Weeping Wall & Blue Hole Kauai Hike Guide
Weeping Wall & Blue Hole is one of the most difficult but rewarding hikes on the island of Kauai. The trek starts from either the Keahua Arboretum or upper TH and works along the Wailua River, crossing it several times before reaching the massive waterfall at the end of the canyon. This hike has no official trail, is extremely muddy and can be very dangerous in the wrong conditions. I would NOT recommend this hike for anyone but a seasoned hiker with lots of experience with route finding and plenty of past hikes that involved traveling over wet rocks.
Weeping Wall & Blue Hole Guide
Virtual Trail Guide: Weeping Wall & Blue Hole
Weeping Wall & Blue Hole Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 Stars)
Distance: 8 Miles RT from Upper TH, 16 Miles RT From lower TH
Elevation Start: 600ft
High Point: 2,100ft
Total Elevation Gain: 1,750ft (from lower TH)
Estimated Time to Complete: 6-10 Hours RT
Difficulty: Difficult What does this mean?
Class: Class 3 – What does this mean? MOST of this hike is Class 1 / Class 2 but you could easily argue that there are some Class 3 moves.
Season: Year Round – Avoid this hike during or after a heavy rain
Check the Weather Forecast – *NOTE this is for the peak above the waterfall to ensure you know what the weather at the end of the waterfall will be.
Directions to Weeping Wall & Blue Circle
Trailhead: Keahua Arboretum / Jurassic Gates
Getting Here:
Lower TH
Upper TH
Parking: There are two main areas to park for this hike, the upper trailhead and the lower trailhead at the Keahua Arboretum. If you are planning on driving to the upper TH, be sure to have AT LEAST an AWD SUV/truck and the ability to drive through water, in mud and over some smaller rocks. If this does not sound okay to you, park at the lower TH. In my opinion, the road to the upper parking area does not REQUIRE a 4×4 but this all depends on road conditions and the driver’s abilities.
Fee: There is no fee for this hike.
Summary
Dogs: Though a dog is okay to bring on this hike from a rules standpoint, I think it would be extremely irresponsible due to the amount of mud, steep trail, water crossings and wet rocks.
Camping: The best spots to camp on the Weeping Wall & Blue Hole hike are along the 4×4 road and at the upper trailhead itself.
Hike Xfactor(s): Route finding will be the biggest challenge for you on this hike. If you are not familiar with hiking without a trail, this may not be the hike for you. There are NUMEROUS water crossings, side trails and detours to the “main” route. I would highly recommend having a GPX file to follow for general things like where to cross the river and which side you should be on. Even if you drive to the upper “4×4” trailhead, give yourself plenty of time to complete this hike because it will be very slow going.
Hike Tip(s): When hiking the Weeping Wall & Blue Hole trail, there are a few very important things to keep in mind.
- Water levels are crucial. If it has rained the day(s) before or rain in the forecast the day of, avoid this hike. Not only will this make water crossings dangerous but extra muddy trails will not be fun.
- Speaking of mud, there is a high probability this entire hike will be slippery and VERY muddy. Bring shoes or footwear that is good in mud and can grip wet rock as best as possible. Take a peek at my gear list below for what I wore.
- TAKE YOUR TIME – This is not a hike to rush, there are SO many spots where you can twist a knee, sprain an ankle or take a small fall that could result in a serious injury. Be patient and treat each step with caution. The biggest challenge, in my opinion, is climbing and descending Guardian Falls (the first waterfall on the hike).
Best Views: Although much of this hike is in deep jungle and does not provide good views until you reach the Weeping Wall & Blue Hole, there are a few spots to point out:
- Jurassic Gates – although a disappointment for me, the view behind is great
- Guardian Falls – I believe an unofficial name for the first waterfall on the trail
- Along the Wailua River there are a number of beautiful cascades
Make it a Loop: This is an out and back hike.
Weeping Wall & Blue Hole Hike Route
Gear Needed
- La Sportiva Men’s Trail Runners
- Backpack (Summer)
- Food & Water
- Optional: Garmin inReach
- Optional: Hiking Poles – 120CM
- Optional: Headlamp
- Optional: Garmin Fenix Watch
- Optional: GoPro, Joby Tripod, Selfie Stick, GoPro 360, Drone
- *Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you.
4 thoughts on “Weeping Wall & Blue Hole Kauai Hike Guide”
Very helpful! Clear and relevant advice. Thank you very much. I’m planning to do this hike in the next few weeks. I also bought the shoes you were using. They looked perfect for this type of adventure.
I would love to try this hike after a few years because I think i am a bit too young for it.
My daughter and I just attempted this hike… we made it to the overlook at the second Falls at nearly 2pm–too late in the day to give the extra hour to make the Wall. It was amazing even though we were bummed to come up short. The locals’ recommendation of tabi shoes (felt-bottomed) were perfect. Will definitely do again next visit. We made it out just before sunset–great decision to turn around; there’s no way you want to be “hiking” this “trail” come nightfall! Thanks for the great write up and video.
how was the road getting up to the last trail head? and was the rope still there at guardian falls?