Home / Hawaii Waterfalls / Lulumahu Falls
Lulumahu Falls
Lulumahu Falls stands tall and
tucked away up the Pali Hwy. The trick
to seeing this beautiful Oahu waterfall is actually finding it! And that is only half your battle, as it's located on private property as well. The waterfall is located near the
Kaniakapupu Ruins, King
Kamehameha III’s summer home. What makes Lulumahu
Falls one of the best
Oahu waterfalls, is its impressive height and
adventure getting
there.
Getting to the waterfall
Disclaimer – all Oahu hikes have different challenges and hazards that can be dangerous and may cause injury. Know your fitness and skill level before embarking on any hike. Stay on trails and obey posted signs. The information on this site is for your reading pleasure only. Hike at your own risk.
Hike Details
Elevation 900 Feet
Length 1.5 Miles Round Trip
Duration 90 Minutes
Terrain Jungle, Stream, Rocks, Mud
Difficulty Medium
Be warned, it’s no easy journey getting to Lulumahu Falls, and technically located on private government property, and considered trespassing!
This unsanctioned Oahu hiking trail will take you on an adventure
through old hunting grounds, a dense bamboo forest, up concrete steps
in the middle of nowhere, along the Nu’uanu Reservoir, through a
stream, across giant rocks, and alas
an amazing 50 ft plus waterfall!
The adventure starts at the end of the Old Pali Road, where the
highway meets back up. There are a couple entry points in this
area. The first entrance is walking through a big hole in the
fence at
the water supply board. Make sure you read all trespassing signs
and be warned, before preceding the hole
on the side.
There is also an old hunting station that marks the start of this Oahu hike to the Lulumahu Falls, around the corner off the Pali Hwy.
The hunting trail narrows and winds until you reach the stairs. The Honolulu Water Board Supply gate starts off on a road with lots of bamboo towering above. The further you travel down the path the narrower it becomes. You will notice the bamboo starting to close in as the trail narrows.
About a 100 yards down, start looking for a path
that branches off on the left hand side.
This will lead you to a
set of mysterious stone steps. Climb them and you see that they
lead to an old reservoir. Then follow the dirt trail on top towards the mountains.
Walk past
the graffitied wall and around the fenced water pump, and look for a
2nd set of stone stairs. Up top
you will find another trail that will leads you forward towards
Lulumahu Falls.
This part of the path will shortly end when it meets up with another
section of the old water supply structure, where the stream meets
up, and water drops off 10 ft into a small pool.
If there’s an easy part to this
Oahu hiking trail…it’s over! From here
the journey
continues up river, hoping rocks and trying to walk along thin pathways
of
dirt.
Look for ribbons tied to trees, which will help direct you to better position the side you’ll want to be on. Be careful to not follow some ribbons that lead high into the hillside…stay closer to the stream.
The only way to get up to the waterfall is traveling slowly up stream. If it’s raining or recently had heavy rainfall, do not attempt this
hike this area, as the stream can turn into a rushing river, and can
become
very dangerous to travel through or alongside it.
The Waterfall
It takes about 15 minutes traveling up stream, until you reach the
Hawaiian waterfall.
Make it up the stream, and you’ll have a
grand 50 ft plus waiting for you tucked away
in the middle of nowhere.
There are very
few Oahu waterfalls that you can hike to that deliver
impressive
heights…and Lulumahu Falls is quite
impressive!
This Hawaiian waterfall has a beautiful presence, as it sits back in a narrow canyon with vines cascading down the walls, and narrow light shining from above. Avoid scaling the walls or climbing to the top of the waterfall. It is dangerous and can result in serious injury or other consequences.
It rains quite often in the Pali region, and the mountains are
continuously soaked. It seems that Lulumahu Falls has endless
supply of water cascading down the cliff. That said, this
waterfall only leaves a small pool of water behind.
Getting There from Waikiki
By Car
From Waikiki, take the H-1 Freeway and headed west…
Take the Pali Hwy (Hwy 61)
Take the Old Pali Road exit (Nuuanu Pali Dr)
Follow the Old Pali Road until it loops back onto the Pali Hwy.
Park off to the side of the road
The Board of Water Supply gate is located in this area, while the
hunters entrance gate is about 30 yards up the Pali Hwy.
By Oahu Bus
Take the number 20 bus from Waikiki to the Aloha Tower. Transfer onto the 57 downtown (at Aloha Tower) towards Kailua. Get off at the end of Nuuanu Pali Dr, where the Pali Hwy meets back up.
Look for the Board of Water Supply gate located on the south side of the road, or walk 30 yards up the side of the Pali Hwy, and look for the old hunting gate entrance.
3 More Amazing Waterfalls
Here are 3 additional Oahu Waterfalls that you might want to consider hiking to after this one...
Oahu Map
Oahu hiking recommendations and tips
- Good hiking shoes
- Fully Charged Cell Phone
- A light hooded rain jacket
- Mosquito repellent
- Camera
- Water & snack
- A buddy to travel with
Parking: unfortunately there are a lot of car break-ins in this area (mainly at the Pali Lookout). Thieves are looking for easy targets, and visible valuables. Do not leave ANYTHING unattended in your vehicle!
You might also want to consider visiting Lulumahu Falls earlier in the morning to help avoid any occurrences.
In the Area
Pali Lookout
Drive a little further up the highway and check out the famous Pali
Lookout, where
King Kamehameha fought one of his final battles in the tall
cliffs.
Today you can visit the lookout and admire one of the most amazing views of the Windward Coast…that is if the whipping winds don’t blow you off the mountainside.
Kaniakapupu Ruins
Better known as King Kamehameha III summer home, these ruins are close to the Lulumahu Falls entrance. The Kaniakapupu Ruins are a nice bonus and an incredible find! There’s not much left to the 1847 structure, but a strong presence where 10,000 Hawaiian once gathered.
Lanikai Beach
Continue your journey down the Pali Hwy, and explore the beautiful
Windward Coast which you'll admire from lookout. Lanikai Beach and
Kailua Beach are two of the most beautiful Oahu
beaches on the
island!
It shouldn't take you more than 15 minutes to reach these amazing waters.
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