Waimoku Falls

Waimoku Falls is a towering 400-foot single-drop waterfall at the end of the Pipiwai Trail in Haleakala National Park's Kipahulu District, making it the tallest accessible waterfall on Maui. The water drops in a thin, ethereal veil down a sheer lava rock wall into a boulder-strewn grotto surrounded by dense tropical vegetation. The scale is staggering — standing at the base, the top of the falls seems to dissolve into the clouds, and the sound of water hitting rock reverberates through the narrow valley.

The 4-mile round-trip Pipiwai Trail is one of the finest hikes in Hawaii, climbing 700 feet through a landscape that shifts dramatically along the way. Hikers pass the 200-foot Makahiku Falls at the half-mile mark, cross multiple boardwalks over streambeds, and walk through a surreal bamboo forest where towering culms creak and clack in the wind. The final approach through the bamboo cathedral to the base of Waimoku Falls is one of the most memorable trail experiences in the islands.

The Kipahulu District is located on Maui's remote southeastern coast, about 10 miles past Hana on the famous Road to Hana. Arrive before 10 AM to avoid crowds and afternoon rain. The park entrance fee ($30 per vehicle) is valid for three days and covers both the Kipahulu and Summit districts. Do not swim beneath the falls — rockfall from the cliff face is a real danger.