On a December morning at the rim of Waimea Canyon, the red walls turn the color of embers while mist slides through the side valleys and the first light reaches the bottom. A scent of wet soil and eucalyptus hangs in the air, and travelers who departed a beach sixty minutes before are caught off guard by the chill. This is the canyon in its wet, green season, with waterfalls running, cool air at the lookouts and Kokee’s forest trails at their most lush.
What is the weather like in Waimea Canyon in December?
Up on the rim, December feels cool, damp and unsettled, more like fall in the mountains than the beach conditions waiting below. Expect sun, cloud and showers to trade places several times in a single day.
| Month | Average high (°F) | Average low (°F) | Rain days |
|---|---|---|---|
| November | 68.6 | 52.6 | 8.5 |
| December | 66.1 | 50.7 | 9.4 |
| January | 64.7 | 47.5 | 9.7 |
The lookouts sit at about 3,600 feet, so the temperature feels very different from Waimea town or the beaches of the south shore. Mornings are the coolest and often the clearest, with the canyon floor sharp in the light before clouds build around midday. Nights drop low enough that frost on the grass is rare but not unheard of, and a warm layer matters after dark.
Rain arrives as passing showers, sometimes as a gray, drizzly afternoon that swallows the view in cloud. This is the wetter half of the Hawaiian year, and the upland trails turn muddy, with red clay that sticks to everything.
Heavy downpours are possible on a few days, and then the canyon’s waterfalls are at their fullest. If the lookouts are fogged in, give it an hour, because the cloud often lifts as quickly as it came.
Mid-month brings just shy of eleven hours of daylight, so short days mean you should time your rim visit for the morning and the late-afternoon light. A rain shell, long pants and closed shoes with grip are the right uniform. The coast below is far warmer and drier, which makes a good fallback when the rim is socked in.
What to do in Waimea Canyon in December
December is a month for the canyon at its greenest. Water pours off the walls after the winter rains, the air is cool enough for long walks, and the crowds of summer have not yet returned. The holiday season on Kauai is low-key, with lights in Waimea and Kekaha, church services, and family gatherings, and the west side keeps its quiet, small-town rhythm.
Winter is also humpback whale season in Hawaiian waters, and from the coast below the canyon you may spot spouts and breaches offshore. That is a chance, not a promise, but a pair of binoculars on the way down is a good idea. Big surf tends to hit north and west shores in winter, so the beaches along this coast are for looking at more than swimming unless the lifeguard and signs say otherwise.
The canyon lookouts
From Waimea town the road rises in a series of switchbacks, and every pullout offers a fresh view of the gorge, which many people call the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. Layers of red, ochre and green drop away to a river far below, and in December ribbons of white water streak the far wall. The lookouts near the top usually give the widest sweep.
Arrive at first light, while the cloud has yet to fill the gorge and the sun angles across the walls. Wispy cloud drifting through is part of the show, and it often clears in minutes. Bring a jacket even if the coast was hot, because the wind at the rail is cold.
Kokee State Park and its trails
Past the canyon, the road ends in the cool forest of Kokee, where trails wander through ferns, koa and ohia and reach more lookouts over the Kalalau Valley and the Na Pali cliffs. In December the forest is dripping and bright green, and the red mud is part of the experience. Birdsong is constant, and you may see some of the island’s forest birds.
Families and anyone who wants to avoid slick inclines will find easier strolls by the museum and lodge, but hikers in good shape who take the longer rim trails earn vistas that most tourists miss. Slick conditions follow rain, so choose footwear that grips and retreat whenever a stream appears to be rising. Stay on marked paths and keep off the fragile vegetation.
Check it before you drive up.
Waimea town and the west side
Down at the coast, Waimea and Kekaha are plain, friendly towns of plate-lunch counters, shave ice stands and old plantation storefronts. Lunch here is simple and good: kalua pork, laulau, a plate of rice and macaroni salad, or fresh fish. A scoop of shave ice is the classic reward after a cold morning on the rim, even in winter.
The long beaches of the west side are dry and sunny compared with the mountains, which makes them the natural second half of the day. In winter the surf can run high, so watch from the sand, read the signs and let the lifeguards decide. Sunsets over the water, with the island of Niihau on the horizon, are a favorite way to end the day.
In the evening, Kauai’s west side goes quiet early. Dinner is mostly low-key, from food trucks to small local restaurants, and the main entertainment is the sky, which on a clear night is full of stars.
A two-day itinerary for Waimea Canyon in December
Day 1 is for the rim. Leave the coast early with a jacket, a thermos and a rain shell, and drive up through the switchbacks while the canyon is clearest. Stop at the first lookouts on the way up, then continue to the end of the road at Kokee for the Kalalau views before the cloud thickens. Dress in layers, because the forest is far colder than the beach.
Walk a short forest trail around midday, then eat something warm at a lodge or café near the park, since the forest is cool and damp. On the way back down, linger at the lookouts you rushed past in the morning, when the afternoon light brings out the reds. In December, darkness falls soon, so wrap up your drive before nightfall and grab dinner at a plate-lunch spot or a small restaurant in Waimea or Kekaha.
Day 2 stays low and warm, on the dry coast. Start slowly with coffee and a pastry in town, then take a long beach walk on the west side and scan the sea for whales. Surf may be big, so stay on the sand, and let the signs and lifeguards guide you.
