Customer Reviews

Kauai, HI Northwestern

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This is a very nice topo map based on USGS topo maps. It covers northwestern Kauai - Princeville and everything to the west. It goes south far enough to show all of Waimea Canyon State Park. Unfolded it is 39x27 inches (99x68cm) and is made from a water-proof, tear-resistant material. I purchased the 5th edition with a copyright of 2009.

Printed in full color, the front-side shows topo contours, streams, coral reefs, woodland, paved and unpaved roads as well as state park and wilderness boundaries. In addition it locates trails, campgrounds, picnic areas, viewpoints, lodging, and meals/groceries. The map shows latitude and longitude but not the more useful UTM coordinates. The scale is listed as 1:31,400. There is also a legend showing 1.8 inches = 1 mile. One of those is incorrect because with a scale of 1:31,400, 1 mile would be 2.0 inches.

The reverse side is black-and-white with red highlights. About half of the back is text with descriptions of trails (primarily Kalalau Trail), camping, etc. There is a more detailed topo map of Kalalau Trail (1 mile = 2.6 inches) and two computer-generated views of the Na Pali coast that give a more 3-D depiction of topography and elevation.

Another topo map sometimes recommended as a cheaper alternative to this Earthwalk Press map is the Kauai Recreational Trail map produced by Hawaii Division of Forestry and Wildlife. That map shows the entire island and is printed on heavy paper (not water-proof or tear-resistant). One side of the 24x38 inch (98x61cm) map shows Eastern Kauai and the opposite side shows Western Kauai. This map is also based on USGS topos and shows both latitude/longitude as well as UTM coordinates. The scale is 1:50,000 which means 1 mile = 1.27 inches. Purchased in January 2012, my copy does list when the map was last updated but it is clear that more recent roads are not on the map. The Earthwalk Press map appears more up-to-date.

If you are interested in only the northeastern part of Kauai, the Earthwalk Press map is superior. If you need the whole island get the Division of Forestry and Wildlife map.

This map is really big, and coated with a polymer so that it can easily handle all kinds of abuse. I didn't try it, but it seemed like you couldn't rip it if you tried.