Updated July 2026
Punalau Falls
Punalau Falls is a lesser-known waterfall reported at about 100 feet tall, hidden from the road just past mile marker 13 on the Road to Hana on Maui. Reaching it requires a short but slippery 15-to-20-minute scramble along Punalau Stream.
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 State of Hawaii / private (Hana Highway corridor) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Punalau Falls drops about 100 feet. That makes it the 207th-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 73% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.
Access is documented as short hike. No trail distance is on record for Punalau Falls. The nearest town is Keanae. Confirm access and land status with State of Hawaii / private (Hana Highway corridor) 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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