Updated July 2026
Maunawili Falls
Maunawili Falls is a roughly 20-to-30-foot waterfall with a deep swimming pool on the windward side of Oʻahu, reached by an approximately 3-mile round-trip hike through muddy lush jungle. The trail segment crossing private land has been closed, while the portion within the Forest Reserve remains open.
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 DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (Forest Reserve) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Maunawili Falls drops about 25 feet. That makes it the 585th-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 16% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.
The Maunawili Falls Trail reaches it about 3 miles (out-and-back), rated moderate. The nearest town is Kailua. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with Hawaii DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (Forest Reserve) for closures and current conditions.
year-round. Waterfall flow swings enormously with snowmelt and recent rain, so a fall that roars in spring can be a trickle by late summer.
More Hawaii waterfalls
- ʻAkaka Falls · 442 ft
- Alelele Falls · 65 ft
- Hanakāpīʻai Falls · 300 ft
- Hanakoa Falls
- Hanawi Falls · 200 ft
- Hiʻilawe Falls · 1,450 ft
- Hoʻopiʻi Falls · 20 ft
- Kahiwa Falls · 2,165 ft
Sources
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