‘Akaka Falls State Park – The Big Island, Hawai’i

Matt & I spent four days on The Big Island, and we stayed on the east side of the island in Hilo. Hilo is the perfect location for exploring the lush part of the island. ‘Akaka Falls state park was one of our first stops. It’s just under 30 minutes away from the heart of Hilo. ‘Akaka Falls is so beautiful we visited twice, check out why we loved it so much!

‘Akaka Falls State Park Quick Info

⋙ ADMISSION TO ‘AKAKA FALLS STATE PARK: $5 per car, or $1 per person for pedestrians
⋙ HOURS OF ADMISSION: The parking area is technically only open from 8:30 am to 6 pm. However, you can walk in still from sunrise to sunset, which I highly recommend. We went for sunrise and it was magical.
⋙ IT’S POPULAR: Chances are you won’t be alone here, but the earlier you go, the fewer people you’ll see. When we went for sunrise in 2016, we only saw one other couple.
⋙ WATERFALL HEIGHT: This stunner of a waterfall is a massive 422 feet tall!
⋙ TRAIL INFO: At .4 miles, this loop trail is quick and it’s very easy. The trail is surrounded by lush tropical plants and super stunning.
⋙ DON’T FORGET TRAVEL INSURANCE: We don’t go on big trips without Travel Insurance, especially because we know how easy it is to have accidents or emergencies abroad. We love World Nomads!

Our first stop on the Island was ‘Akaka Falls State Park. We were jet-lagged, so we were up & ready before 6am. ‘Akaka Falls is located just over 10 miles away from Hilo, so it just seemed like the perfect start to the day. While the park does have hours and parking area is gated off until the park is open, we parked on the street and walked in along with some other visitors. I’m glad that we were up this early because it made for some great lighting (although, it’s even better right as the sun is rising because the whole waterfall is shaded).

When you walk into the state park they have a paved loop trail that totals in just .4 miles. That’s right, you can see this magnificent waterfall in just .4 miles! The sign when you walk in recommends that you start the loop to the right. The rebels we are, we chose to go left first. Left is the most direct route to the falls, but I would have to say that I think they were correct in the best way to go. You get an almost immediate view of the waterfall, which looked beautiful from here, but it is spectacular up close.

 Walking along this hike, even though it was short, was full of absolutely amazing natural beauty! There are wild orchids growing all over this area along with loads of other flowers like hibiscus and other tropical plants. A stream cuts right through the park making some other cascades as it flows along not to mention amazingly peaceful sounds. Visiting early, early made it even more peaceful because we saw a grand total of five people here during both visits.

The thing  I loved, coming from the left, is that you hear the sound of ‘Akaka Falls well before you see it and you round a corner and you’re right there up close and personal so it’s more of a surprise!

‘Akaka Falls is a stunning 442 foot waterfall that totally blew me away with its beauty. Another amazing thing about this waterfall is that it is a free-falling cascade meaning as it falls over the cliff, it doesn’t hit other rocks on the way down, it simply falls into the pool below. One of my favorite things about this waterfall (which is more than twice the height of a fall as Niagara Falls) is the beautiful, lush greens surrounding it. It feels so much more earthy and wild. We soaked up the gentle, light roar of the water as it flowed.

I love being able to witness the amazing power of nature – especially water

If you take the recommended route you have a couple of pros. First of all, you pass the significantly less impressive 100 foot Kahuna Falls – part of what makes it less impressive is that you don’t get an unobstructed view. Also, you do get a pretty cool view of ‘Akaka Falls as you walk up to it.

Not too shabby, right?

The hike all around is a treasure-trove of amazingly beautiful plant-life. Be sure to soak up your surroundings because there is a ton to see.

I truly think that if you’re on the Big Island you shouldn’t miss this beautiful waterfall. It has this really unique, lush beauty to it and even though the hike is short it’s so full of nature that you just can’t help but get swept away in all of its beauty.

LOOKING FOR A TOUR TO TAKE YOU TO ‘AKAKA FALLS?

This tour takes you through Waipio Valley to a few different waterfalls. One of the waterfalls is a private one that has been a filming location in several movies and you get to swim there too! There’s something so magical about swimming at the base of a waterfall. Plus, taking a tour takes the stress off you, especially if you’re tight on time or don’t have a rental car.

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