Waimea Canyon & Fern Grotto

[Queensland Girl]

Does anyone know whether you can do the Fern Grotto yet. I do not like small planes or helicopters, so we intended to do WaimeaCanyon, Wailua River & Grotto on the 1st day in Kauai. We also do not want to drive ourselves, so are looking at tours. Any suggestions. !!!!!!!!!

[Suebee]

As of a couple of months ago when we were there, no.

 

However, you would be better off spending more time looking around the canyon, maybe stopping for a shave ice in Waimea and then driving up to see some water falls by the Wailua river rather than the river and grotto themselves even if they were open. They are not the most exciting thing to see. The waterfall is just beautiful though (which you wouldnt see on the river tour) and much more worth a visit than the grotto....and its free.

[kakalina]

We fondly remember the fern grotto as one of the highlights of our first visit there. Has something happened that it was closed? We return in Nov and I really would like to know.

[Suebee]

Here in Hawaii we had an unusual rainy season this year. Kauai was hit hardest. We had over 40 days of straight rain and on kauai, a dam burst, killing 7 and washing out some roads. Fern Grotto was hit with falling rocks....and since the area is still unstable, the park was closed until the rocks over the grotto could be stablized. There is no timeline for the completion of the project.

[Giantfan13]

Exactly. We were there a few weeks ago, and wanted to do one of the excursions up the river and was told that the Fern Grotto is still closed and NOTHING goes up there. Most tours, kyacking et al, just do the river to the waterfall and back. Several people told us it wasn't worth the money.

 

Also, something we did NOT know, there is no kyacking tours on sunday on the river. I know the POH is in that port on Sundays, but because of local laws (if I got the understanding correctly) you cannot go on a kyacking tour on Sundays. Locals, do I have that right????

[spleen93]

You know, that somehow rings a bell somewhere but have to admit, it makes no sense to me. May be some sort of esoteric rule involving the Wailua River?

 

Spleen