Maunawili Falls

About Maunawili Falls

Maunawili Falls is in Maunawili, near Kailua on Oahu. We found no official height or stream name. Hawaii Magazine (2023) says the falls flow 20 feet into a pond.

DLNR's Division of Forestry and Wildlife closed the old trailhead near the Maunawili Estates subdivision on July 15, 2021. Its notice said the closure was expected to last two years while a master plan was prepared for the area.

The closure followed advice from a cultural consultant. DLNR said Honua Consulting found heiau, irrigated and dryland farming terraces, and ʻauwai, or irrigation channels, across the valley.

Na Ala Hele, the state trail program, now says work is underway to realign the trail to protect the valley's natural and cultural resources. It gives no reopening date for the private-land section.

Getting there and parking

Reach Maunawili Falls from the Pali Highway overlook, where a drop-off is advised, because Na Ala Hele says the Maunawili Estates trailhead is closed.

The closed Maunawili Estates trailhead

The trailhead at the end of Maunawili Road is closed, Na Ala Hele says. The part of the Maunawili Falls Trail that crosses private land is temporarily closed too. There is no exit through the private land, so you must go back the way you came.

We found no reservation, permit or managed-access system in any official source. If you see a booking system advertised for the falls, check it against DLNR before you rely on it.

Pali Highway overlook (drop-off advised)

Na Ala Hele's open route starts on the Maunawili Trail, also known as the Maunawili Demonstration Trail. The start is the scenic overlook just past the hairpin turn on the Pali Highway.

Official parking guidance conflicts. The Maunawili Falls Trail page says long-term parking is not permitted at the overlook and hikers must be dropped off. The Maunawili Trail page says vehicles may park in this area for only two hours.

The round trip to the falls takes longer than two hours, so plan to be dropped off and picked up.

Waimānalo end of the Maunawili Trail

Na Ala Hele lists a second access point on Waikupanaha Street in Waimānalo, with a gravel parking area. The Maunawili Trail is 10 miles long, though, and the falls junction is near the Pali Highway end.

Map and nearby falls

Maunawili Trail from the Pali Highway

The open route to Maunawili Falls is about 6 miles round trip, out and back, on the Maunawili Trail and the Maunawili Falls Connector.

Route from the Pali Highway

Na Ala Hele's directions: hike about two miles on the Maunawili Trail to the Maunawili Falls Connector junction. Follow the Connector about one mile to another junction, then take the trail going down to the falls.

At that last junction, do not continue forward, because the trail leads onto closed private land. Na Ala Hele's route notes describe a signed junction where the Maunawili Falls Trail drops down a side ridge to the falls.

Distance and difficulty

Those figures add up to about 3 miles each way, or about 6 miles round trip. Hawaii Magazine's 2023 writer covered about 7 miles out-and-back, taking about 2 hours each way. The writer described slippery mud, steep muddy stairs and slippery stream rocks near the falls.

Na Ala Hele gives no difficulty rating for the falls trail. It calls the 10-mile Maunawili Trail a good family trail, with about 500 feet of elevation. On the falls section, it lists sudden drop-offs, flash floods, stream crossings, narrow trail and slippery rocks.

Leashed dogs are allowed on both trails, and Na Ala Hele asks you to remove dog waste. Camping, hunting, alcohol, open fires and commercial use are prohibited on the falls trail.

Rescues

The Honolulu Fire Department reported two rescues on what it called the Maunawili Falls Trail in 2024. In March, crews airlifted a 15-year-old who fell about 15 feet near the waterfall. In July 2024, HFD airlifted an injured 32-year-old hiker.

If you want a Honolulu falls with an open trailhead, see Mānoa Falls. Lulumahu Falls, also on Oahu, needs a DLNR reservation and permit.

When to visit

There's no seasonal schedule here, because the closure is tied to trail realignment rather than the season. Check the Na Ala Hele trail page for any change before you plan a trip.

Watch the weather over the mountains. Na Ala Hele lists flash floods as a hazard on the falls trail. Its hiking-safety guidance says mountain rain can raise a stream suddenly, even if it looks dry where you are.

Crowds have been reported differently on the two routes. On the Pali Highway route, Hawaii Magazine's writer saw no other hikers for about 90 minutes in 2023. At the old Estates trailhead, a neighborhood association member told Hawaii News Now in 2021 that about 1,000 people came each weekend.

Safety and swimming

Maunawili Falls FAQ

Nearby waterfalls

• 
  Lulumahu Falls2 mi straight-lineOpen

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• 
  Mānoa Falls2 mi straight-lineOpen

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• 
  Waimano Falls11 mi straight-lineUnconfirmed
• 
  Waimea Falls27 mi straight-lineOpen

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