Waipiʻo Valley is a mile wide and six miles deep, with cliff walls rising roughly 2,000 feet on either side and a black sand beach at the ocean end. The lookout at the rim is free, open, and accessible without a tour or permit. It is one of the most dramatic viewpoints on the island, and the drive or walk to the overlook platform takes about five minutes from the parking area.
Getting to the valley floor is a separate matter. A county emergency rule in effect since February 2022 closed Waipiʻo Valley Road to non-residents after a geotechnical assessment found active rockfall and slope instability. Visitor access to the valley floor is now by guided tour only. A shuttle service is the one tour currently operating. Mule wagon and horseback tours remain suspended under the emergency rule.
The rest of this guide covers what you can see from the lookout, which tours are currently running, and what the valley floor contains for those taking the shuttle.
Table of contents
Table of Contents
- The Waipiʻo valley lookout
- The Closure of Waipiʻo Valley Road: Current Status
- Waipiʻo Valley Tours
- Hiking into Waipiʻo Valley
- How to get down into the valley
- A visitor account from before the 2022 closure
Overview of Waipi‘o Valley from the ‘opposite’ side. You can see the steep Waipi‘o Valley access road, the black sand beach, and taro fields.
Waipi‘o Valley lookout
The overlook is a paved platform at the rim of the valley, reached from the parking area in about 10 seconds on foot. From there you have a clear view over most of the valley floor: the taro fields in the center, the river cutting through to the beach, and the black sand shoreline at the ocean end. The cliffs west of the valley stretch along the Hāmākua Coast. The lookout works in both directions: valley to the south, sea cliffs to the north and west.
The falls inside the valley are not visible from the rim. Hi’ilawe Falls and Kaluahine Falls are both set back against the valley walls and only visible from the valley floor or from the ocean.
The overlook has no entry fee. Parking is in the lot at the end of Waipiʻo Valley Road in Kukuihaele. The lot fills on weekends by mid-morning but people tend to not stay for long. Bathrooms and a picnic area are on site. Cell signal is variable at the rim.
The 1995 film Waterworld used the Kaluahine Falls as the final scene landscape, the “Dry Land” visible at the end of the film. You cannot see them from the lookout, but the shuttle tour to the valley floor passes near the base of the east wall where they drop.
Aerial overview of Waipiʻo Valley. Image credit: Eric Tessmer, source.
The closure of Waipiʻo Valley Road: current status
As of September 19, 2022, access to the valley floor with a covered 4WD vehicle (no ATV) is possible again for Big Island residents, county-permitted tour company operators and those seeking to practice their Native Hawaiian traditional or customary rights.
Visitors still cannot the Waipiʻo Valley floor on their own.
Why is Waipiʻo Valley closed?
A geotechnical assessment outlining the rockfall and landslide risks associated with traveling along Waipiʻo Valley Road has led the County of Hawaii’s to close Waipiʻo Valley Road to visitors. The report outlines an immediate need to mitigate rockfall and address slope instability and erosion for everyone’s safety. You can find the complete report here and read the 23rd Mayor’s Continued Waipi‘o Valley Road Emergency Rule No. 2 and Emergency Rule No.1 here (May 6, 2026).
Can visitors still access Waipiʻo Valley?
Not at all. You can still go down Waipiʻo Valley but as a visitor your options are for the time being limited:
- The Waipiʻo Valley overlook is free and open to all visitors
- If you want to get down to the valley floor you must now do so as part of a tour group.
- Camping permits for the valley have been suspended and hiking trails are closed but the County is working on ways to restore public access as safety consideration allow it.
Tours into Waipi‘o Valley
The partial closure of Waipiʻo only allows visitors access to the valley floor as part of a tour. There currently is only one such tour available: a shuttle ride. Other options such as horseback tours and scenic tours are suspended since February 2022, no
confirmed resumption date as of May 22, 2026.
Your options to get down to the valley floor with a tour range from:
- A shuttle ride down and up (book here), to
- A ride down in a mule drawn wagon (currently suspended) that will take you down to the valley floor, to
- Horseback riding tours (currently suspended) that include transport down to the valley floor as part of the tour. See i.e. the tours offered by Waipio on Horseback for more information.
Hiking in Waipi‘o Valley: what is currently open
Waipiʻo Valley has some of the most dramatic terrain on the island for hiking. Current access rules determine which routes are open. These hikes, however, are not easy. If you feel like stretching your legs you can try either of the following two hikes:
- The Hike down into Waipi‘o Valley (not possible anymore as of February 2022) is one of our top-5 short hikes in Hawaii. This route ran 6.5 miles from the overlook to the black sand beach and back, with significant elevation change. It is not currently permitted under the county emergency rule.
