Mount Waiʻaleʻale

Mount Wai’ale’ale is a deeply eroded remnant of Kauai’s central shield volcano in the Hawaiian Islands, with a summit elevation of about 1,569 metres. It is widely known for exceptionally high rainfall and persistent cloud cover.

The mountain’s main attractions are its dramatic, rain-fed landscape and remote boggy plateau-hikers and naturalists visit the Alakai Swamp and nearby ridgelines for unique montane rainforest and native flora. The summit and surrounding areas offer limited vantage points and are often shrouded in clouds, producing waterfalls and steep-walled valleys.

Geologically, the peak is part of Kauai’s central volcanic massif and has been heavily eroded over millions of years, producing steep cliffs and deep valleys. The very high rainfall has shaped the island’s topography and maintained extensive wetland and rainforest habitats on the plateau.

Mount Wai’ale’ale sits near the center of Kauai island in the Hawaiian archipelago, on the island’s high central plateau and roughly 20 km west-northwest of the island’s main town of Lihue. The area is remote and largely within state-protected wildlands.

• Elevation: About 1,569 metres above sea level
• Rainfall: One of the wettest places on Earth, with average annual rainfall often cited around 450 inches (about 11,400 mm)

What to See #

• Alakai Swamp: An elevated bog and wetland system on the central plateau of Kauai that contributes to the mountain's high rainfall and feeds rivers across the island.
• Summit and crater: The summit crater area and immediate ridgelines, often obscured by near-constant cloud and heavy rain and offering limited, often helicopter-dependent, access.