Updated July 2026
Sacred Falls (Kaliuwaʻa Falls)
Sacred Falls is an 80-foot plunge at the head of Kaliuwaʻa Valley on Oʻahu's windward side. Its state park has been permanently closed since a fatal Mother's Day 1999 rockfall that killed eight people, and the canyon remains legally off-limits due to ongoing rockfall hazard.
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 State Parks for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sacred Falls (Kaliuwaʻa Falls) drops about 80 feet. That makes it the 288th-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 62% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.
Access is documented as backcountry. No trail distance is on record for Sacred Falls (Kaliuwaʻa Falls). The nearest town is Hauʻula. Confirm access and land status with Hawaii DLNR Division of State Parks 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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