2 Hawaii hikers fatally fall 300 feet

Two women fell about 300 feet to their deaths while taking an off-the-beaten-path hike to the base of a waterfall, officials said.

Authorities are investigating exactly how the women fell Tuesday but don't suspect foul play.

There is no state trail from the lookout at Opaekaa Falls on Kauai island to either the top or the bottom of the waterfall. Officials posted warnings after previous accidents, but many visitors attempt the trek anyway, some relying on guidebooks with sections on secret hikes.

It was unclear where the women fell from, but a small clearing at the top of the falls allows hikers to look down to a pool nearly 300 feet below. The two women hit about 35 feet from the pool.

"It's dangerous down there," Kauai police officer Kekoa Ledesma said. "A lot of people come from the cities and aren't used to this outdoor lifestyle. Even experienced hikers, they don't understand the dangers" of hiking in Hawaii.

The women were identified Wednesday as cousins Elizabeth Ann Brem, 35, of Encinitas, Calif., and Paula Gonzalez Ramirez, 29, of Colombia.