Upper Puohokamoa Falls (Maui, Hawaii, USA)

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Upper Puohokamoa Falls

Upper Puohokamoa Falls in high flow

Upper Puohokamoa Falls (or just Puohokamoa Falls) drew quite a crowd when we first saw it back in 2003. We figured its popularity was due to the fact that its pullout near the trailhead (albeit only room for a handful of cars) was quite easy to see plus the crowd made it easy for us to slow down and not miss the attraction altogether. The falls itself was not particularly spectacular as it only fell roughly 30ft, but practically anyone can get to it with its flat paved trail. We even saw a local selling handcrafted souvenirs near the sheltered viewing deck.

No one was swimming when we were there because the stream was flowing violently given the heavy rain in the area (it was from a late season hurricane that broke up and dumped its rain on us). I kind of wished we had seen it in a more quieter state when the falls would be far thinner than what's shown above, so it would've been a pleasant and popular swimming hole. Under those circumstances, it wouldn't surprise me if some daring individuals would climb to the top of the falls and jump!

On our most recent visit to the falls four years later, we saw a concrete barricade was erected to block any more entry to the falls. The reason was that the landowners feared more episodes of liability from (I think frivolous) slip-and-fall lawsuits. So we were never able to see the falls since our 2003 trip.

But then as I was doing research for our now defunct Hawaii Waterfalls book project, I learned that at a different stop on the Hana Highway, the nearby Garden of Eden Arboretum and Botanical Garden featured a top-down view of Upper Puohokamoa Falls (as well as coastal overlooks) from within its garden. Of course, this is a paid admission attraction (it was apparently featured in the opening sequence of the movie "Jurassic Park").

Directions: The pullout for access to the base of Upper Puohokamoa Falls is just past the 11-mile post, on the near side of the Puohokamoa Stream bridge. Parking is on the mauka (mountain) side and very limited; so there may be traffic jams around the bridge.

The Garden of Eden Arboretum and Botanical Garden is a half mile past the 10-mile post on the mauka side.

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