ʻAkaka Falls is 442 feet, on a paved 0.4-mile loop that takes about 30 minutes round trip. Rainbow Falls is 80 feet, on the northwest edge of Hilo about 15 miles south. Drive to Rainbow first on a clear morning: the rainbow is gone from the lower lookout by mid-morning, which is also when ʻAkaka’s lot fills on weekends.
Both parks charge non-residents $5 per person plus $10 per vehicle, card only, about $22 for two people in one car with tax. Hawaiʻi residents with a state ID get in free. The west side (Kona) has no natural waterfalls, and a guided Kohala trip runs $255 to $295 per adult.
Table of contents
Big Island Waterfall Comparison: Heights, Fees, and Swim Access
Details and map locations below last verified May 2026.
| Name | Entrance fee | Note | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1ʻAkaka Falls (Details ↓) | $5 + $10 parking | Out-of-state visitors pay a parking and entrance fee | 442 ft |
| 2Rainbow Falls (Details ↓) | $5 + $10 parking | Out-of-state visitors pay a parking and entrance fee | 80 ft |
| 3Umauma Falls (Details ↓) | $10 + tax | Gorgeous triple-tier waterfalls on private grounds. Entrance fee required | ~200 ft |
| 4Kulaniapia Falls (Details ↓) | From $49 | Waterfall swim possible but on private grounds. Entrance fee required | 120 ft |
| 5Peʻepeʻe Falls (Details ↓) | $5 + $10 parking | Smaller than nearby Rainbow Falls but far less crowded | ~60 ft |
| 6Hiʻilawe Falls (Details ↓) | Free | Visible from a distance | 1450 ft |
| 7Waiʻale Falls | Free | Accessed via a short, unmaintained, and slippery 0.6-mile trail | ~40 ft |
| 8Onomea Falls | $35 | Multi-tiered falls within the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens. Entry fee applies. | ~100 ft |
| 9Kolekole Gulch Park Falls | Free | Small cascading waterfall in Kolekole Gulch Park | ~20 ft |
Big Island Waterfall Questions, Answered
Q: Can you swim under any waterfalls on the Big Island?
Every waterfall you can legally swim under is on private land, and each one charges for access. Kulaniapia Falls near Hilo sells a day pass; the Umauma and North Kohala falls are reachable only on a tour.
Q: Are there waterfalls near Kona?
Not really. The west side is dry and has no natural waterfalls. The practical option from Kona is one of the Kohala waterfall tours, which pick up in Kona and Waikoloa and spend the day in North Kohala’s private valleys, about 50 miles north. Driving yourself to the Hilo-side falls is about 90 miles each way, roughly 2 hours.
Q: Are there waterfalls in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park?
No, the park has none. The nearest are Rainbow Falls, 31 miles from the Kīlauea Visitor Center, and ʻAkaka Falls, 45 miles and about 70 minutes.
Q: Which Big Island waterfall is easiest to see and visit?
Waiānuenue, better known as Rainbow Falls, inside Hilo town. The first overlook is under 100 feet from the parking lot, so it is the only fall on this list you can see without a walk.
Q: What are the most popular Big Island waterfalls?
ʻAkaka Falls and Rainbow Falls, by a wide margin. Both are state parks on the Hilo side, about 15 miles apart, and since January 2026 both charge non-residents to enter.
Q: Is it safe to go swim under a waterfall?
In general yes, with two rules. Leptospirosis is present in Hawaiian fresh water, so stay out if you have any abrasions, scrapes, blisters or other skin lesions you cannot cover. And stay out when it is raining where you are or anywhere upstream, because these streams flash flood. Both are on our waterfall safety list, along with three more.
Q: What about Narnia?
Narnia is the nickname for a set of waterfalls in the Hilo Forest Reserve. Reaching them means trespassing, and access is restricted. Flash floods and strong currents are a real danger there. Please leave this one off your list.
Big Island Waterfalls: The Six Most Worth Visiting
Most of the island’s waterfalls sit on the wet eastern slopes of Mauna Kea and along the Hāmākua Coast, within easy reach of Hilo. Five of the six below are in that corridor, close enough that you can do two or three in a half day without doubling back.
