ʻAkaka Falls State Park

Akaka Falls State Park sits on the windward (eastern) side of Hawaiʻi Island in the Hilo area and contains one of the island’s most-visited waterfalls, which drops into a rainforest gorge.

The central attraction is a single vertical fall that plunges into a deep pool below; two paved viewing platforms on a roughly 0.4-mile (0.6 km) loop trail give closeup and elevated viewpoints. The trail passes native ohia and ferns and also provides views of a smaller waterfall upstream.

The falls and surrounding land were set aside for public use and conservation as part of Hawaii’s system of state parks; the site has long been known in native oral tradition and later became a roadside attraction after the development of the Hilo-Hamakuapoko road.

The park lies north of Hilo on the island of Hawaiʻi, adjacent to the village of Honomu and the Hāmākua Coast. It is commonly visited on drives between Hilo and the north-coast towns.

• Best time for flow: The waterfall drops into a deep, fern-lined gorge; best flow and dramatic photos follow periods of heavy rain.
• Access and approach: The trail is short and paved but can be slippery when wet; the nearest town is Honomu and the park is commonly visited on day trips from Hilo.

What to See #

• Loop trail and viewpoints: A short paved loop trail of roughly 0.4 miles (about 0.6 km) winds through moist tropical forest and leads to two main viewing platforms above the falls.
• Kahuna Falls (upstream): A smaller waterfall upstream that is visible from the trail and often noted on park signage and maps.