Ni'ihau Lookout: Views of the Forbidden Island

Located within the West Region on Kauai

The island of Ni'ihau lies 17 mile off the west coast of Kauai. This "forbidden" island is inhabited by approximately 200 full-blooded Hawaiians that keep completely to themselves. Less than a mile up the Waimea Canyon Drive between mile markers 13 and 14 is the large Pu'u Hinahina Lookout. The viewing area perched above the jagged crumbling slopes looks straight down the head of another gorge. Hundreds of colors paint the canyon walls like a masterpiece of the natural world. More than any other, two colors are mixed in different proportions as the day goes on. By the evening, one side glows with crimson highlights, the other basks in shades of dark green.

To the right of the same parking lot at Pu'u Hinahina is the Ni'ihau Lookout. If you are lucky enough to be here on a fairly clear day you should be able to make out the cloud-shrouded island of Ni'ihau. It's flat against the ocean with a large plateau, so it is not always an easy find. Directly to the island's right is the tiny pyramid-shaped island, Lehua. The island is 18 miles long by 5 miles wide - 90 square miles. It is mostly barren with no steams or rivers. The residents work on the cattle and sheep ranch of the Robinsons who own the entire island. To reach Pu'u Hinahina Lookout, take Highway 50 west from Hanapepe to Highway 550 at Mile Marker #23 past Waimea. Turn right on 550 (Waimea Canyon Road). The lookout is near Mile Marker #13. Views of Ni'ihau vary with weather conditions.

Ni'ihau Lookout

From Kauai's west side, you can see an island that almost no one is allowed to visit. Ni'ihau sits 17 miles off the coast, flat against the horizon with a broad plateau. The Ni'ihau Lookout gives you one of the clearest vantage points of the "Forbidden Island."

About Ni'ihau

The Robinson family has owned Ni'ihau since 1864, when Elizabeth Sinclair purchased it from King Kamehameha V for $10,000. The island remains privately held and is largely closed to outsiders. About 70 Native Hawaiians live there, maintaining a traditional Hawaiian-speaking community. There are no paved roads, no stores, and no running water infrastructure. Solar panels provide electricity.

Ni'ihau is 18 miles long and 6 miles wide. The landscape is dry and arid compared to Kauai, with no streams or rivers. Residents work the Robinson family's cattle and sheep ranch. The island is also known for its prized Ni'ihau shell lei, made from tiny shells found only on its beaches.

The Lookout

The best views of Ni'ihau are from the Pu'u Hinahina Lookout area along Waimea Canyon Drive (Highway 550), between mile markers 13 and 14. The Ni'ihau Lookout is to the right of the same parking lot. On clear days, you can make out the island's silhouette and the small pyramid-shaped island of Lehua just to its right.

Clear mornings give you the best shot. Afternoon haze and clouds often obscure the view. Even on good days, Ni'ihau can be hard to spot since it sits low on the water.

Getting There

Take Highway 50 west from Hanapepe to Highway 550 at mile marker 23 past Waimea. Turn right onto Waimea Canyon Road. The lookout is near mile marker 13. You'll pass it on the way up to Waimea Canyon and Pu'u O Kila Lookout.

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John C. Derrick

Published by: John C. Derrick

Founder & certified Hawai'i travel expert with 20+ years in Hawai'i tourism, University of South Carolina climate-research training, and NOAA weather-station experience.

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Geolocation Data

Geographic Coordinates

Latitude: 22.10874763
Longitude: -159.6693946

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