Hidden Waterfalls in Hawaii You Have to See to Believe

Waimoku Falls on Maui’s Pipiwai Trail is the best of the lesser-crowded waterfalls in Hawaii: a 400-foot drop at the end of a bamboo-forest hike. Most other falls here are short, legal stops on Hawaii Island, Oahu and Kauai. Several Kauai trails are closed after Hurricane Lowell, and this list says which.

Updated November 9, 2026.

Here, “hidden” means less crowded or easy to miss. Nothing on this list needs a trespass, a locked gate or a guess. Storm notices change fast, so call before you drive.

Hawaii Hidden Waterfalls

Falls	Island	How you get there	Fee or permit	Best for
Waimoku Falls	Maui	2-mile hike, Pipiwai Trail	$30 per vehicle, 3 days	A full-day hike
Makahiku Falls overlook	Maui	0.5-mile walk, same trail	Same park fee	An easy first look
Akaka Falls	Hawaii Island	0.4-mile paved loop	$5 per person plus $10 per vehicle	Short stops, kids
Rainbow Falls	Hawaii Island	Roadside viewpoint in Hilo	Same fee as Boiling Pots	A quick photo
Peepee Falls and Boiling Pots	Hawaii Island	Viewpoint, Hilo	$5 per person plus $10 per vehicle	Rainy-day views
Waimea Falls	Oahu	Garden walk in Waimea Valley	$26 adult	Families, easy walkers
Wailua Falls, Opaekaa Falls	Kauai	Roadside lookouts	Call to confirm	No-hike views
Hanakapiai Falls	Kauai	Closed today; reservations needed	Haena reservation	Wait for the reopening

The top pick is Waimoku Falls. The one to skip on a short trip is Rainbow Falls in Hilo at mid-morning, when tour vans arrive together. The falls are fine, but the stop is five minutes long. Sacred Falls on Oahu is closed, so skip it every time.

Hidden Waterfalls – Hilo

The falls are on the wet Hilo side, so plan your morning there. If you are still deciding between the Kona and Hilo sides, this is the reason to pick Hilo for a day. Hawaii’s Division of State Parks, part of DLNR, runs all three stops below, and it takes credit cards only.

Akaka Falls State Park

Akaka is the easiest big waterfall on the island, and a good first stop. The 0.4-mile paved loop runs through fern and ginger, drops you to the viewpoint and climbs back up by steps. Nonresidents pay $5 per person and $10 per vehicle, and the park is open 8:30 am to 5 pm. Pay before you arrive, because cell service is thin.

Part of the loop has been closed for fallen trees, so expect a shorter walk than usual.

Best for: first-timers, kids and short legs. Skip it if you want a real hike.

Peepee Falls And Boiling Pots

This one is at its best on a gray day. The Wailuku River drops over a lip, then churns through a stack of lava pools below, and the noise fills the whole gorge. The viewpoint sits at the end of Peepee Falls Drive, off Waianuenue Avenue in Hilo. Hours are 7 am to 5:30 pm, and the gates lock at 6 pm. One fee covers this stop and Rainbow Falls.

Treat it as a viewing stop. The river runs hard after rain.

Best for: a wet-weather backup. Skip it if the sky is clear and you want swimming.

Rainbow Falls

Rainbow Falls sits on Rainbow Drive, minutes from downtown Hilo. Early light sometimes throws a rainbow into the mist. After about nine, tour groups fill the lot.

Best for: a quick stop before breakfast. Skip it if you are only in Hilo a few hours.

You may see Waipio Valley on lists like this. Hawaii County keeps the road closed to walkers, so do not plan a hike down. View it from the lookout instead.

Hidden Waterfalls – Maui: Waimoku Falls

Waimoku Falls is in the Kipahulu District of Haleakala National Park, 12 miles past Hana. The National Park Service says there is no gas or food in the park, and help can be an hour away. Start from the west side and it is a very long day, so stay on the east side the night before or leave early. Our Maui travel guide covers the drive, and the Kauai vs Maui comparison covers the rain.