The sixth is Hiʻilawe, at the back of Waipiʻo Valley on the Kohala side. It is the tallest of them by a long way and the only one you cannot walk up to.
1: ʻAkaka Falls
Honomū is the turnoff. From there ʻAkaka Falls Road climbs to the state park, about 15 miles north of Hilo. Non-residents pay $5 per person plus $10 per vehicle. Hawaiʻi residents with a state ID enter free, and children 3 and under are free either way.
Both fees are credit card only, with no cash lane. Cell reception at the park is poor enough that DLNR asks you to pay before you arrive. The gate is open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
The falls drop 442 feet into a stream-eroded gorge, seen from an overlook at the far end of a paved 0.4-mile loop. The walk takes about 30 minutes round trip, past bamboo groves and wild orchids. A side view of Kahuna Falls comes before the main viewpoint.
The loop is paved, but there are multiple steps along it and the trail is not wheelchair accessible. Strollers will not get round.
The lot is small and fills by mid-morning on weekends, so aim to arrive before 9 a.m.
Read more: our guide to visiting ʻAkaka Falls.
ʻAkaka Falls drops 442 feet into the gorge, seen here from the loop trail behind the KEEP BACK sign at the rim.
2: Rainbow Falls (Waiānuenue)
Rainbow Falls is the easiest waterfall to reach on the island. The lot is directly off Rainbow Drive on the northwest edge of Hilo, and the first overlook is under 100 feet from the car. Entry is $5 per person plus $10 per vehicle for non-residents, card only, free with a Hawaiʻi state ID.
The falls drop 80 feet over a lava cave in the Wailuku River. The rainbow that gives them their name forms in the mist on clear mornings, while the sun is still low and behind you, and it has slid out of view from the lower lookout by mid-morning. Come early or come for the waterfall alone.
The gates open at 7 a.m. and lock at 6 p.m., and the same ticket covers the Boiling Pots area upstream.
Read more: our guide to visiting Rainbow Falls.
The rainbow shows up on clear mornings, when the sun is low behind you and the falls throw enough mist to catch the light.
3: Umauma Falls
You can drive to this one. The Umauma overlook sits on private land 16 miles north of Hilo on the Hāmākua coast, run by the Umauma Experience, and a paved road leads from the check-in desk to the viewpoint. Entry is $10 per adult plus tax and $5 for children 5 to 10, gardens included. The falls are a triple cascade on the Umauma River.
Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily with last entry at 4:30, and 20 to 45 minutes covers the view and the gardens. Entry is included when you book one of their zipline or river-swim tours.
All three tiers of the Umauma Falls, seen from the drive-up overlook. Entry is $10 plus tax and includes the gardens.
Getting into the water costs more and means booking one of the tours run on the same property.
Waterfall Rappel at Umauma Falls
Four rappels and a down climb through the river gorge, swimming the pools between them. Island Mountain Guides runs it, and you have to be able to swim. See our rappelling guide.
Rappel down the Triple-Tier Umauma Waterfall and swim the pools between
Great for adventurous families: navigate 5 waterfalls and swim the pools between. Includes 4 rappels, a down climb, and jump off a waterfall
from:
$399
What is a suggested tour?Our suggested tours are hand-picked tours that receive consistent good reviews, give back to the community, and work hard to minimize their impact on the environment. Read more about these tours on our website.Kayak and Swim at Umauma Falls
A swim and kayak session in a private stretch of the river, with a catered lunch at the pavilion beside it. Time at the falls is short at 1 hour 15 minutes, so this is a lunch with a swim rather than a full afternoon.
Private Waterfall & River Swim on the Umauma River
A Hāmākua coast waterfall site, the same one filmed for The Bachelorette, reached by van and run at a deliberately restful pace with swim, kayak, and SUP options.
from:
$93
What is a suggested tour?Our suggested tours are hand-picked tours that receive consistent good reviews, give back to the community, and work hard to minimize their impact on the environment. Read more about these tours on our website.Ziplining at Umauma Falls
The nine-line zipline tour crosses the gorge and ends at a platform overlooking the falls that only zipline guests reach.
