Hawaii’s notorious Kalalau Trail is both breathtaking and perilous. People have perished from rip currents, drowning in rivers, falling off cliffs, and other reasons. Some have even vanished completely.

This walk is highly weather-dependent, and the weather can suddenly shift. I’ve now walked Kalalau three times, and on one of those occasions, I came dangerously close.

What is the number of fatalities on the Kalalau Trail? If drownings at the beaches are excluded, the number of confirmed deaths as of 2026 is 17, or 59 when the beaches are included.

Don’t get me wrong, Kalalau is a fantastic walk, and I’m happy it’s accessible to the public, but not everyone should do it, and you should be informed of the risks before you go.

At the time of writing (2026), this article’s list of fatalities is the most comprehensive of its sort on the internet, however some information may still be lacking. These tales are all terrible. With greater awareness and better preparation, some might have been preventable.

I’m not attempting to dissuade you from trekking if you are capable of doing so. What a unique adventure it is. I simply want to assist you in making wise choices and remind you to prioritise your safety while visiting Kauai.

What is the number of fatalities on the Kalalau Trail?

Although the actual number of deaths on the Kalalau Trail is difficult to determine, these figures appear to be the most reliable:

On the Kalalau Trail, there have been seven fatal falls from steep ledges, and there may be more.
Three drowning deaths have occurred in the Hanakapiai, Hanakoa, and Kalalau streams along the trail.
At the beaches along the path (Hanakapiai, Kalalau, and Honopu Beach), there have been 42 drowning deaths.
Two health-related deaths have occurred, which may have been brought on by heat exhaustion, heart attacks, etc.
Five people have died from unidentified causes. These were instances where someone vanished on the route and was declared dead after going missing for decades, or where a body was discovered but could not be identified.

This indicates that there have been 59 unintentional deaths at Kalalau when the beaches are taken into account, or 17 deaths if the beaches are excluded.

I’ll go over each of these examples in the following part to see what we can learn from them, and hopefully that will make us all a little safer.

List of Kalalau Trail Deaths (2026)

At the time of writing (2026), this list of Kalalau deaths is the most comprehensive of its sort on the internet, however some information may still be missing:

December 2024: At Hanakapiai Beach, 32-year-old Lauren Cameron of Alaska drowned after being carried away by currents. (Source: Fire Department of Kauai)
January 2024: Thirty-year-old Matthew Wu of New York perished after falling thirty feet while trekking on the Kalalau Trail close to Hanakapiai Falls. (Source: Police Department of Kauai)
April 2021: 43-year-old Hawaiian Jeremy Kanoa Hughes drowned at Hanakapiai Beach. Two onlookers attempted to assist him by jumping into the water, but they were unable to do so. Kauai Now is the source.
June 2020: About 200 yards from Ke’e Beach, 41-year-old Andrew Jardine of Hawaii collapsed and died while hiking to Hanakapiai Beach. There were no obvious indications of foul play, yet CPR failed and the cause of death was not disclosed. (Source: Police Department of Kauai)

32-year-old Amber Philips of Hawaii perished in the Kalalau Valley stream in June of 2020. Injuries consistent with a fall were also present in her. Kauai Now is the source.

