ʻAkaka Falls (Hilo, Hamakua coast)

ʻAkaka Falls drops 442 feet in a single fall, and you reach it on a paved 0.4-mile loop that takes about 30 minutes if you stop to look. That ratio of scale to effort is rare on the Big Island: most waterfalls this tall ask for a real hike, and this one asks for a short walk past wild orchids, ferns, and bamboo.

This page is for anyone routing a Hamakua coast drive 11 miles north of Hilo and deciding whether the stop earns the detour. It does, and the timing matters: get there before 11am, while the sun still reaches the falls and the loop is quiet enough to hear the water over the trees.

Seeing ʻAkaka Falls: the loop trail

The trailhead sits directly off the parking lot, so the walk starts the moment you leave the car. The ʻAkaka Falls Loop Trail is an easy, family-doable route, and the falls come into view from several points where the path runs along the rim of the gorge, not just at one final overlook.

The view from the parking lot: ʻAkaka Falls in the distance, with the loop trail’s return bridge at lower left. It shows how short the walk really is.

The path winds through dense rainforest, with bamboo groves and draping ferns crowding the route. Take your time on the way in rather than rushing ahead to the main overlook.

The trail runs high on the western shoulder of the deep gorge that the falls drop into, which is why the viewpoints look across at ʻAkaka rather than up from its base.

Be prepared to meet other people on the trail, because the ʻAkaka falls are one of the more popular attractions on this side of the island. They are also one of our 6 favorite Big Island Waterfalls.

Walking towards the ʻAkaka Falls lookout point. Credit: Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) / Heather Goodman

You can find the most up-to-date information on the ʻAkaka falls loop trail on the state park website. You can also take a virtual tour of the ʻAkaka falls loop trail using google, or have a look at what the falls look like if you approach them in the following video:

Kahuna Falls: the harder-to-see second drop

Kahuna Falls drops about 400 feet, nearly matching ʻAkaka, but the park gives you a much harder look at it. A screen of trees on the cliff face in front of the falls blocks most of the drop from the single small overlook.

That overlook sits about 800 ft beyond the ʻAkaka falls viewpoint. After heavy rain the falls run full enough to show through the trees, so a wet stretch of weather is your best chance at a clear look.

Kahuna Falls from the park overlook. Trees on the cliff face hide most of the 400 ft drop, which is why it gets less attention than ʻAkaka.

Getting there: directions and park hours

The ʻAkaka falls state park is about 11 miles north of Hilo on the end of ʻAkaka Falls Road (Highway 220), 3.6 miles southwest of Honomu.

The parking area is open between 8:30 am and 6 pm. The park itself is open to walk-ins between sunrise and sunset.

When to go for sun and smaller crowds

Mornings before 11am give you the best light, with the sun angling into the gorge and onto the falls, and the smallest crowds. Later still works: ʻAkaka runs hard year round, so the stop is worth it in rain or shine, at any time of day.

Fees, parking, and how to pay

Pay before you arrive. The park takes credit card only, there is no cash option, and cell reception at the lot is limited, so buying your entrance and parking ahead through ParkMobile saves a scramble at the gate.

The entrance fee to the park is $5.00 per individual, entrance for Hawaiʻi residents is free (source, last checked June 2026).

The parking fee is $10 per vehicle, but is waived for residents that can show a state ID or drivers license.

How to pay: Visitors can pay for entrance and parking via phone by calling ParkMobile at (877) 727-5975 or through the Parkmobile website (zone #808030 at Honomu, HI).

The fee sign at the ʻAkaka Falls lot. Payment is credit card or ParkMobile only, so it helps to pay before you arrive.

Is it possible to go on a zipline tour at the ʻAkaka falls? (no).

It is not possible to go ziplining at the ʻAkaka falls. The waterfall is located in a state park and cannot be commercially exploited.

The Big Island Zipline tour offered by Hawaii Zipline Tours is located halfway between the ʻAkaka falls state park and the ocean, on the Kolekole stream. Their ziplines take you past two waterfalls: one with a 40 ft drop and one with a 200 ft drop. Very impressive, but less than half the height of the ʻAkaka falls!

Read more in our guide to all zipline tours on the Big Island.