Secret Falls (Uluwehi Falls)

Wailua River State Park, Hawaii, USA

About Secret Falls (Uluwehi Falls)

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Waterfall Safety and Common Sense

Secret Falls (Uluwehi Falls) is a very popular waterfall requiring some form of water transport to get to the trailhead, which made this a rather unique experience compared to most of the waterfalls we’ve visited over the years.

We visited this waterfall twice – once in late December 2006 that involved a canoe ride leaving from the Kamokila Hawaiian Village and then in November 2021 where we kayaked from the Wailua River State Park marina.

Secret_Falls_022_12232006 - Secret Falls or Uluwehi Falls
Secret Falls or Uluwehi Falls

Since the falls was said to be 100ft, we figured that it was enough of a motivating factor for us to go through the adventure to get here.

And we were apparently not alone in this thinking because both times we’ve been here, the hike as well as frolicking at the plunge pool for Secret Falls were busy.

I guess Uluwehi Falls wasn’t so “secret” after all!

Water Transport to the Secret Falls Trailhead

This adventure involved doing a river kayak (a very popular option) or canoe up the Wailua River to the trailhead.

To my knowledge, there wasn’t a legal way to just hike to Uluwehi Falls without the need for using some form of water transport.

Secret_Falls_010_jx_12232006 - Looking past our canoe at the Kamokila Hawaiian Village towards other people kayaking on the Wailua River
Looking past our canoe at the Kamokila Hawaiian Village towards other people kayaking on the Wailua River

When we first did this excursion with the Kamokila Hawaiian Village, they offered us a canoe ride where both Julie and I rode together and were rowed by a non-Polynesian employee with a thick pidgin accent.

That part of the excursion probably took about 15 very relaxing minutes from the Kamokila Hawaiian Village, which was probably the closest or shortest water route to the start of the hike to Secret Falls.

I think that was the closest put in point on the Wailua River to paddle on the river to get to the trailhead for the falls.

After we landed our canoe, we were then left on our own to do an unescorted hike to the falls (we agreed on a meeting time back at this spot, which was in about two hours, I believe).

Wailua_River_kayak_003_iPhone_11202021 - On our tandem kayak as we were leaving the Wailua River State Park marina and going into the Wailua River itself
On our tandem kayak as we were leaving the Wailua River State Park marina and going into the Wailua River itself

When we came back to visit Secret Falls on our second go around, we booked a kayak tour (with Duke’s Kayak Adventures) where we started from the Wailua River State Park marina near the mouth of the Wailua River by Kapa’a.

From there, we kayaked (two people max per kayak) for roughly 2.2 miles before pulling our kayaks up along the banks of the North Fork Wailua River a short distance west of its confluence with the South Fork.

According to my notes, it took us a little over an hour to paddle upstream (my daughter and I didn’t exactly paddle in rhythm), and roughly 50 minutes to paddle downstream back to the marina.

The kayaking can be smooth and liberating if you’re by yourself or if you’re paddling in unison with your partner.

Wailua_River_kayak_170_11202021 - Looking back at the parked kayaks at the start (or end) of the hiking portion of the adventure to Secret (Uluwehi) Falls
Looking back at the parked kayaks at the start (or end) of the hiking portion of the adventure to Secret (Uluwehi) Falls

However, it could also be tiring if you and your partner just can’t paddle in unison (which was the case with my daughter and I, and she was blaming me for slacking!).

Given how easy it was for the front paddler to splash water towards the back, there’s a high likelihood of getting wet (even soaked) so having a dry bag is definitely a good idea if you’re bringing something that can’t get wet.

Our tour actually provided pretty hefty 40L dry bags, but we did bring our own 20L dry bag to at least protect expensive camera equipment like the Sony A7 3 mirrorless camera that I was wielding at the time.

It was also good to have the smart phone dry bags that they sold in Hawaii, which were way higher quality than the ones we found on Amazon (which didn’t even pass the bathtub test).

Hiking to Secret Falls

Wailua_River_kayak_006_11202021 - Hiking among Buffalo Grass along the eastern banks of the North Fork Wailua River before eventually reaching the river crossing
Hiking among Buffalo Grass along the eastern banks of the North Fork Wailua River before eventually reaching the river crossing

Once we were done with the water transport portion of the excursion, then we had to hike the rest of the way to Secret Falls.