Spend the middle of the day in the small towns, browsing local shops, galleries and fruit stands, and eating a long lunch of fresh fish or kalua pork. If the weather turns, drive between the town museums and shops, or settle into a café with a view of the rain over the water. Late in the afternoon, find a beach with a wide western horizon and watch the sun go down, with the sky often turning orange over the water.
Is Waimea Canyon busy in December?
Moderately, with a clear split between the holiday weeks and the rest of the month. The first half of December is quiet, with parking easy at the lookouts and tables available in town, while the days around Christmas and New Year bring families and mainland visitors who fill rooms across the island.
The canyon draws day-trippers from every part of Kauai, so the lookouts are busiest in mid-morning, when tour vans arrive. Early and late are calmer, and cloudy, drizzly days thin the crowd further. The west side itself has few places to stay, so many visitors sleep on the south or east shores and drive in.
For the holiday weeks, reserve rooms and rental cars well ahead, since a car is the only way to get to the canyon, and hold off on booking during the first half of the month. Restaurants in the small west-side towns are casual and fill up mostly at dinner, so arrive early. Check the state parks notices page before the drive, because reservations and closures after the storm can change what is open at Kokee.
What to pack for Waimea Canyon in December
The canyon and the coast feel like two different climates, so pack for both and build in layers you can add or shed during the drive.
- A warm fleece or sweater, because the rim is cold in the morning and after dark.
- A waterproof shell, since showers pass through all day.
- Hiking shoes with grip, for red mud on the forest trails.
- Long pants for the uplands, and shorts for the beach.
- Binoculars, for whale spouts offshore and birds in the forest.
- Mineral sunscreen and a hat, for the sunny coast below.
Good to know before you go
The Central Pacific hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, so December falls outside the official season, though winter brings its own heavy rain and surf. The road to the canyon is a single route, so fill the tank before leaving the coast and keep an eye on the weather. After Hurricane Lowell in September 2026, check the state parks notices page for what is open at Kokee before you go.
| Fee | Amount | Who pays |
|---|---|---|
| State Transient Accommodations Tax | 11.00% | Guests of hotels and short-term rentals |
| Kauai County Transient Accommodations Tax | 3% | Guests of hotels and short-term rentals |
| General Excise Tax pass-on, Kauai County (maximum) | 4.7120% | Customers of local businesses |
Waimea Canyon in December vs November and January
Moving the trip to November makes the rim a little warmer and noticeably drier, with fewer showery days and easier planning. The holiday crowds have not arrived, so rooms and tables are easier, though the winter surf and the whales are only beginning. It is a calm month for first-time visitors who want clearer views.
January is the coolest and a bit wetter on the rim, with the lowest nighttime temperatures of the three months. The holiday crowds thin after the first week, the whales are well established offshore, and the waterfalls stay full. Hikers should expect the muddiest trails of the winter.
Travelers who want the driest and warmest rim should choose November, while those who love the green, full-waterfall canyon and festive small-town mood will like December. Anyone set on the quiet weeks should aim for early December or mid-January and avoid the days around Christmas and New Year.
Is December a good time to visit Waimea Canyon?
Yes, for travelers who like green, cool, atmospheric scenery and do not mind a shower or two. December rewards flexible visitors who can wait out the cloud, wear layers and enjoy the coast as a warm contrast.
It suits hikers, photographers, families with older children and anyone chasing whales from the shore. It is a weaker choice for people who want guaranteed clear views, dry trails or warm evenings, and those travelers will be happier in the drier months of summer.
Once you get there, look at the state parks notices page, then head up early before the air clouds over. What makes December special here is the sight of the canyon after rain, with waterfalls threading down red walls, cloud drifting through the gorge and the forest at Kokee dripping and green.
Sources
- NOAA NCEI, monthly normals 1991-2020, station USC00513099, checked September 8, 2026
- sunrise-sunset.org, sunrise and sunset calculated for the 15th of the month, checked September 8, 2026
- Hawaii Department of Taxation, Tax Announcement No. 2025-03 (Transient Accommodations Tax Law Changes from 2025 Legislative Session), files.hawaii.gov/tax/news/announce/ann25-03.pdf, checked September 24, 2026
- County of Kauai, Department of Finance, Transient Accommodations Tax page, kauai.gov/Government/Departments-Agencies/Finance/Transient-Accommodations-Tax, checked September 25, 2026
- Hawaii Department of Taxation, County Surcharge on General Excise and Use Tax page, tax.hawaii.gov/geninfo/countysurcharge/, checked September 25, 2026
- NOAA NCEI, monthly normals 1991-2020, station USW00022536
- County of Kauai, press release « Hurricane Lowell Update », September 8, 2026, kauai.gov ; DLNR news release of September 16, 2026
- Hawaii DLNR Division of State Parks, dlnr.hawaii.gov/dsp (home page, avis of October 5, 2026)
- NWS Honolulu / Central Pacific Hurricane Center, « 2026 Central Pacific Hurricane Season Outlook », weather.gov/hfo/hurricaneOutlook2026, checked September 24, 2026
To plan your stay
- Best Time to Visit Waimea Canyon: Clear Mornings, Rainy Winters and Festival Months
- Waimea Canyon in January: Weather, Lookouts, Kokee Trails and Two Days Above the Canyon
- Waimea Canyon in November: Weather, Lookouts, Kokee Trails and a Two-Day Plan
- Waimea Canyon in February: Weather, Lookouts, Kokee Trails and a Two-Day Plan