Waterfall Record

This is a portion of a waterfall with a rainbow.

The Waterfall Record

Waimea Falls, Hawaii

Waimea Falls is a 45 foot / 14 meter tall waterfall on the Hawaiian Island of Oahu. The falls is probably 20 feet / 6 meters wide. When we visited, there was a lot of water flowing as it had consistently rained for days.
Waimea Falls in March 2021

Quick Facts

Accessibility: 9/10 (easy)
Height: 45′ / 14 m
Length of Hike: 1.9 miles / 3.1 km round-trip

The Record

Waimea Valley, located on the North Shore of Oahu, is a beautiful park with an entrance fee to explore its botanical gardens and trails. The main attraction at the end of the walk is the stunning Waimea Falls. Our visit to this famous spot was shaped entirely by the weather. We arrived on the island during a week of near-constant rain. Many roads around Oahu were partially flooded, making driving an adventure in itself.

One day, we finally got a small break in the weather and decided to make the drive to Waimea Valley, guessing (correctly) that the waterfall would be a sight to see. Because of all the rain, the falls were in absolute full force. Instead of the gentle cascade often seen in photos, it was a thunderous torrent of water, a truly impressive display of nature’s power.

However, that same rain meant our experience was different from most. The sheer volume of water had unfortunately damaged some of the trails and the area closest to the falls. The normal viewing and swimming area was closed off for safety. We had to view the waterfall from a bridge set further back, which, while offering a great view of the powerful flow, prevented us from getting as close as one usually can. Seeing Waimea Falls in such a raw and mighty state was a unique experience, even if it had to be appreciated from a bit of a distance.

Directions

  1. The Waimea Valley park is on the northwest side of Oahu along Hawaii Route 83.
  2. From Honolulu, you’d head north toward Haleiwa. I won’t list a complete set of steps here. GPS will do better here.
  3. Pupukea is northeast of Haleiwa. The park is found just south of Pupukea.
  4. There is a parking area available and an entrance fee is charged. I would guess that entry could be purchased online beforehand.
  5. From the parking area, there is a hike to view the falls, but you are constantly surrounded by beautiful scenery, so you might not even notice you’ve hiked for 1-2 miles!

Where in the World is Waimea Falls?

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