December 2019: A 27-year-old unidentified Chinese male drowned at Hanakapiai Beach. The Honolulu Star Advertiser is the source.
September 2019: An anonymous 41-year-old guy from Hawaii drowned while attempting to swim from Kalalau Beach to Honopu Beach. Hawaii News Now is the source.
January 2018: Washington resident Timothy Axtelle, 57, drowned at Hanakapiai Beach. (Source: Police Department of Kauai)
2017 January: Three miles from the Ke’e Beach trailhead, at the Space Rock portion of the Kalalau Trail, 39-year-old Ramona van Schendel of the Netherlands fell and died. We saw her abandoned backpack close to the cliff while hiking the Kalalau Trail with a few others, but we didn’t find out what had happened to her until much later. I’m just speculating, but I think she might have been attempting to take a picture or peep over the cliff when she fell. At this part of the trail, avoiding the cliff is usually simple. (Source: Police Department of Kauai)
November 2016: Hawaii resident Janet Ballesteros, 53, drowned at Hanakapiai Beach. Hawaii News Now is the source.
2014 August: Zachary Rose, a 29-year-old Hawaiian, was hiking close to Crawlers Ledge and the red hill at the 7-mile mark when he slipped off the edge and landed on rocks 50 feet below the route. He was unconscious when a hiker in his party attempted to descend the cliff to assist him. Hawaii News Now is the source.
2014 August: While attempting to cross the Hanakoa stream, a 19-year-old unidentified Hawaiian lady was washed away and perished (Source: Hawaii News Now).

2014 April: While hiking far into the Kalalau Valley, Daniel Foster, 31, of Texas, died after falling down a cliff. The Honolulu Star Advertiser is the source.

August 2013: An unidentified 61-year-old German man passed away from exhaustion close to the trail’s 8-mile mark. The Honolulu Star Advertiser is the source.
February 2013: During a flood, 43-year-old Norka Villacorta of New York was carried away and perished while attempting to cross the Hanakapiai creek. (Source: New York Post)
January 2013: On the Kalalau Trail, 42-year-old Ilya Nikolayevich Lomov of California vanished. No one has heard from him since he was last spotted camping in the valley. (Source: SFGate)
June 2012: Rose Schlegel, 30, of Hawaii, tumbled 20 feet down a cliff and landed on rocks while strolling after dark close to her camp site in Kalalau Valley. Kauai Now is the source.
2008 March: While hiking the Kalalau Trail, 22-year-old Utah resident Jesse Glen Pinegar vanished. His campsite and some of his possessions were discovered close to the five-mile mark, but he has never been seen again, and his family thinks he passed away while travelling. (Source: SFGate)
Bradford T. Turek, a 28-year-old Ohioan, vanished on the path in January of 2004. Kalalau Beach is where he was last seen. (Source: SFGate)
1979 March: In the Hanakoa Valley, a hiker on the Kalalau Trail discovered two decayed bodies close to one another. The remains were unidentified and had no known cause of death. The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System still has them on file. (Sources: NamUs, SFGate)
1971: Two distinct remains of individuals who passed away years apart were discovered by a rappelling scientist from a rock in the Kalalau Valley. (Source: SFGate)
Between 1970 and 2012, seven hikers perished at the Kalalau/Honopu beaches, whereas 29 hikers perished at Hanakapiai Beach. The majority of these fatalities occurred during the winter. There used to be a temporary sign at Hanakapiai Beach with tally marks claiming that between 80 and 100 people had perished there, but as anyone may put tally marks to it, it is unverifiable and unsourced. Honolulu Civil Beat is the source.

Additional Kalalau Incidents

Over the years, the Kalalau Trail has seen hundreds of injuries and rescues, along with a few strange tales.

These are only a few of the more prominent instances; it would be difficult to list them all here:

December 2025: After falling ten feet and suffering a six-inch cut on his head, a 65-year-old hiker from Utah was saved close to Hanakapiai Falls. (Source: Fire Department of Kauai)

October 2025: After a spider bite developed into an illness, a 57-year-old man was saved by helicopter. The hiker was unable to walk out alone due to a fever and weakness. (Source: Fire Department of Kauai)

