There are so many amazing places to run that we want to help spread the word about some of your favorites. Maybe you will be visiting a new area and looking for a great running trail or in search of your next racecation. Whatever the case, we hope to highlight some of the best places to run around the world!
Up next to share her favorite run is Elise (@elisewallace on Instagram). She shares with us her favorite place to run and her favorite places to eat post-run…
Favorite Run: Kalalau Trail, Kauai, HI
Runner: Elise
Location: Kalalau Trail. Kalalau Beach is only accessible by hiking (running) or man-powered boats (kayaks), making it quiet and secluded. You can camp there with a permit.
Address: Trail head is at Ke’e Beach on the Na Pali coast of Kauai, Hawaii.
Fun Fact: The Na Pali coast is portrayed as “Isla Nubar” in the first Jurassic Park movie. You may remember it as the helicopter was flying to the island and you see a lush island in the distance.
Distance: The trail to Kalalau Beach is 11 miles long, so the out-and-back is 22 miles. There are a few shorter hikes along the trail, including a 2-mile hike to a waterfall.
Difficulty: Very. The trail is graded, but is never level as it crosses above towering sea cliffs and through lush valleys. 12,000 of elevation gain. Hard to believe there could be so much climbing in Hawaii, but the trail climbs up to the cliffs, then down to the valleys many, many times.
Why You Love It: The views are amazing! The crystal blue ocean below, waterfalls peeking out everywhere in the lush green valleys, a secluded beach at your destination (actually your halfway point), what more could you want?!
Parking: You can park at the Ke’e Beach parking lot. If you get there early enough, you’ll have your choice of a parking spot.
Favorite Place To Eat Post-Run: Anything! The closest town is Hanalei, which has a few small food stands and shaved ice. We got burgers from Bubba’s Burgers and I inhaled it in less than a minute.
Notes: WATER….you’ll need lots of it. When I ran here with my husband, we carried two bottles each and a water purification bottle so we could collect more water from streams as needed. Next time I would definitely bring hydration packs to be able to carry more, BUT also purification tablets so we could re-fill as needed. This run took us over 8 hours, so water is the most important thing to plan for.
A big thanks to Elise for sharing her favorite run with us. We hope that this series turns into a list of super cool runs across the country and even internationally – that way if you are ever in the area you know of a recommended route from a fellow #teamsparkle member.
If you’d like to be featured on an upcoming Sparkle Athletic “Favorite Runs“ post, please email us at favoriteruns@sparkleathletic.com.