Waimea Canyon State Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Waimea Canyon State Park
Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
Location	Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi
Nearest city	Waimea
Operated by	Department of Land and Natural Resources - Division of State Parks
Website	Hawaiʻi State Parks

Waimea Canyon, also known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, is a giant canyon on the island of Kauaʻi in Hawaiʻi. It's about 10 miles (16 km) long and can be as deep as 3,000 feet (900 meters). The name "Waimea" comes from the Hawaiian words for "reddish water." This name describes the red soil of the canyon, which gets its color from erosion.

The canyon was carved out by the Waimea River. This river gets a lot of water from Mount Waiʻaleʻale, one of the wettest places on Earth.

How Waimea Canyon Formed

Waimea Canyon has a special history. It was created by both slow erosion and a huge event. This event was a collapse of the volcano that formed Kauaʻi.

Volcano's Ancient Past

Like all the Hawaiian islands, Kauaʻi is actually the top of a giant volcano. This volcano rises up from the bottom of the ocean. Kauaʻi is the oldest of the main Hawaiian islands. Its lava flows are about 5 million years old.

Around 4 million years ago, Kauaʻi was still erupting lava. During this time, a big part of the island fell inwards. This created a large dip or hole in the land. Over time, this dip filled up with more lava flows.

Erosion and Red Rocks

Since that time, rainwater has been flowing down from Mount Waiʻaleʻale. This water slowly carved out Waimea Canyon. The canyon formed along one edge of that ancient collapsed area.

On the east side of the canyon, the cliffs are made of very thick lava flows. These flows had pooled in the big dip. Over millions of years, the black lava rock has changed color. It has weathered into the bright red color you see today.

Exploring Waimea Canyon State Park

Waimea Canyon State Park covers a large area, about 1,866 acres (7.5 square kilometers). It's a very popular place for tourists to visit on Kauaʻi. The park offers a wild natural area with many trails for hiking.

Getting There and What to See

You can reach the park from the town of Waimea. Just take Hawaiʻi state road 550. This road is 18 miles long and goes all the way up to Kōkeʻe State Park. From the highway, you can often see the island of Niʻihau. It's a small island located a short distance west of Kauaʻi.

A panoramic view of Waimea Canyon

Falls at Waimea Canyon State Park

Images for kids

• 

  Waimea Canyon State Park, Kauai, Hawaii

• 

  Red sand in Waimea Canyon Park Kauai, Hawaii

• 

  Waimea Canyon State Park Lookout, Kauai, Hawaii

• 

  Helicopter tour to the Waipoo Falls, Kauai, Hawaii

• 

  Upper Waipoo Falls, Waimea Canyon Park Kauai, Hawaii

• 

  Canyon Trail to Waipoo Falls, Waimea Canyon Park Kauai, Hawaii