Puu o Kila Lookout

Like Kee Beach and Hanea State Park on Kauai's north shore next to the Na Pali Coast, the Puu o Kila Lookout is located at what the locals simply call the end of the road. The road in question is the Kokee State Park Road, and the end is about a mile from the Kalalau Valley Lookout. The Puu o Kila Lookout in Waimea Canyon overlooks not only the Waimea Valley but also the Kalalau Valley and across the Alakai Swamp to Mount Waialeale. Standing at the lookout, you are at an altitude of more than 4,000 feet and looking at the rainiest place on earth, which receives close to 40 feet of precipitation annually.

Of all the views and natural attractions on Kauai, the Puu o Kila Lookout in Waimea Canyon may be the most breathtaking. This view down into the Waimea Valley is also the lookout closest to the Pacific Ocean. At this point, the valley is at its widest and most gentle as it makes its way down to the Na Pali Coast and the most secluded of the many Kauai beaches. Do note that some portions of the Puu o Kila Lookout can be closed at any time because the erosion that formed Waimea Canyon is a factor today.