The Sleeping Giant, so named because it resembles a giant lying supine with his head to the left and chest to the right, is a about a 4 mile round trip hike that ends on the giant's forehead. Total elevation gain via the Nounou Mountain Trail from the east is about 1,000 feet. There's a picnic table on the giant's chest at about the 1.8 mile mark if you don't want to scramble up to the chin and forehead. I had reservations about going the last .25 miles to the top because I had read that it was difficult and I had the entire Rico clan with me, but it turned out those concerns were unwarranted and the descriptions I had read were a tad over-blown. There was some scrambling up one steep section that could be slippery in wet conditions, but no one had any real trouble with the push to the top.
The trail is well marked and easy to follow. Unlike SoCal, everything is incredibly green and lush on account of the constant rain. The locals are fond of saying "if you don't like the weather, just wait 10 minutes" because conditions are constantly changing. And in fact, we experienced rain, sun, and everything in between while we were out.
The nice thing about this hike is that it is very easily accessible if you're staying in Kapa'a, Wailua, or Lihue. And it affords some nice views of the east side of the island from various vantage points along the way. Give it a look if you find yourself in Kauai. We found it to be a decent warm up hike and introduction to the island.
Here's some pics:
