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Kalihiwai Falls
Located within the North Region on Kauai
Kalihiwai Falls
Kalihiwai Falls is a two-tiered waterfall on Kauai's north shore that you can see without leaving your car. No hiking required. Just drive to the bridge over the Kalihiwai River and look up.
Viewing the Falls
The falls are visible from the Kalihiwai Bridge on Highway 56, between Kilauea and Princeville. The best angle is from the bridge when heading toward Princeville (westbound). There used to be a pullout near the bridge, but it has been closed.
Walking across the bridge for a better look is not safe given the narrow road and fast-moving traffic. View from your vehicle or find a safe spot to pull over before or after the bridge.
When to Visit
The falls run best after heavy rain. During dry spells, the flow can thin to a trickle. Kauai's north shore gets plenty of rain, so chances are good during winter and spring months. After a big storm, the falls run wide and powerful.
The falls are on private land, so there is no legal trail access to the base. What you see from the bridge is what you get. Some guided horseback riding and kayak tours in the area pass near the falls for a closer perspective.
Photo Tips
Shoot from the westbound lane side of the bridge for the best framing. Morning light works well since the falls face east. A zoom lens helps pull in detail on the cascades. Overcast skies actually produce better waterfall photos than harsh midday sun.
The falls are just past mile marker 25 on Highway 56 — a smaller unnamed waterfall near the marker comes first, so don't mistake it for the main event. You'll cross the bridge on your way to Princeville and Hanalei. Easy to catch on a north shore day trip.
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Trade winds are strong right now, with high surf hitting the south shore today. Windward areas are seeing frequent showers through the weekend.
South-facing beaches have dangerous surf today through Sunday—stay out of the water unless you're an experienced swimmer. East-facing shores will build rough water by Sunday or Monday. The bigger picture is a tropical system, Fausto, heading our way. It's weakening but should arrive near the islands by Tuesday or Wednesday as a tropical storm or weaker system, bringing strong winds, rough seas, and heavy rain. The exact track is still uncertain, so check the forecast daily.
Get your beach time and water activities in today through early next week on the leeward side, where conditions stay calmer. Be ready to shift plans by midweek when conditions turn rough.
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Windy conditions across Maui right now, with trade winds gusting strong. South-facing shores have high surf today and will see another big swell Saturday and Sunday—the water's dangerous unless you're an experienced ocean swimmer.
Through the weekend, windward areas will get frequent showers while trade winds stay gusty. The bigger picture arrives midweek: Hurricane Fausto is weakening as it moves toward the islands and should reach Maui as a tropical storm or weaker system Tuesday or Wednesday. That'll bring rough seas, strong winds, and heavy rain. Track and timing are still uncertain, so check updates daily.
Hit the leeward beaches and snorkel south Maui coasts today through early next week, but stay out of windward and south-facing waters through Sunday.
0:000:54
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Windy conditions dominate right now with strong trade winds pushing across the island. South-facing shores have high surf today—dangerous water if you're not an experienced swimmer.
Through the weekend, those south shores see another big swell Saturday and Sunday, and east-facing shores will build dangerous conditions by Sunday or Monday. Windward areas get frequent showers. A tropical system—the remnants of Hurricane Fausto—is weakening and headed toward the islands as a tropical storm or weaker system by Tuesday or Wednesday, bringing rough seas, strong winds, and heavy rain midweek. Timing and track are still uncertain, so check updates daily.
Leeward beaches on the Kona side stay your best bet today through early next week, but avoid the water on the windward and south shores through Sunday.
0:000:57
Voice
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Strong trade winds are pushing showers across windward areas through the weekend. On Kauaʻi, expect frequent showers on the windward side.
High surf is running on south-facing shores today and will build again Saturday and Sunday—stay out of the water unless you're an experienced swimmer. East-facing shores will also see dangerous swell by Sunday or Monday. Hurricane Fausto is weakening as it moves toward Hawaii. By Tuesday or Wednesday it should reach the islands as a tropical storm or weaker system, bringing rough seas, strong winds, and heavy rain. Track and timing are still uncertain, so check updates daily through midweek.
Beach time on leeward shores works through early next week. Plan water activities for today, but be ready to shift if Fausto's track becomes clearer—conditions will deteriorate by midweek.
Created with AI from the official NWS forecast discussion · verify with NWS before heading out
Created with AI from this HawaiiGuide page and read by a computer-generated voice. Double-check fees, hours, and reservations on the full page before you head out. Hawaiian pronunciation is tricky for synthesized speech and a few words may land slightly off; mahalo for your patience as we keep refining.
Mele and Kani are computer-generated voice options chosen for clarity and warmth.
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