About Kalihiwai Falls
Kalihiwai Falls is a multi-tiered waterfall on a tributary that feeds the Kalihiwai River.
Since the best view of the falls sits on private land and I wasn’t able to book the private excursion to get closer to this falls, I had to settle for the rather subpar view.
This is shown in the picture above.
As you can see, a telephoto lens (which I didn’t have at the time) would’ve helped with the photography immensely.
Yet I’m pretty sure it would’ve still been unsatisfying nonetheless.
How I earned the free view of Kalihiwai Falls
So in order to get that view at the top of this page, I had to park the car in a suitable spot (see directions below).
Then, I had to walk down the busy Hwy 56 towards the Kalihiwai River Bridge.
During this walk, I had to breathe in exhaust fumes from passing motorists while also staying as far as I could from the road so I wouldn’t become roadkill.
Given the narrowness of the “walkway” (especially on the bridge), trying not to be potential roadkill was harder than you think.
Needless to say the 50mph speed limit was clearly not adhered to, and I even caught strange looks from passing motorists.
If I feel up for it, next time I’ll try to book the private excursion…
I understand that this used to be a waterfall that people got to visit without paying anything (like at Kipu Falls).
However in matters such as this where it’s really up to the landowners what they want to do (e.g. make at least some money off the attraction or close it off altogether), I guess it was only a matter of time before this one became restricted.
Authorities
To my knowledge, access to Kalihiwai Falls involves crossing through private property. Since I generally don’t keep up with ownership situations, you may have to either go there and read the signs or contact someone beforehand. For information or inquiries about the general area as well as current conditions, you may want to try visiting the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) website.
Kalihiwai Falls is visible from the bridge over the Kalihiwai River on Hwy 56 near the 25-mile post (between the Princeville Airport/Heliport and the turnoff for the Kilauea Lighthouse), about 10 minutes east of Princeville. Princeville was about 30 miles (an hour drive) north of Lihu’e.
At one time it looked like it was possible to park along the Hwy 56 shoulder east of the Kalihiwai River Bridge (there was no opportunity to stop on the bridge). However, due to liability concerns, the state prohibited parking on the shoulders of Hwy 56 so to get outside the no parking signs, we essentially parked about a quarter-mile east of the Kalihiwai River Bridge. At that point, the no parking signs disappear and there is a wide shoulder near the turnoff for Kahiliholo Road. It appeared there were other parking possibilities further east along Highway 56 or on Kahiliholo Road if the wide shoulder might be full.
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