Getting There The Waimea Canyon State Park is accessed from Hawaii State Road 550, with Waimea Canyon Drive the main road leading into the park. In the time since, rainwater from the slopes of Mount Waiʻaleʻale have eroded Waimea Canyon along one edge of the collapse. Viewpoint of Ni‘ihau Island; wildland picnicking and short nature trail. Red Dirt Waterfall – To the right, Waimea Canyon opens up below. The story begins about 2 billion years ago when igneous and metamorphic rocks were formed. It’s the centerpiece of Waimea Canyon State Park, an 1,866 acre state park with numerous hiking trails, picnic spots, scenic vistas, and other recreational and educational opportunities. The canyon’s deep walls, ridges and gorges were created by erosion, both from the Waimea River and rainfall from the slopes of Mt. The Waimea Canyon road is comparatively easier to drive and is more scenic. The canyon was formed by a deep incision of the Waimea River arising from the extreme rainfall on the island's central peak, Mount Waiʻaleʻale, among the wettest places on earth. Experience the majesty of ‘The Grand Canyon of the Pacific’ on this full-day tour of the Waimea Canyon and highlights of Kauai’s southern shore. Waimea Canyon Lookout Points Lookout Platform at Waimea Canyon. Take in the view at the Opaekaa Falls Lookout and venture into the Fern Grotto, a lush tropical rainforest once reserved for Hawaiian alii (royalty). Waimea River, the longest river in the Hawaiian Islands, is the only navigable river in all of Hawaiian archipelago framed by lush vegetation and mangrove at its banks. This central peak in Kauai is known as one of the wettest spots on earth, receiving an average of 452 inches of rain per year since 1912. Then, layer upon layer of sedimentary rocks were laid on top of these basement rocks. Roughly 3,600 feet (1,097 meters) deep and 10 miles (16 kilometers) long, it is one of the most scenic regions of the Hawai‘ian islands. The Fish River Canyon offers many breathtaking sites as the Fish River goes on to cut through the vast rocky landscape of this great canyon. Hohonu Awawa Lookout – The first large established platform overlooking Waimea Canyon State Park. In the time since, rainwater from the slopes of Mount Waiʻaleʻale have eroded Waimea Canyon along one edge of the collapse. It’s on the west side of Kauai, but is easily accessible from resorts along the eastern shore. See more ideas about waimea canyon, waimea, kauai. The central volcano that lay on the canyon collapsed 10 million years ago, playing a vital role in forming the canyon. The cataclysmic collapse of the central volcano that formed Kauai, some 10 million years ago, also played a role in forming the canyon. The eight islands formed from the countless eruptions of five volcanoes. Rising an impressive 3,600 feet (1,100 meters) above sea level, Kauai’s Waimea Canyon is a natural geologic wonder formed by the passage of water through lava rock over thousands of years. The result is a 10 mile long canyon that is well over a half mile deep (3600 feet). Jun 1, 2019 - Explore David Smitherman's board "Waimea Canyon" on Pinterest. Something about this incredible and vast canyon that was formed in the middle of the Pacific is so mind-blowing. Erosion and rainfall are among the factors that continue to chisel away at this mountainous beauty. Roughly 3,600 feet (1,097 meters) deep and 10 miles (16 kilometers) long, it is one of the most scenic regions of the Hawai‘ian islands. Waimea Canyon is a spectacular canyon, 16 km long and up to 900 m deep, located on the western side of Kauai along the Hwy 550. It drops over a height of 800ft in a pair of visible tiers fed by the Koke'e Stream. “Kamuela” is the Hawaiian equivalent of “Samuel”. It's located in Hawaii, United States.The above coordinates take you to a Wheelchair accessible, very popular, Public Lookout Platform, just past mile 10 on Highway 550 north of Waimea, Kauai. from $95.00* Popular: Booked by 3,370 travelers! Halfway along the trail is a view of Waipoo Falls. The canyon was formed by a deep incision of the Waimea River arising from the extreme rainfall on the island's central peak, Mount Waiʻaleʻale, among the wettest places on … Categories: Waimea Canyon on Kauai is a geographic marvel. If you’re a first timer, we suggest that you take Highway 550 on your way to the canyon and head back via Highway 552 for a different view. The canyon is carved into the tholeiitic and post-shield calc-alkaline lavas of the canyon basalt. This collapse formed a depression which then filled with lava flows. The island of Niʻihau, only a short distance west of Kauaʻi at that point, can be clearly seen from the highway. google_ad_client = "pub-1182166660032404"; The central volcano that