Umauma Falls 9-Line Waterfall Zipline Tour
Nine lines and 2 miles of ziplining above 14 waterfalls on the Hamakua Coast, with a guest-only viewpoint above Umauma Falls that no public trail reaches.
from:
$249
What is a suggested tour?Our suggested tours are hand-picked tours that receive consistent good reviews, give back to the community, and work hard to minimize their impact on the environment. Read more about these tours on our website.Umauma Deluxe ATV Tour
Drivers need a full license for this one, a 5.5-mile ATV loop with a stop at a private waterfall and pond where you can take a dip. Light local snack included.
Umauma Deluxe ATV Waterfall and Swim Experience
Five and a half miles of private ATV trail on the Hamakua coast, muddy by design, with ocean views and a waterfall swim to finish. Good for mixed groups: the Side x Side UTVs seat up to four.
from:
$229
What is a suggested tour?Our suggested tours are hand-picked tours that receive consistent good reviews, give back to the community, and work hard to minimize their impact on the environment. Read more about these tours on our website.4: Kulaniapia Falls (Hilo)
The operator calls Kulaniapia Hawaiʻi’s largest privately accessible waterfall. The claim is narrower than it reads: Umauma Falls is taller, but its overlook sells a view rather than a swim. Kulaniapia drops 120 feet on Waiau Stream, about 5 miles west of downtown Hilo, 15 to 25 minutes up from town.
Access is by day pass, from $49, and you have to book it in advance. There are no walk-ups, and the 10 a.m. arrival slot is the discounted one. When we visited, the property was quiet in a way the roadside falls never are.
Kulaniapia Falls drops 120 feet into a single deep pool. Access is by advance day pass only, and the operator limits how many guests come in each day. Credit: Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) / Heather Goodman
The pass covers the whole 42-acre property, its trails and its bamboo garden. Four waterfalls are visible from it, and the pass is good for three to four hours depending on when you arrive.
Swimming at Kulaniapia Falls
When river conditions allow you can get in the water under the falls, with kayaks and paddleboards available on site. When they don’t, the trails stay open but the water is closed, and the operator makes that call, not you.
If conditions are suitable you can use on-property SUP and kayak equipment to explore the waterfall. Credit: Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) / Heather Goodman
Waterfall Rappel at Kulaniapia Falls
The on-site inn also runs a rappel down the falls themselves, led by a team of canyoneering guides. The Umauma rappel requires swimming ability. This one does not. From $249 per person, 2 to 3 hours, ages 10 and up.
Waterfall Rappelling at Kulaniapia Falls (120ft)
Family friendly and no experience needed! Rappel down Hawaii’s largest privately accessible waterfall supervised by expert guides
from:
$249
What is a suggested tour?Our suggested tours are hand-picked tours that receive consistent good reviews, give back to the community, and work hard to minimize their impact on the environment. Read more about these tours on our website.5: Peʻepeʻe Falls
Your Rainbow Falls ticket covers this one too, since January 2026, so the second stop costs nothing extra. Peʻepeʻe sits about 1.5 miles upstream at the end of Peʻepeʻe Falls Drive, inside the same state park, and it is smaller than Rainbow and far less crowded.
If you are short on time, stick to ʻAkaka and Rainbow. If you have half an hour spare and have already paid, this is the better of the two upstream stops.
Below the falls the Wailuku runs through a chain of pools called the Boiling Pots. People swim there. Swimming here can be dangerous and has proved lethal several times in the past. Please don’t take the risk. There are many places more suitable for swimming in Hilo, starting with the beaches.
Peʻepeʻe Falls running brown and high after heavy rain upstream. The Wailuku can change this much in a few hours.
Another close-by waterfall: if you continue up Wailuku Drive a few minutes longer you get to a bridge crossing the Wailuku River. Park your car after the bridge and walk back to the river to see Waiʻale Falls.
Waiʻale Falls, at the bridge over the Wailuku River a few minutes up from the Boiling Pots.
6: Hiʻilawe Waterfall (Waipiʻo Valley)
Hiʻilawe is the tallest waterfall on the Big Island and one of the tallest in the state. The total height is about 1,450 feet (442m), with a highest direct drop of 1,201 feet (366m). You see it from across Waipiʻo Valley rather than from its base: the trail to the foot of the falls crosses private property, so there’s no legal way to walk up to it.
