Waipi'o Canyon

Waipi’o Canyon is not on most tourists lists, but we ended up there because of the advice Cindy received from a friend. I thought it well worth what we paid for the tour.

The road to and from the canyon is quite a challenge. You can get there by your jeep, specialized tourist van, mule-drawn wagon, horseback or on foot. The brochure describes the walk as one of the five best short hikes on the island. I don’t consider 6.5 miles a short hike, but there are certainly many longer hikes here. It is not the length that would prevent me from recommending the hike. Parts are extremely steep. This is especially true of the section that takes you down and up from the canyon floor. In ⅙ mile, the elevation changes by 800 feet. There is a 40% slope in some sections.

Some tourists like to rent a Jeep and explore this type of location. Be careful should you think this sounds exciting. Some rental companies do not allow their vehicles to be driven into the canyon. Even if allowed, our driver complained about the Jeep renters who did not know how to take their vehicles in and out of four-wheel drive and who seemed unable to figure out how to allow the upward bound vehicle to get by on portions of the narrow road. Cindy took the following picture which happens to show our guide (Douglas) and offers a view of how steep the "road" to the canyon floor was.

We did see plenty of hikers and had to squeeze by them on the narrow roads. Most looked stressed on the way out. Not a chance I would take this on.

The canyon has a high rain area (100 inches or so a year) and multiple rivers all without bridges run through the valley. Water depth at crossing points could rise to a level making passage impossible. This was not the case today.

The heavy rain combined with sun and the tropical climate make the valley ideal for agriculture. Of course, access is a significant problem. The following is a taro field.

Most in the canyon live off the grid. I think I remember our guide saying 4 families paid for electricity. Many used solar panels and relied on propane for their appliances. Internet access required satellite WiFi, but was a common commitment for families with children.

Here are some additional images.

The Waipi'o Valley is cut off from easy access. The vegetation is lush, varied, and beautiful.  I highly recommend visitors explore this gem.