- The Muliwai Trail zigzags up the opposite side of Waipiʻo valley and ultimately leads to one of the most difficult places to reach by foot on the Big Island: Waimanu Valley. The complete trail to Waimanu valley is an extremely difficult day hike and should only be attempted the most fit and experienced hikers with a penchant for suffering and a self-masochistic streak. The first part of the hike (up the valley wall) is also strenuous but not that long and very rewarding. You will get a unique view in the valley that is especially spectacular with the setting sun.
Please stay on the public road when hiking in Waipi‘o valley. Respect the private land and the people living in the valley. Image credit: hawaiivolcanovacations
Getting down into Waipi‘o Valley
Visitor access to the Waipiʻo Valley floor is only possible as part of a tour
Waipiʻo Valley Road is closed to non-residents and visitor access to the valley floor and the subsequent valleys is only possible as part of a tour.
The road down to Waipi‘o valley is one of the steepest roads on the island and quite a ride! On the steepest part, it rises 800 ft in only 0.6 miles. The average grade of the road is 25%, but peaks at 40%. To get down to the valley floor you must either be a Big Island resident and have your own 4WD car, or be willing to pay for a tour. Some, if not all, car rental companies here on the Big Island explicitly mention in the rental agreement that it is not permitted to drive your rental car down into Waipi‘o valley.
If you do go down to the valley floor make sure to bring your swimsuit. The black sand beach is a great place for a quick dip. Be aware though that the ocean currents can be strong so do not go into the water too deep.
There are people living in Waipi‘o Valley. You can see the road and some houses and agricultural activity on the valley floor.
The black sand beach of Waipi‘o Valley
To get to the beach, turn right as soon as you reach the valley floor. After a few minutes you will reach a black-sand beach. The beach is split in two by the river coming out of the valley, and depending on the amount of water it can be difficult to cross.
The beach looks beautiful and is a very good place to relax after coming down into the valley, but take care with going into the water. This beach is known for its rip currents and high surf, making it a dangerous place to go swimming especially during the winter months.
Turn right once you reach the valley floor to get to this beautiful black sand beach. Image credit: Georgios Tsiminis
The Kaluahine Falls
If you are very lucky (or unlucky, that depends on how much you mind the rain) you can see the Kaluahine Falls on your right hand (east) side once you get to the beach. These falls only exist when it is raining a LOT. You can read more about this waterfall at the worldofwaterfalls website.
The Kaluahine falls are visible towards to east from the black sand beach on the bottom of Waipi‘o valley. Image credit: Georgios Tsiminis
A visitor account from before the 2022 closure
Several of the images in this guide have been provided by Georgios Tsiminis
Sometimes you will encounter horses on the road. These horses are among other things used for the guided horseback tours in the valley. Image credit: Georgios Tsiminis
The following is his account:
Waipiʻo Valley from below: a 2019 visitor account (valley floor now requires a tour)
Note: This account was written before the February 2022 closure. The independent hike and beach access described are no longer permitted. Valley floor access now requires a guided tour.
As a first-time visitor to the Big Island I (Georgios Tsiminis) didn’t know what to do so I got some local knowledge on where I could go to make memories.
“Go to Waipi‘o Valley. No matter what else you do, go to the valley!”
Was the best advice I could have gotten!
I checked the map, packed my backpack, and off I went early in the morning. The vista that greeted me when I arrived to the valley outlook was breathtaking. Lush green forests covering every hillside and a black sand beach that runs the full width of the valley floor.
The valley floor opens up as you descend the access road. Image credit: Georgios Tsiminis
Walking down into the valley is not easy, but listen to the park keeper’s advice and you’ll be rewarded by a dense tropical vegetation. At the bottom of the steep road turn left to explore inlands, where banana and avocado trees line the road leading into the valley. Horses roam free and waterfalls cascade from tall cliffs. Explore and enjoy, and then turn back and walk down to the shore of the ocean.
Black sand runs to the waterline. Waves at this beach are large and the surf is often rough, particularly in winter. Walk west along the beach as far as you can, take care when crossing the stream as the water is as strong as it is cold, and reach the end of the beach underneath the cliff for a clear view back across the valley.
The Hi‘ilawe falls (center left) are visible from many points in the valley. Image credit: Georgios Tsiminis
Look east across the beach in the distance and notice a waterfall straight from the cliff onto the rocky shore. Walk back along the beach and prepare for a tricky trek along boulders battered by the waves and a constant spray of salty water. You will lose sight of the waterfalls but fear not and persist.
I had to leave the valley as I was running out of daylight to cross the rocky path and climb up the incredible steep road back onto the lookout.
Important: Valley floor access has changed since this visit. The road is now closed to non-residents and guided tours are required to reach the valley floor.