Rainbow Falls drops 80 feet over a lava cave right in the middle of Hilo, and on a sunny morning you can see the rainbows from the parking lot before you’ve even paid the entrance fee. The falls sit on the Wailuku River, and the viewing platform is close enough that you get spray on your face when the river is running high.
Entry runs about $22 for two people with taxes: $5 per person plus $10 per vehicle, paid via QR code on-site. The parking lot is small and fills fast on weekend mornings, so arriving by 8 a.m. on a clear day beats the weekend crowds and catches the best rainbow light.
Table of contents
- About the rainbow falls
- How and when to see rainbows at the Rainbow Falls
- The short hike to the top of the Rainbow Falls
- No swimming at the Rainbow Falls
- Directions to the Rainbow Falls (+ paid parking information)
The rainbow falls are inside Hilo town and extremely easy to reach. Walk less than 100 ft to the first scenic overlook.
About the Rainbow Falls
According to Hawaiian legend, the lava cave beneath the falls was the home of Hina, mother of the demigod Māui. The moʻo (water spirit) Kuna dammed the river one stormy night to drown her, and Māui came from Haleakalā to fight him: read the full legend of Hina, Māui, and Kuna. Compared to its significantly taller (422 ft) neighbor, ʻAkaka Falls, Rainbow Falls is more accessible, and you get closer to the water: either from the main overlook at the parking lot or from the top after a short climb. Rainbow falls is the most accessible of all waterfalls on the Big Island.
Good to know: In the Hawaiian language, the rainbow falls are called “rainbow [seen in] water”, or Waiānuenue. Ulukau’s Hawaiian place names database gives the meaning of Waiānuenue and other Hawaiian place names.
The rainbow shows up on clear mornings, when the sun is low behind you and the falls throw enough mist to catch the light. Come late morning.
Depending on the amount of rainfall upstream in the preceding days the falls can be either roaring or they can be reduced to a trickle.
How to See a Rainbow at Rainbow Falls
A rainbow requires you to stand with your back to the sun. The main viewing platform sits east of the falls: arrive on a sunny morning, and the sun is behind you while you face the water. The mist coming off the falls generates the rainbow, not rain, so so you want dry weather and a good river flow.
Even a reduced flow can produce a rainbow on a clear morning.
Arrive early on a sunny morning for the best rainbow light.
A short hike to the top of the Rainbow Falls
The trail to the upper viewing area starts on the left side of the falls when you’re facing them, and takes about five minutes. You pass banyan trees with massive aerial root systems on the way up, and from the top you look down on the falls, a completely different view from the main overlook.
Mid-morning at Rainbow Falls in Hilo. By this time of day, the rainbow has shifted out of view from the lower lookout, and you need to walk closer to the falls to see it forming in the mist.
The volume of the rainbow falls (or Waiānuenue) changes on a daily basis. This is what the falls look like after a good rain upstream. Note the people in the upper left of the picture heading to the upper viewing area.
The Banyan Tree at the Upper Viewing Area
Turn left at the upper viewing area and you’ll find one of the largest banyan trees on the island. This tree is almost completely enveloped with fig vines and has many aerial prop roots growing down into the soil that make it appear like the tree has multiple trunks.
Especially during dry spells the Rainbow Falls can get reduced to a trickle.
Peʻepeʻe Falls is a short distance upstream. Both these falls and the Rainbow falls are part of our list of 5 best Big Island waterfalls.
No Swimming at Rainbow Falls
Swimming is banned at Rainbow Falls, in the pool and everywhere along this stretch of river. A brown state plaque at the railing lists 27 deaths in this section of the Wailuku River between 1995 and 2024. The pool looks calm when the river is low, but the river drains the slopes of Mauna Kea, and the water can rise without warning after rain that never reaches Hilo.
Rainbow Falls after a night of heavy rain in August 2026. The usual single stream split into three chutes of brown runoff.
After heavy rain the falls change shape entirely: the drop widens to three chutes of brown runoff and the pool disappears under whitewater. We took these photos on a rainy morning in August 2026. Stay behind the railings; even the parking lot gets spray on a morning like this.
The signs above the falls. The brown plaque lists every fatality in this section of the Wailuku River since 1995: 27 in three decades.
Directions
Rainbow Falls sits at the northwest border of Hilo, just off Rainbow Drive. To get to the falls, drive up Waiānuenue Avenue, turn to the right on Rainbow Drive, and park in the parking lot on your right hand side.
Paid Parking and Entrance Fees at Rainbow Falls
Important: entrance and parking for residents remains free
As of January 2026, parking and entrance fees are required to access Wailuku River State Park, including Rainbow Falls. The current fee structure is $5 per person plus $10 per vehicle, which comes out to about $22 for a standard car with two people once taxes are included. Payment is handled on-site via QR code, with clear signage posted near the parking area.
Paid parking signage at Rainbow Falls, part of Wailuku River State Park. As of January 2026, visitors must pay an entrance fee per person and a separate parking fee per vehicle, with payment handled on site via QR code.
For a very short stop, $22 is a lot given the limited walking area and quick viewpoint access. If you have more time, nearby ʻAkaka Falls has a longer walk, multiple viewpoints, and a better overall sense of scale for the same entrance fee.