Of the seven Hawaii state parks on Kauai, two have cabins: Polihale State Park’s cottages are restricted to the military, but Kokee State Park offers cabins and cottages to the general public. Kokee, in the Garden Isle’s cool uplands, is not the typical Hawaiian destination. One hour from the resorts of sun-baked Poipu, Kokee has miles of hiking trails that meander through misty, birdsong-filled forests of cedar, redwoods, eucalyptus and koa, along brooks and across meadows where berries and wild plums grow. And then there is Waimea Canyon, the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific.”
Kokee -- Lay of the Land
- Kokee State Park sits at 3,600 feet elevation, and you can rent cabins and cottages year-round. Among the many trails, the 2-mile Canyon Trail in the park travels along the rim of the Southwestern-like Waimea Canyon State Park with its hues of desert purples and oranges. You can also hike to the bottom of canyon where a waterfall tumbles. Drive to Kokee's Kalalau Lookout in the morning for the best views of the Kalalau Valley and its steepled green cliffs in Na Pali Wilderness State Park. Watch as the mist rolls in and out, hiding and revealing the folded cliffs with their waterfalls and the valley’s flowering jungle. Near the cabins and cottages, Kokee Natural History Museum provides information about the park's nature and culture, and also hosts guided hikes and events.
Lodge at Kokee
- The Lodge at Kokee, circa 1926 and privately owned and operated, attracts hikers and hunters. The rustic cabins provide cozy warmth and full kitchens with utensils. Some of the cabins have wood heat and others electric. While the older cabins are a bit run down, the newer ones are attractive, with wood floors and cedar walls. You can rent a studio cabin or one with bedrooms. Dine on breakfast or lunch at the lodge’s restaurant, and order a cocktail in the lounge after a hike. Dorm beds are also available, and a tent campground is bordered by redwoods. According to the owner, groups often book here, so make reservations as far in advance as possible.
Camp Sloggett
- Also in Kokee State Park, Camp Sloggett, with its big campfire ring and camp activities, caters to families. The main lodge, on the National Historic Register, was built in 1925 as the vacation retreat for the Sloggett family. The YWCA now owns and operates the camp, surrounded by eucalyptus and cedar. The camp rents private cottages, beds in the Weinberg Bunkhouse and the lodge itself, which sleeps 15. It also has a tent campground.
Barking Sands Military Cottages
- The cottages at Polihale State Park’s Barking Sands Beach are owned and operated by the Navy’s Pacific Missle Range Facility, and therefore are exclusively available to military members and their guests. Polihale's wild coast is a long stretch of white sand that provides magnificent views and sometimes calm waters but no lifeguards. While the tent campground is open to the public, a four-wheel drive is strongly suggested for maneuvering the 5-mile dirt road laden with potholes that leads to the site.
Considerations
- Plan to dress in layers. Evenings in Kokee State Park average in the 40s and 50s, and daytime temperatures average in the 60s and 70s. For Waimea Canyon hikes, you'll want to shed more layers, because the sunny and arid canyon averages in the 70s and 80s. One other suggestion -- bring earplugs if you're not an early bird, because the roosters are.