lay on the canyon collapsed 10 million years ago, playing a vital role in forming the canyon. Dubbed "The Grand Canyon of the Pacific" by Mark Twain, Waimea Canyon is the largest canyon in the Pacific and truly a dramatic sight to behold at ten miles long, one mile wide, and more than 3,500 ft. deep. Formed by a series of prehistoric lava flows from volcanoes, earthquakes and forces of wind and water, including the narrow Waimea River that snakes through the bottom of the canyon. We got up early to hike the Waimea Canyon, which is known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. Rim overlooks of one of the State’s scenic treasures – the deep, colorful gorge of Waimea Canyon. Frequently bought together. Waimea Canyon State Park is the most visited natural site on the island … Waimea Canyon Road merges with the Kokee Road at mile marker 6. Waipoo Falls (or Waipo'o Falls) is one of the waterfalls within the Waimea Canyon. Also to know, how do I get to Waimea Canyon? With Kauai's volcano now dormant, the island will slowly wash away to nothingness just as many of Hawaii's islands already have. Description: The Grand Canyon is a mile-deep and was carved by the Colorado River over millions of years.This phenomenon shows how consistent weathering and erosion over a long period of time can radically shape the earth. Waimea Canyon, also known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, is a large canyon, approximately ten miles (16 km) long and up to 3,000 feet (900 m) deep, located on the western side of Kauaʻi in the Hawaiian Islands. It was formed by erosion from the Waimea River and it boasts a scenic trail with breathtaking views. Waimea Canyon, also known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, is a large canyon, approximately ten miles (16 km) long and up to 3,000 feet (900 m) deep, located on the western side of Kauaʻi in the Hawaiian Islands of the United States. Today, I will travel down it by bike.Well, not actually down Waimea Canyon, but along it. The canyon has a unique geologic history—it was formed not only by the steady process of erosion, but also by a catastrophic collapse of the volcano that created Kaua‘i. Photographer: Marissa Jones Summary Author: Marissa Jones; Jim FosterOn the southwest side of Hawaii's island of Kauai, Waimea Canyon's deep gorge contrasts sharply with the lush green north shore coast and the adjoining rainforest of Koke'e State Park. Roughly 4 million years ago, while Kauaʻi was still erupting almost continuously, a portion of the island collapsed. The last outlook at the end of the road, Pu’u O Kila Lookout, is looking to the north and the Na Pali coast. 248 reviews. Red sand in Waimea Canyon Park Kauai, Hawaii, Waimea Canyon State Park Lookout, Kauai, Hawaii, Helicopter tour to the Waipoo Falls, Kauai, Hawaii, Upper Waipoo Falls, Waimea Canyon Park Kauai, Hawaii, Canyon Trail to Waipoo Falls, Waimea Canyon Park Kauai, Hawaii, Coordinates: 22°03′22″N 159°39′55″W / 22.05611°N 159.66528°W / 22.05611; -159.66528, Protected area of Kauai County, Hawaii, United States, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Department of Land and Natural Resources - Division of State Parks, Yale University: Geology of the Waimea Canyon, Hawaii State Parks: Waimea Canyon State Park, Russian Fort Elizabeth State Historical Park, Hawai'i Department of Land and Natural Resources, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Waimea_Canyon_State_Park&oldid=1002389542, Articles needing additional references from September 2011, All articles needing additional references, Wikipedia articles with WorldCat-VIAF identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 24 January 2021, at 05:22. Waimea is Hawaiian for "reddish water", a reference to the erosion of the canyon's red soil. At its widest, the canyon stretches 18 miles across as the crow flies. The scenic canyon was formed by the collapse of a volcano around four million years ago, gaining its reddish blotches from erosion of the exposed basalt. Peer into the cavernous red expanse from the best vantage points, and learn how the canyon was formed by thousands of years of erosion. The five volcanoes in Hawaii are Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa, Hualalai, Kilauea, and Kohala. Kauai's version is bursting with ever-changing color, just like its namesake, but it's smaller -- only a mile wide, 3,567 feet deep, and 12 miles long. google_ad_slot = "7812802037"; The cataclysmic collapse of the central volcano that formed Kauai , some 10 million years ago, also played a role in forming the canyon. On the east side of the canyon, the cliff walls are built from thick lava flows that pooled in the depression. 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