Waterfall hikes are some of the most photographed and most family-friendly trails in any state — the destination delivers a clear visual reward, and many are short enough to do before lunch. We pulled every Hawaii trail in our database whose name explicitly references falls, cascade, chute, or plunge, then ranked them by accessibility so the easiest and shortest waterfall hikes surface first. The result is ten hikes that pay off without punishing the people you're hiking with.
Hawai'i's six hikeable islands range from sea-level beach walks to the 13,800-ft alpine deserts of Mauna Kea and Haleakalā. Volcanic geology, rainforests, and knife-edge ridgelines define the experience. Year-round, but November-April brings wetter trails on windward sides; trade winds and rapid weather changes are constant. Waterfalls run hardest in spring snowmelt and after sustained rain — the same windows when trail surfaces are slipperiest.
Our rankings here are data-driven — pulled from the 755 mapped entries OutsideAtlas tracks in Hawaii — but the data has limits worth being honest about. We identify waterfall hikes by scanning trail names for terms like "falls," "cascade," "chute," and "plunge." That misses unnamed seasonal cascades and trails whose primary feature is a waterfall not mentioned in the route name. Treat the list as a confident sample, not a complete catalog.
The Ranking
Ranked from #1 to #10. Click through any entry for the full trail page — map, elevation profile, weather forecast, and direct OpenStreetMap source link.
#1. Hamama Falls Trail
Hamama Falls Trail near Kaneohe in Honolulu County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #1 slot for accessibility. Expect unpaved surface on a forgiving grade. Local trail-association reports tend to agree this is one of the better-maintained options in the area, which matters more on a hike of this length than on a quick walk. A paved surface makes this one of the more accessible options on the list — good for strollers, mobility aids, and wet-weather days. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Hamama Falls Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#2. Hiilawe falls road
Hiilawe falls road near Paauilo in Hawaii County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #2 slot for accessibility. Expect asphalt surface on a forgiving grade. The route is well documented in OpenStreetMap, which is what put it on our radar — community-mapped routes tend to be the ones that get hiked enough to stay open. A paved surface makes this one of the more accessible options on the list — good for strollers, mobility aids, and wet-weather days. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Hiilawe falls road trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#3. Ho'opi'i Falls Trail
Ho'opi'i Falls Trail near Kapaa in Kauai County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #3 slot for accessibility. Expect ground surface on a forgiving grade. It earns its ranking on the data, but trail conditions can change quickly after storms or fire seasons, so verify before you commit a full day. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Ho'opi'i Falls Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#4. Ho'opi'i Falls Trail
Ho'opi'i Falls Trail near Kapaa in Kauai County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #4 slot for accessibility. Expect ground surface on a forgiving grade. Compared to similar trails in Hawaii, this route trades difficulty for either solitude or scenery — sometimes both. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Ho'opi'i Falls Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#5. Kalauao Falls Loop Trail
Kalauao Falls Loop Trail near Camp H M Smith in Honolulu County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #5 slot for accessibility. Tagged easy in OpenStreetMap. What makes this one earn its spot on the list is the combination of mapped detail and the kind of through-and-through experience that justifies a longer drive. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Kalauao Falls Loop Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#6. Kapena Falls Trail
Kapena Falls Trail near Honolulu in Honolulu County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #6 slot for accessibility. Tagged easy in OpenStreetMap. Local trail-association reports tend to agree this is one of the better-maintained options in the area, which matters more on a hike of this length than on a quick walk. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Kapena Falls Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#7. Leinohaunui Pipi Chute Trail
Leinohaunui Pipi Chute Trail near Lanai City in Maui County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #7 slot for accessibility. Tagged easy in OpenStreetMap. The route is well documented in OpenStreetMap, which is what put it on our radar — community-mapped routes tend to be the ones that get hiked enough to stay open. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Leinohaunui Pipi Chute Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#8. Lua'alea Falls Trail
Lua'alea Falls Trail near Honolulu in Honolulu County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #8 slot for accessibility. Tagged easy in OpenStreetMap. It earns its ranking on the data, but trail conditions can change quickly after storms or fire seasons, so verify before you commit a full day. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Lua'alea Falls Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#9. Mānoa Falls Trail
Mānoa Falls Trail near Honolulu in Honolulu County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #9 slot for accessibility. Tagged easy in OpenStreetMap. Compared to similar trails in Hawaii, this route trades difficulty for either solitude or scenery — sometimes both. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Mānoa Falls Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#10. Manoa Upper Falls
Manoa Upper Falls near Honolulu in Honolulu County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #10 slot for accessibility. Expect ground surface on a forgiving grade. What makes this one earn its spot on the list is the combination of mapped detail and the kind of through-and-through experience that justifies a longer drive. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Manoa Upper Falls trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.Planning your Hawaii trip
A few pieces of context are worth keeping in mind specifically for Hawaii. Year-round, but November-April brings wetter trails on windward sides; trade winds and rapid weather changes are constant. Flash floods in narrow valleys (especially Kaua'i and the Big Island), unstable volcanic rock, and exposed cliff-edge trails account for most rescues.
Always cross-reference the official land-manager page before driving out — closures, fire restrictions, and seasonal road access can change quickly. Our trail pages link directly back to the OpenStreetMap source so you can see the tags we're working from.
If you're new to hiking generally, our beginner's guide covers footwear, layering, and the day-pack basics. For safety planning on bigger objectives, the ten essentials guide is worth twenty minutes of reading.
More Hawaii hiking guides
If you found this useful, the rest of our Hawaii coverage continues below.
- Top 10 longest trails in Hawaii — Multi-day routes and through-hikes ranked by distance.
- Steepest trails in Hawaii — Hikes with the most elevation gain in the state.
- Best beginner hikes in Hawaii — Easy, well-marked trails for first-time hikers.
- Most challenging hikes in Hawaii — Expert-rated routes for experienced hikers only.
- Best national parks in Hawaii — Federal parks and recreation areas ranked.
- Best dog-friendly hikes in Hawaii — Where leashed dogs are explicitly welcome.
- Best family hikes in Hawaii — Short, easy trails sized for kids and grandparents.
Rankings like this are starting points, not verdicts. Trail conditions change, new routes get tagged, and what was the toughest trail in Hawaii last year might not be next year. We refresh these articles when the underlying data shifts meaningfully.
Got a correction, a route we missed, or a question? Drop us a note via the contact page. We read every email and we'd rather hear it from you than miss it.