October 2025: A 58-year-old hiker who had suffered a head injury was saved close to the trail’s 1.5-mile point. (Source: Fire Department of Kauai)
September 2025: A 72-year-old Swiss hiker was airlifted from the trail close to Hanakapiai Beach after suffering a head injury. Kauai Magazine is the source.
2025 April: After heavy rain rendered the Hanakapi’ai stream impassable, some fifty hikers were forced to spend the night in place on the far side of the stream. For the weekend, the trail was likewise closed. (Source: Fire Department of Kauai)
2024 August/September: The Kalalau Trail was closed for a week of disinfection after at least fifty hikers were ill with diarrhoea and vomiting due to a norovirus outbreak. (Sources: Department of Health, Ars Technica)
2024 February: Three hikers who had fallen from the Kalalau Trail were rescued with injuries. Hawaii News Now is the source.
November 2023: After falling sixty feet from the Kalalau Trail, a New York hiker was hurt and saved. An eyewitness later shared a description of the occurrence on social media, stating that the woman was “lucky to be alive” (Source: Kauai Now, Facebook).
February 2016: The Hanakapiai creek flooded, leaving twelve hikers trapped and in need of rescue. Witnesses said that when some people attempted to cross the river in chest-deep water by forming a temporary queue, they nearly got carried away. (Reference: DLNR)
August 2014: While swimming at Kalalau Beach, a hiker’s neck was broken by powerful waves, but friends and onlookers were able to rescue him. The Garden Island is the source.
2014 April: After flooding rendered the streams impassable, the Kauai Fire Department had to use a helicopter to rescue 121 hikers, including children, in two days. A book on the hikers’ near-death experience was written by one of them. Until conditions improved, the trail was briefly blocked. (Sources: Kauai Now, Seattle Times)
February 2013: Fifty-five hikers needed to be rescued after being stuck on the far side of the Hanakapiai creek. (Source: New York Post)
December 2012: At the Kalalau Trail, a drifter threw a Japanese tourist off a cliff, seriously injuring her. After a four-month manhunt, the suspect was apprehended and charged with attempted murder; however, the case was eventually dropped and he was given a five-year prison sentence for reckless endangerment. (Sources: Honolulu Star Advertiser, Hawaii News Now, KCBY)
2006: A rock prevented a guy hiking the Kalalau Trail with his daughter from falling from a 300-foot cliff when he slipped and tumbled down a hill. He lived even though the blow to the rock “separated his nostrils from his face.” Backpacker is the source.

What Does This Teach Us?

As you can see, Kalalau is a rather chaotic trail with many potential hazards if you’re not careful.

Swimming in the ocean, particularly at Hanakapiai Beach, is by far the most dangerous activity. It is not advisable to swim there in the winter or when the waves are large.

Even in calm waters, I personally wouldn’t swim at Hanakapiai. Over the years, hazardous currents have killed far too many people there.

I realise that swimming could seem like a pleasant way to cool off halfway through the journey, but the risk at Hanakapiai is simply too great. Waiting and swimming at one of the waterfalls is preferable.

The streams at Kalalau pose the second significant risk. When the major streams are flooded, resist the urge to try to cross them. It’s not secure. Remain calm and wait for things to get better.

At Kalalau, falling rocks are often not a big issue, but be on the lookout for goats strolling over the trail. Goats were kicking fist-sized rocks into the pool from above the Ho’ole’a waterfall as I arrived at the camp on my most recent trip. We made the decision to postpone taking our bath till later.

Finally, though it has likely been exaggerated, there is a chance of sliding and tumbling from a cliff at Kalalau.

Once more, inclement weather is the primary factor. When it’s raining or after dark, you shouldn’t walk close to any steep cliffs. Additionally, you should bring appropriate headlights and sticky shoes.

The so-called “Crawlers Ledge” is one of the most notorious parts of the trail, however I wouldn’t say it’s the most hazardous ledge at Kalalau. The route is wider than a person, and you are walking on solid rock.

Remember that some of the videos you see online are shot with fisheye lenses, which make the path appear narrower than it actually is.

Would you die from a fall? Yes, it most likely would, but if you walk carefully and hug the wall, it’s possible to avoid falling. Even at a leisurely speed, it only takes five or ten minutes to reach the narrowest section.