Driving down is limited to Hawaiʻi County residents, permitted tour operators, and Native Hawaiians exercising traditional rights, so most visitors reach the valley floor with a shuttle. The Waipiʻo Valley lookout at the top stays open to everyone and costs nothing.
Waipio Valley Shuttle runs the descent in a 4×4 van with the side windows out. It is $75.39 for adults 12 and over and $40.82 for children 3 to 11, taxes included, infants free, with departures at 9, 11, 1 and 3 and check-in 15 minutes earlier at Kukuihaele. Cancelling inside two business days costs the full fare.
Book it before you drive up, and expect it to be called off when the valley road closes for repairs, which is written into the operator’s own terms.
Good to know: the stream feeding Hiʻilawe is tapped for irrigation, so the falls can be almost dry even in the wet season.
Hiʻilawe, barely visible at the back of the valley, on an almost dry day.
Waterfall Tours With a Swim: Five Options
All five tours below reach a private waterfall that is otherwise closed to the public. Three collect you in Kona or Waikoloa. The other two meet near Hilo, so they only suit you if you are already on that coast.
Kohala Waterfall Adventure
This is the most direct option for west-side visitors who want to reach rainforest waterfall country. Hawaii Forest & Trail picks up in Kona and Waikoloa, drives north to the old Kohala Mule Station, then goes off-road past several waterfalls to a swim at the last one. It is $255 per adult for 6 to 7 hours, picnic lunch at a sea-cliff lookout included.
Kohala Waterfall Adventure
A full-day rainforest adventure for all ages. See the northern Kohala highlights with this 8-hour adventure and visit private waterfalls in the north Kohala forest (and swim in one!), make small hikes, and admire the sweeping views and scenic coastlines and rugged valleys. A picnic lunch and centralized meeting locations in Kona and Waikoloa are included for a hassle-free experience.
from:
$255
What is a suggested tour?Our suggested tours are hand-picked tours that receive consistent good reviews, give back to the community, and work hard to minimize their impact on the environment. Read more about these tours on our website.Kohala Zip n Dip
A zipline day in North Kohala that ends in the water: long lines and sky bridges over the forest, then a swim under a private waterfall fed by a mountain stream. The picnic stop is on the rim of Pololū Valley. The 70 to 270 lb weight limit gets checked at the desk.
Kohala Zip & Dip (zipline + waterfall swim)
Five ziplines, two sky bridges, and Hawaiʻi's only tree-mounted spiral staircase, then a guided walk to a private waterfall pool you swim in. Nine guests maximum, lunch included.
from:
$295
What is a suggested tour?Our suggested tours are hand-picked tours that receive consistent good reviews, give back to the community, and work hard to minimize their impact on the environment. Read more about these tours on our website.Kulaniapia Falls: Day Pass or Waterfall Rappel
Two ways onto the same property: a self-guided day pass from $49, or a guided rappel down the 120-foot falls from $249. Neither includes pickup, and both need booking before you drive up.
Rappelling at Kulaniapia Falls. Credit: Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) / Heather Goodman
Kolekole Falls Hike and Swim
The only way in is on foot: 3 miles across 300 acres of private farmland above Honomū to three waterfalls no road reaches, including the 250-foot Kolekole Falls. Closed-toe shoes are required.
Kolekole Falls Waterfall Hike and Swim, Hamakua Coast
This guided hike covers 3 miles of private farmland and jungle near Honomu, passing three waterfalls before finishing at Kawainui Falls, where guests swim in a pool with no public access.
from:
$172
What is a suggested tour?Our suggested tours are hand-picked tours that receive consistent good reviews, give back to the community, and work hard to minimize their impact on the environment. Read more about these tours on our website.Big Island Waterfalls Adventure
Pickups run between 7 and 8:30 a.m. for a circle-island day from the west side: the Waipiʻo Valley lookout, ʻAkaka Falls, the botanical garden at Onomea Bay, a swim at Kulaniapia, and Rainbow Falls on the way back.
