wayside park

Lower Pua’a Ka’a Falls, Hawaii

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Lower Pua’a Ka’a Falls in March 2012

It just so happens that I just recently posted about Lower Pua’a Ka’a Fall’s brother, Upper Pua’a Ka’a Falls. So I’m going to direct you there to read more about the Hana Highway.

I will mention a few reasons you might want to visit Lower Pua’a Ka’a Falls. First, you’re in Hawaii, and even the smallest waterfall can be scenic and picturesque! Second, this is an extremely easy-to-visit waterfall. Getting to the Upper Falls requires a little more effort, but this can be viewed quickly after parking. (I don’t remember if it can be seen from the road.) Third, while some of the waterfalls along the Hana Highway are highly visible, it is not always easy to stop. In this case it is. This isn’t a very tall waterfall (at about 15-20′ or so), so some might quickly pass it by, but I think it’s still worth a short stop.

Directions:

  1. Start your journey along the Highway to Hana, heading east along the road toward Hana.
  2. Once you’re on the official road, watch the road mile markers. You’ll find the wayside between miles 22 and 23.
  3. I don’t remember which side parking was on, but both falls will be on the south side of the road, so head that direction (you’ll be heading upstream). You should see the lower falls very quickly.

Accessibility: 10/10 (Easy)
Height: ~15′
Length of Hike: Negligible

Where in the World is Lower Pua’a Ka’a Falls?

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Kadunce River Falls, Minnesota

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I recently mentioned a waterfall that I couldn’t remember. In the case of Kadunce River Falls, I do remember the waterfall, but what I don’t remember is why I didn’t continue further along the trail. I know I visited the first significant drop along the river, but there are at least three other drops along the river, including one which the authors of the book I used dubbed Heart of the Earth Falls.

It could be that the authors of “Waterfalls of Minnesota’s North Shore”, the Wallingas, mentioned there were steep canyon walls? (It’s a question.) I don’t really remember, but I’m not a fan of big drops, so I might have turned around. I’ve done that before, though usually the drops are much larger in magnitude. Instead, it could be that I was just really tired by that point. I did take this photo later in the day, and had visited MANY waterfalls previous to this one. It may have also been that I had wandered further but hadn’t found what I expected to find. I’m guessing it was some combination of all three, though most likely the tired factor.

Just getting to the base of this waterfall required a lot of effort. I remember being worn out and sweaty after this one waterfall. It’s maybe 70′ to the base, and it’s rather steep, though more manageable than one might expect. There’s a cool and creepy cave right next to the falls. It was a lot of work to see a ~10′ waterfall, but I was determined to have a photo of something. This also gives me a reason to go back and check out more waterfalls along the North Shore. (I really want to go in the fall when the leaves are changing!)

Directions:

  1. From Grand Marais, continue just over 9 miles northeast along MN-61 to the Kadunce River State Wayside.
  2. If headed northeast, the wayside will be on your right. You will then need to cross MN-61 to reach the trail.
  3. The total trail length is about 1 mile one-way to see all of the falls, if I understand correctly. This first waterfall might be about 0.3 miles in…

Accessibility: 2/10 (to get to base, it’s very slippery, though possible…Be careful!)
Height: 10′
Length of Hike: 0.6 miles round-trip

Kadunce River Falls in May 2010

Where in the World is Kadunce River Falls?

Long Shoals, South Carolina

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The Long Shoals Wayside Park is a nice place to stop and take a break while driving through northern South Carolina. The “waterfall” isn’t extremely exciting, but the scenery is beautiful. Exploring Little Estatoe Creek is fun to do, as the shoals are more photogenic than expected. When I visited in early March, there were pools of water with some amphibian eggs that looked very cool. I also saw people fishing in the creek.

After visiting again in March 2017, I realized that getting down to the Long Shoals requires slightly bit more effort than I remember. It’s not a long hike, but you do have to follow a downhill trail to get to the falls. (There might be another trail that leads down to the shoals that is a bit easier to use.)

Directions:

  1. The wayside park is found in northwestern South Carolina on SC-11 between Keowee-Toxaway State Park and Table Rocks State Park.
  2. If you’re driving east, the park will be on your right.

Accessibility: 9/10 (easy)
Height: 15′
Length of Hike: 0.1 mi RT

Long shoals

Long Shoals in March 2009

long shoals 2

Long Shoals in March 2017

Where in the World is Long Shoals?