Let someone else go if they are approaching Crawlers Ledge from the other direction. Don’t try to avoid them or do anything ostentatious. Sometimes the trail is too narrow for two persons to traverse it safely at the same time.

The red dirt areas before and after Crawlers Ledge are significantly worse, in my view. The path is littered with loose soil crumbs between the 7 and 8 mile markers, which can be muddy and slick when wet or slippery when dry.

My cousin and I had a terrifying near-miss at around 7.4 miles when trekking this part in mild rain. I believed he was going to fall off the edge as he began to slide toward the cliff with muck on his shoes.

It felt like slow motion even though everything was happening so quickly. I remember thinking for a moment that I would have to tell my cousin’s parents that he had died while trekking with me because I was certain he was going to fall off the cliff.

Fortunately, he was able to stop his slide by crouching on all fours to gain extra grip. Sitting and scooting along the trail on my butt allowed me to accomplish the same.

Because it’s a dirt walk, circumstances might alter over time. In the 2018 incident, the path was not even level; instead, it was degraded and slanted in the direction of the cliff. It became even more difficult to maintain any momentum as a result.

Looking back, we ought to have waited for the rain to cease for the route to get a little dry. Because this journey is so lengthy and we wanted to reach Kalalau Beach before dark, it’s tempting to get tunnel vision, but it’s always better to arrive safely than not at all.

We went very slowly and cautiously just in case, but when we reached the same area on the way back, it was dry and we had no problems at all.

Is Kalalau Safe or Dangerous?

By most people’s standards, Kalalau is an extreme walk with many hazards.

Based on the data, I believe it’s reasonable to conclude that it’s among the deadliest hikes in the United States. There are hikes that are objectively riskier, but very few people go on them.

But remember that hundreds of thousands of people have walked Kalalau safely throughout the years, despite some of these terrifying tales.

I’ve done it myself three times during the wet season, including a solo walk, and each time I had a great time without suffering any injuries.

There’s a pretty strong chance you’ll be alright at Kalalau if you’re an experienced and fit hiker who respects the weather.

However, this does not imply that it is simple. Almost everyone will find Kalalau to be a difficult hike, therefore you need train and get ready for it.

I wouldn’t recommend this trail to young children, elderly individuals who aren’t in good physical condition, or anyone who isn’t confident and at ease with heights.

Avoid tunnel vision and be mindful of the weather. When the situation becomes too dire, know when to stop. Avoid hiking near cliffs in the rain and avoid attempting to cross flooded streams.

You should have no trouble at Kalalau if you abide by those guidelines.

Don’t Waste State Resources, a Side Note

People taking helicopter evacuations for dubious reasons, such as “general fatigue,” and then refusing medical care have been a problem in the past.

EMS is not a tourist taxi service. Please don’t call Kalalau for assistance until absolutely required.

Individuals who engage in such behaviour waste local tax funds, tie up state resources, and make it more difficult to provide assistance to people who may truly need it.
The Kalalau Trail: Why Do People Hike It?
Probably one of my favourite walks worldwide, Kalalau is unquestionably one of the top hikes in the United States.

Along with several waterfalls, white sand beaches, and more, you get up-close views of Na Pali’s breathtaking coastline.

All of this would be fantastic on its own, but it is made even more memorable by the opportunity to tent and spend the night there. It’s a real adventure.

That being said, you are the only one who can determine whether the risks are worthwhile.

You could hike the first two miles to Hanakapiai Beach and the waterfall if you don’t think you can complete the entire Kalalau Trail. That is much simpler, and obtaining the permit is also simpler.

But only when you reach Kalalau Beach later in the walk will you be able to enjoy the greatest vistas. It gets better the farther you go. You can truly view the Na Pali mountains in all their splendour at the end of the walk.

The Awa’awapuhi Trail is another fantastic trek in Kauai that offers comparable vistas and is safer and easier than Kalalau. It’s short enough to do in a single day, yet it still offers lots of challenges and unique scenery.