Big Island Waterfalls Adventure
Swim under the 120 ft private Kulaniapia Falls, then hike to ʻAkaka and Rainbow Falls on a small-group loop of the island's east side.
from:
$279
What is a suggested tour?Our suggested tours are hand-picked tours that receive consistent good reviews, give back to the community, and work hard to minimize their impact on the environment. Read more about these tours on our website.More tour options
A helicopter tour is the expensive way to see waterfalls, and it reaches the ones in the Kohala valleys that no road or trail goes near.
Our full list of recommended waterfall tours covers the rest.
The Other Big Island Waterfalls
Thirteen named waterfalls sit on the wet side of the island, and the six above are the ones we would drive for. Here is the rest of the list, with the two that slot easily into a Hilo or Hāmākua day.
- In Hilo: Rainbow Falls, Peʻepeʻe Falls, Waiʻale Falls, Kulaniapia Falls.
- On the Hāmākua coast: ʻAkaka Falls, Kolekole Falls (several waterfalls along the stream), Umauma Falls, Onomea Falls, Nanue Falls, Hanapueo Falls + lower Umauma Falls.
- On the Kohala coast: Hiʻilawe Falls, Waiulili Falls.
Nine of them are marked on the map at the top of this page, and the World of Waterfalls list of 13 Big Island waterfalls goes into more detail on the four we don’t cover.
Kolekole Gulch Park Falls
Kolekole Falls is a small cascade at the back of Kolekole Gulch Park, north of Hilo on the Hāmākua Coast. The stream runs out to the ocean under the old railroad bridge. The entrance is on Highway 19 about 12 miles north of Hilo, a few minutes past the ʻAkaka Falls turnoff at Honomū, and the park has restrooms and picnic tables beside the parking area.
From the lot it is a short walk down to the stream, and reaching the falls means crossing it. That crossing is the reason to check the sky inland before you start: the Hāmākua streams flash flood on rain that fell miles upstream, with no warning at the coast. If the water is up or the mountain is dark, turn around. We treat this as a picnic stop rather than a swim.
The 250-foot Kolekole Falls that the hiking tours visit is a different, much larger waterfall higher up the same stream, on private land.
Kolekole Falls at Kolekole Gulch Park near Hilo, photographed in September 2025 after a drought had slowed the stream to a trickle.
Onomea Falls
Onomea Falls is a set of small tiered drops inside the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, on the old scenic route north of Hilo through Pepeʻekeo. The garden charges admission and the falls are one stop on its trail network rather than the reason to go. Our botanical gardens guide has the current ticket prices.
Waterfall Safety: The Five Rules We Follow
We get close to any waterfall we can. These are the five rules we follow ourselves.
- Cover every cut and scrape with waterproof bandaging, and wear shoes. That’s the CDC’s advice. The bacteria that cause leptospirosis spread through the urine of infected animals and survive in fresh water for weeks to months, so if you have a cut you can’t cover, stay on the bank.
- Don’t drink the water, however clear it looks, and don’t fill a bottle from it.
- Wear water shoes or sandals that strap on. The rock is sharp under the surface and slick above it.
- Never jump from a cliff, and stay off rope swings. Broken trees and boulders sit under the surface where you can’t see them. On a guided rappel the operator has checked that pool and has staff in the water. Nobody has checked the pool you are standing over, and the locals jumping in front of you know a bottom you do not.
- Get out of the streambed when the mountain goes dark. Heavy rain upstream can trigger a flash flood along the Hāmākua Coast while it’s still sunny where you stand.
How to Fit Waterfalls Into Your Itinerary
Most people fold one or two falls into a driving day, which costs about an hour each once you have parked and walked. That works well for ʻAkaka and Rainbow: they sit about 15 miles apart on the same side of the island, and the second one is barely a detour from the first.
The other approach is to give the Hilo side a half day of its own and run the scenic drive north out of town, which puts Rainbow, Peʻepeʻe, Onomea, ʻAkaka and Kolekole on a single loop. Do that if you came for the waterfalls.
Waterfall guides for Maui, Kauaʻi, and Oʻahu
Visiting another island on the same trip? Our waterfall guides for the other three: