If you’re in Kapaa town and look West, you’ll notice the ridge line looks like a gigantic figure napping, with its head to the South and feet extending North. This is Sleeping Giant and standing atop its peak offers sweeping views of the entire Wailua Valley from Anahola to Lihue, with the big blue pacific in the background.
The switchback-style trail is steep, moderately strenuous and takes hikers through thickets of guava and ironwood. At the three-way junction near the top, take the path to the left, where after 3 or 4 minutes more should appear a picnic table. Once here, you will be on the giants chest, so drink it all in (the view, and some water) because the hard work is over. It’s not recommended to continue on (to the giants head) as the trail becomes quite dangerous.
Take Haleilio Rd. off of Kuhio Hwy (Hwy 56) for one mile until you see telephone pole 38 and the trailhead sign nearby.