On our first time doing this, the canoe paddler dropped us off immediately at a rope-assisted crossing of the North Fork Wailua River.

During our December 2006 visit, the water got up to Julie’s upper thighs at its deepest point so I can imagine how the hike could be dangerous under higher water conditions (especially if flash floods are threatening).

When we kayaked to our put out point, it was actually a little further downstream from where I remembered where Kamokila dropped us off.

Wailua_River_kayak_008_11202021 - The kayak groups traversing an open and wide part of the North Fork Wailua River
The kayak groups traversing an open and wide part of the North Fork Wailua River

In this instance, we docked in a pretty wide open area, then hiked for roughly 0.2-mile along the banks of the river through some invasive Buffalo Grass that seemed to have taken over the island.

Then, we reached a fairly wide crossing of the North Fork Wailua River, where the water only got as high as my lower knee at its deepest point.

If you somehow didn’t get wet during the kayak, this river crossing for sure would get you wet, and it’s why we wore Keens (though sports sandals or water shoes should work) for this hike.

Once we were on the other side of the river, then we followed a pretty well-used trail that went over roots and rocks as well as some more fields of Buffalo Grass.

Wailua_River_kayak_034_11202021 - The group hiking on a narrow boardwalk en route to Secret Falls. I never recalled having this boardwalk when we first came here back in December 2006
The group hiking on a narrow boardwalk en route to Secret Falls. I never recalled having this boardwalk when we first came here back in December 2006

Eventually, after about another 0.2-mile from the crossing of the North Fork Wailua River, we then started to encounter a boardwalk, which I never recalled being there during our 2006 visit.

For almost the next 3/4-mile, the path alternated between conventional (albeit muddy) trail and narrow boardwalk where squeezing past hikers going in the opposite direction can get a little tricky.

Towards the end of the boardwalk section, there was a concrete column where it was said that some flash flooding that have gone through here can actually inundate that structure!

Beyond the boardwalk, the trail then pretty much crossed a couple of minor streams fronting a small waterfall (said to also be called “King’s Pool”) before climbing up a semi-steep hill then making one final crossing of the Uluwehi Stream.

Secret_Falls_007_12232006 - Crossing a stream in front of this small cascade as we got closer to Secret Falls
Crossing a stream in front of this small cascade as we got closer to Secret Falls

Finally, after ducking some trees and watching our step on roots and rocks, the trail finally ended at an elevated bank before the large plunge pool fronting the Secret Falls.

We were given some time to scramble down to the level of the stream and even have a swim (some opted to swim beneath and behind the falls) while others were content to have a picnic and watch the action.

Once we had our fill of Uluwehi Falls, we then hiked back the way we came to get back to our awaiting canoe or kayaks to end off the hiking portion, which was roughly 1.4 miles in each direction (or 2.8 miles round-trip).

That said, I swore that when we first did this excursion with Kamokila Hawaiian Village, the hike was more like 2 miles round-trip.

Secret_Falls_040_12232006 - Secret Falls or Uluwehi Falls was very popular and quite a busy spot to cool off
Secret Falls or Uluwehi Falls was very popular and quite a busy spot to cool off

Overall, our kayak tour went from a 7am meeting time and ended by 12:30pm, while our canoe ride and hike probably took roughly half that time since we didn’t have to go as far.

Authorities

Secret Falls resides in Wailua River State Park in the island of Kauai, Hawaii. 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.

Maps and Routing Content are for annual subscribers. See Membership Options.
Content is for subscribers. See Membership Options.
Tagged with: wailua river, kamokila, opaekaa, secret falls, uluwehi, kayak, canoe, fern grotto, kauai, hawaii, waterfall, kapaa



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Johnny Cheng

About Johnny Cheng

Johnny Cheng is the founder of the World of Waterfalls and author of the award-winning A Guide to New Zealand Waterfalls. Over the last 2 decades, he has visited thousands of waterfalls in over 40 countries around the world and nearly 40 states in the USA.
Read More About Johnny | A Guide to New Zealand Waterfalls.