If you’re looking to soak up some seafront scenery while getting a bit of exercise during your Kauai getaway, consider the Ke Ala Hele Makalae Path! Located on the eastern shore of Kauai—the “Royal Coconut Coast”—this paved multiuse path gives walkers, joggers, and cyclists a wonderful opportunity to cover some seaside ground while safely removed from traffic.
Ke Ala Hele Makalae means “the Path That Goes by Coast,” and that’s a straight-to-the-point description. Part of its route shadows a historic railroad used in the local sugarcane industry.
The path’s eight miles come currently split between two segments: a northern one between Ahihi Point and Kapaa, and a southern one between Lydgate Beach Park and Wailua Beach Park. Future expansion will not only link this full length but also extend the trail northward to Anahola and south to Lihue.
Set apart from the Kuhio Highway (Highway 56), the Ke Ala Hele Makalae Path offers a safe, easy option for a stroll, jog, or bike ride along the Royal Coconut oceanfront. It’s popular among residents and tourists alike. You can use it to access inviting beachfronts, lively restaurants, and other amenities. Both strollers and wheelchairs find easy going along the pavement.
Meanwhile, interpretive markers shed light on the area, illuminating historical sites, revealing Native Hawaiian names for streams along the way, and offering other fascinating tidbits.
The Ke Ala Hele Makalae Path provides quite the sunrise vantage, given those long eastward ocean sightlines. In winter and early spring, meanwhile, you’ve got a great chance of seeing the spouts and upraised tail flukes of humpback whales offshore.
With the ongoing expansion, the appeal of the “Path That Goes by Coast” will only increase. If you’re staying at a resort or hotel in the Kapaa area, the current segments open to the public make a fine option for beach-hopping!
Insider Tip:
-Don’t know where to park? Go ahead and park at the Lydgate Beach Park at the southern end for all your endeavors! For the northern end, park at Waipouli Beach Park!
The Ke Ala Hele Makalae Path is understandably popular. Treat other pathgoers respectfully, and remember that cyclists should always yield to walkers and runners!