Waimea Canyon State Park United States

Legendary

A 10-mile, 3,600 foot deep canyon often called the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific."

Photo by Mark Shepherd

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After a heavy rain, the river at the bottom of this canyon runs red. The water picks up rust-colored soil from the canyon walls and carries it all the way to the sea.

That's how the place got its name. In Hawaiian, Waimea means "reddish water."

Waimea Canyon is on the western side of Kauaʻi, one of the Hawaiian Islands. It stretches about 10 to 14 miles long and about a mile wide, and it plunges up to 3,600 feet deep.

The writer Mark Twain reportedly called it "the Grand Canyon of the Pacific." It's much smaller than the Grand Canyon in Arizona, but the colors are just as wild.

The rock walls are striped with red, orange, yellow, and brown, mixed with patches of bright green plants. Waterfalls spill down the cliffs after the rain.

The canyon was made by water. It starts at Mount Waiʻaleʻale, in the middle of the island, which is one of the wettest places on Earth.

All that rain pours down the mountain into the Waimea River. Over millions of years, the river carved down through layers of old volcanic rock, cutting the canyon deeper and deeper.

At the bottom of the canyon, where the river meets the ocean, sits the small town of Waimea. It has an important place in Hawaii's history.

In 1778, the British explorer Captain James Cook sailed into Waimea Bay. It was the first place he landed in Hawaii, and his arrival brought the first big wave of Western influence to Kauaʻi.

Today the canyon is protected by Waimea Canyon State Park, which covers 1,866 acres. Just above it is Kōkeʻe State Park, with cooler forests and even more trails.

A road climbs all the way up the canyon's edge, so you can see the views without a long hike. Wild goats can often be spotted on the cliffs below.

Stop at the Waimea Canyon Lookout near mile marker 10 for the classic wide view across the gorge. Look for Waipoʻo Falls, an 800-foot waterfall that drops in two tiers down the far canyon wall. If your family likes to hike, take the Canyon Trail to the top of the falls, and come in the morning before clouds roll in.

Sources: Hawaii.com, Wikipedia, and Hawaii Activities.