Waimoku Falls

This is the one worth the long drive. The trail climbs 800 feet, passes a bamboo forest at the one-mile mark where the stalks knock together in the wind, and ends at a 400-foot falls that lands against a rock wall. You stand at the base of it and feel small.

It is about two miles one way on rocky, muddy ground with steps. The park charges $30 per vehicle, good for three days, and takes credit or debit only. The trail itself needs no reservation. No closure is posted for Pipiwai, but call the park at 808-572-4400 before the long drive. The Pools of Oheo are closed to swimming.

Best for: steady walkers with a full day. Skip it if rain is in the forecast, because the trail turns slick.

Makahiku Falls Overlook

This is the short version. A half-mile walk up the same trail brings you to an overlook above a falls of nearly 200 feet. You look down into the valley it carved. The path is muddy, with roots and stairs.

Best for: anyone with an hour to spare. Skip it if you are already going on to Waimoku.

Hidden Waterfalls – Kauai

Kauai has the most famous falls in the state, and Hurricane Lowell closed much of the access. Park notices change often, so use this as a snapshot. Our Kauai in December post tracks the same notices. When a trail is closed, wait for it to reopen.

Wailua Falls and Opaekaa Falls

Both are viewed from a roadside lookout, with no hike. Opaekaa looks over the Wailua River valley and is in Wailua River State Park. Wailua Falls is a drop north of Lihue. Neither has a posted closure, but much of Kauai is still reopening, so call the Kauai County road line at 808-241-1725 before you drive. Wailua River State Park charges nonresidents $5 per person and $10 per vehicle.

Best for: a rainy day when you cannot hike. Skip them if the county line says the road is shut.

Hidden Waterfalls – Oahu: Waimea Falls

Waimea Falls in Waimea Valley

This is the easy, legal waterfall on Oahu’s North Shore. You walk through a botanical garden, so the falls feel earned without being hard. Waimea Valley sets the admission itself: $26 for adults and $18 for ages 4 to 12, with Hawaii residents paying $10 and $6. It is open Tuesday to Sunday, 9 am to 4 pm, and closed Mondays. In December it opens daily.

Best for: families and easy walkers. Skip it if you want a free stop.

Sacred Falls is the Oahu name that keeps coming up. A 1999 rockslide killed eight people there. The state still lists it as closed, and entering can cost a $1,000 fine.

Rain And Timing

Use three checks, in this order. First, look at the forecast the night before and again that morning. If there is a flash flood watch, pick another day. Second, start early and plan to be back at the car by early afternoon, since clouds and rain tend to build later. Third, turn back if the stream rises, turns brown or you hear a roar upstream. The National Park Service warns that stream water can rise as fast as four feet in ten minutes.

If you have ever driven an hour for a view and found the lot full, you know why early matters.

Can You Swim?

Treat them as scenery. The Hawaii Department of Health says not to swim or wade in any freshwater stream or pond in the state, especially with open cuts. Leptospirosis comes from water carrying animal urine, and it can enter through broken skin or the eyes, nose and mouth. Add flash floods and falling rock, and the pool is not worth it.

Frequently asked questions about Hawaii waterfalls

Can you swim in Hawaii waterfalls?

No. State health guidance says to stay out of freshwater streams and ponds, and flash floods make the pools risky. Take your photo and save your swim for a lifeguarded beach.

Which Hawaiian island has the best waterfalls?

Kauai is the long-term answer, but much of it is closed after Hurricane Lowell. This month, Maui and Waimoku Falls are the better bet. If you are on the Big Island, Akaka Falls is the easy one.

Do you need a reservation for Hawaii waterfalls?

Only for Haena State Park on Kauai, where nonresidents reserve entry and parking ahead. The other state parks, Waimea Valley and the Pipiwai Trail at Haleakala need no reservation.

Are Hawaii waterfalls free to visit?

Mostly not. Nonresidents pay $5 per person and $10 per vehicle at the state parks above, $30 per vehicle at Haleakala, and $26 at Waimea Valley. Bring a credit card.

Top photo: Waimoku Falls by Christoph Strässler, CC BY-SA 2.0.