Updated July 2026
Hanakāpīʻai Falls
A roughly 300-foot plunge at the head of Hanakāpīʻai Valley on Kauai's Nāpali Coast, reached only by the rugged 8-mile round-trip hike along the Kalalau Trail from Keʻe Beach.
Before you go
Waterfalls are hazardous by nature — wet rock, cold water, and unstable edges — and flow varies enormously with season and recent rain. Trail figures here describe the route as documented, not conditions today. Check Hawaii Division of State Parks (Nāpali Coast State Wilderness Park) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Hanakāpīʻai Falls drops about 300 feet. That makes it the 45th-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 94% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.
The Kalalau Trail to Hanakāpīʻai Falls reaches it about 8 miles (out-and-back) with roughly 2,400 feet of elevation gain, rated strenuous. The nearest town is Hāʻena. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with Hawaii Division of State Parks (Nāpali Coast State Wilderness Park) for closures and current conditions.
No best-season window is documented for Hanakāpīʻai Falls. As a general rule, waterfall flow peaks with spring snowmelt and after sustained rain, and drops sharply in late summer.
More Hawaii waterfalls
- ʻAkaka Falls · 442 ft
- Alelele Falls · 65 ft
- Hanakoa Falls
- Hanawi Falls · 200 ft
- Hiʻilawe Falls · 1,450 ft
- Hoʻopiʻi Falls · 20 ft
- Kahiwa Falls · 2,165 ft
- Kahuna Falls · 100 ft
Sources
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