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Waialae Falls

Waimea Canyon State Park, Hawaii, USA

About Waialae Falls

Rating: 2
Difficulty: 1
Hiking Distance: roadside or tour
Suggested Time: 60-90 minutes (tour)
Date first visited: 2006-12-23
Date last visited: 2021-11-21
Waterfall Latitude: 22.07428
Waterfall Longitude: -159.60613
Directions: Get to the waterfall
Vicinity: Find nearby waterfalls
Jump to: Photos, Videos, Other Info
Jump to: Comments and Reviews
Waterfall Safety and Common Sense

Waialae Falls (or Wai’alae Falls) is a another tall waterfall nestled deep in Waimea Canyon that we were able to see from the Waimea Canyon Road (Hwy 550).

Even though we were able to see this waterfall from the ground (just barely), our best photos of the falls came from a helicopter tour where we flew pretty close to the falls as well as other falls upstream of it.

Air_Kauai_heli_071_12262006 - Aerial view of Wai'alae Falls
Aerial view of Wai’alae Falls

I think there’s a way to do a long backpacking trek to get closer to the falls, but we had neither the time nor the will to partake in that so we can’t say anything more about that option.

Now even though we were able to see this waterfall from a chopper, it really depends on the helicopter pilot and the route he chooses that will determine how much of the falls you’d get to see (if at all).

Therefore, the photos provided on this page show you what’s possible.

And it was only through the helicopter tour that we were able to tell that it plunged in several distinct leaps.

Waimea_086_12272006 - Very distant view of Wai'alae Falls from the Iliau Nature Loop Trail. I think this is as good as it gets if you're not on a helicopter flight that takes you closer to it
Very distant view of Wai’alae Falls from the Iliau Nature Loop Trail. I think this is as good as it gets if you’re not on a helicopter flight that takes you closer to it

The view we got from terra firma (just barely) was from the Iliau Nature Loop Trailhead (see directions below).

We didn’t go any further than a few paces from its neighboring roadside pullouts, but from this spot, we were able to see just a glimpse of the very top of the Waialae Falls.

As a result, I’m sure a telephoto lens would benefit tremendously in terms of getting a more satisfying photo of the Wai’alae Falls.

This was precisely what I was able to do on our second time coming to Kaua’i in November 2021 (which was nearly 15 years after our first visit in late December 2006).

Waialae_Falls_telephoto_002_11212021 - Using the telephoto lens to bring Waimea Falls closer to view from the Iliau Nature Loop Trailhead
Using the telephoto lens to bring Waimea Falls closer to view from the Iliau Nature Loop Trailhead

Unfortunately during that visit, we were fighting the onset of darkness as we didn’t get around to checking this place out until just after sunset.

Authorities

Waialae Falls resides in Waimea Canyon State Park. 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.

Iliau_Nature_Loop_001_11212021 - On the 'ramp' leading to the Iliau Nature Loop and Kukui Trail looking back towards toe Hwy 550 and some limited roadside pullouts by the road during our late November 2021 visit
Iliau_Nature_Loop_002_11212021 - Another look at the context of the Iliau Nature Loop and Kukui Trailhead relative to the Hwy 550 (Waimea Canyon Road)
Iliau_Nature_Loop_003_11212021 - Fighting the onset of darkness when I returned to the familiar sign at the trailhead of the Iliau Nature Loop and Kukui Trail in late November 2021 visit
Iliau_Nature_Loop_005_11212021 - Familiar broad sweeping look across Waimea Canyon at the very distant Wai'alae Falls in late November 2021 visit
Iliau_Nature_Loop_008_11212021 - Looking back at one branch of the Iliau Nature Loop as seen during our late November 2021 visit
Iliau_Nature_Loop_013_11212021 - Slightly differently positioned look at Wai'alae Falls as seen from the Iliau Nature Loop by the road on my return visit in November 2021
Waialae_Falls_telephoto_004_11212021 - Using the telephoto to get a somewhat cleaner look at the upper drop of Wai'alae Falls in late November 2021
Waialae_Falls_telephoto_011_11212021 - Another telephoto look at the main drop of Wai'alae Falls as seen in late November 2021
Waialae_Falls_telephoto_020_11212021 - This was as zoomed out through the telephoto shot that I was able to get of Wai'alae Falls during our late November 2021 visit
Air_Kauai_heli_076_12262006 - A closer look at Wai'alae Falls by helicopter as seen on our visit in late December 2006
Air_Kauai_heli_045_jx_12262006 - The pretty falls further upstream from the main Wai'alae Falls as seen in late December 2006
Kauai_Inter_Island_heli_011_12222006 - Wai'alae Falls shown in context in late December 2006


The Iliau Nature Loop is between the 8-mile and 9-mile posts along Hwy 550 (Waimea Canyon Road).

This road leaves the Hwy 50 at Waimea, and according to my GPS logs, it was about 8.8 miles north of the Hwy 550/Hwy 50 junction.

Iliau_Nature_Loop_014_11212021 - Looking back at the roadside pullouts nearest to the Iliau Nature Loop and Kukui Trailhead
Looking back at the roadside pullouts nearest to the Iliau Nature Loop and Kukui Trailhead

For geographical context, Waimea was about 18 miles (about 30 minutes drive) west of Koloa / Po’ipu, about 24 miles (over 30 minutes drive) west of Lihu’e, about 32 miles (under an hour drive) west of Kapa’a, and about 53 miles (under 90 minutes drive) southwest of Princeville.

Finally, consult the Manawaiopuna Falls page for driving directions to the helipads corresponding to the helicopter companies we toured with.

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Twilight sweep of the Iliau Nature Loop Trailhead and Wai'alae Falls way in the distance


Brief telephoto sweep of Wai'alae Falls and surrounding area before zooming in and back out on the falls itself

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Tagged with: waimea, waimea canyon, kauai, hawaii, usa, waterfall, waipo'o, waipoo, puu ka pele, na pali, alakai, kalalau, helicopter, iliau



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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.