The Kalalau Trail leads 11 miles along the rugged Nā Pali Coast on the north shore of the island of Kauai, Hawaii. The Trail traverses 5 lush valleys, above towering cliffs, before ending at Kalalau Beach where it is blocked by sheer, fluted pali.

Most hikers will take between 2-3 days to finish the trail. While in Kauai on vacation in late-November, our plan was to travel fast and light, running the entire 22 mile (35 km) return trip with 6,500 feet of elevation gain plus descent in roughly 8 hours.