Updated July 2026
Wailua Falls
Wailua Falls is an approximately 113-foot waterfall (often double-stream) that feeds the Wailua River on Kauai's east side. It is viewed from a paved, fully accessible roadside overlook at the end of Maalo Road (Hwy 583), about a 15-minute drive north of Lihue; there is no official trail down to the base.
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 (roadside overlook, Maalo Road / Hwy 583) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Wailua Falls drops about 113 feet. That makes it the 173rd-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 75% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.
Access is documented as roadside. No trail distance is on record for Wailua Falls. The nearest town is Lihue. Confirm access and land status with State of Hawaii (roadside overlook, Maalo Road / Hwy 583) 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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