Updated July 2026
Onomea Falls
Onomea Falls is a multi-tiered waterfall on Onomea Stream within the privately operated Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden on the Hāmākua Coast just north of Hilo. It is viewed along the garden's boardwalk-and-path system through dense tropical plantings (paid admission).
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 Tropical Botanical Garden (private) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
Frequently Asked Questions
No measured height is on record for Onomea Falls in the land-manager and survey sources this inventory draws on. We list it without a height rather than estimating one.
Access is documented as short hike. No trail distance is on record for Onomea Falls. The nearest town is Papaʻikou. Confirm access and land status with Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden (private) before setting out — some documented falls have no public route at all.
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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