacket and perhaps a  lightweight, breathable, moisture wicking, micro-fleece long sleeve top, just in case.  Highs are in the mid 70’s with lows in the mid 60’s during the day.  It can get into the 50’s at night depending on the time  of year. Here is an overview of the weather.

What else you need to know about Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Park.

Bring plenty of water (we like this hydration pack), snacks, a light raincoat and lightweight long sleeve top.  The only available water is to buy it at the Kokee Lodge.

The Kokee Lodge is open for breakfast and lunch Mon-Fri 9:30AM-4:30PM.  They open at 9AM on weekends.  That is the only food available in either park.

Cell service and/or wifi are non-existent in the Parks. 

Neither Waimea Canyon or Kokee have a gas station.  The last station is down in Waimea town.

Final thoughts on Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Parks.

OMG! There is so much to do in Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Parks, I could go on writing forever. (Well, almost.) We’ve enjoyed many fabulous hikes in both Parks, have stayed several times in the Kokee cabins, eaten at the Kokee Lodge and marveled at the viewpoints throughout both Parks. Believe me, it never grows old. The focus of this post is to answer as many of the questions that I see are repeatedly asked when it comes to these two Parks.

Click here for other guided tours on Kauai.

Packing list for Kauai.

We have a packing list for Kauai on our blog post: Best Kauai Packing List for Easy Travel. For Waimea Canyon and Kokee, just make sure you have that raincoat handy, plenty of water, energy snacks, hiking hat, hiking poles and a lightweight, breathable long sleeve top, (these are for men) just in case.

Shoes are also VERY important. Weather is unpredictable and the ground can quickly change from “doable” to very slippery. IMHO, hiking shoes are a MUST if you are going on a trail. Terrain is uneven, and this is the case even if you are just walking to the many viewpoints by the road. We recommend your running/exercise shoes (or sandals.) Leave your “slippahs” for the beach.

Did we miss any of your questions?

If you have a question that is not answered, please post it in a comment below or contact us directly. We live on Kaua’i. If we don’t know the answer, we’ll find someone here who does.

Thank you for reading and enjoy your time in Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Park. Please follow us and share this post if it was helpful. And just for fun, here are some “senior” tongue in cheek t-shirts!

Looking for some other Kaua’i things to do? We’ve got them covered:

Free Fun Things to do on Kaua’i’s North Shore

The Best Tour of Amazing Limahuli Gardens

The Best Ke’e and Ha’ena State Park Guide

Hawaii Souvenirs for Someone Special

Mahalo Nui Loa. Jack & Elaine