Are there fees or permits required for Waiānuenue Falls?

No, there are no fees required to visit Waiānuenue Falls.

Is swimming allowed at Waiānuenue Falls?

No, swimming is not allowed at Waiānuenue Falls.

Nearby gauge (Waialae Str) · 12 ft³/s · About average

Waiānuenue Falls

Q: Are dogs allowed at Waiānuenue Falls?

No, dogs are not allowed at Waiānuenue Falls.

Hawaii

By Armen Suny · Last verified Oct 2026

LiDAR & 3D terrain

Before you go

No public trail or access route to this remote Kauaʻi falls is documented.

Photo Credits (5)

Thomas James Caldwell CC BY-ND 2.0 · Flickr

Dingilingi CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 · Flickr

watts_photos CC BY 2.0 · Flickr

timrawle CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 · Flickr

Dingilingi CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 · Flickr

About Waiānuenue Falls

Waiānuenue Falls is a named waterfall on Waiānuenue Stream, a tributary of the Olokele River, in the remote interior of west Kauaʻi about 8 miles north of Kalāheo. It is not the better-known Waiānuenue (Rainbow) Falls in Hilo on Hawaiʻi Island. No trail, viewpoint, height or public access route for this Kauaʻi falls is documented.

Nearby Falls Worth Visiting

Manawaiopuna Falls (400 ft) lies 3.6 miles to the southeast.

Manawaiopuna Falls

Trail & Hike Details

Frequently Asked Questions

🐶 Are Dogs Allowed at Waiānuenue Falls?

❌ Dogs are not allowed

Are There Any Fees or Permits Required?

🆖 No fees required

🏊 Is There Swimming at Waiānuenue Falls?

❌ Swimming is not allowed

When to Visit

spring summer fall winter

Seasonal Access

The best time to visit is Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. Heavy rains during wet season (November through March) bring higher flow but can make trails slippery.

Current Water Conditions

Updated about 1 hour ago Moderate

These readings come from the USGS gauge on Waialae Str, 3.7 miles away, not on Waiānuenue Falls's own stream. Use them as a sign of whether the area is running wet or dry.

12 ft³/s

Current discharge — how much water is flowing

About average for this time of year

Very Low Low Normal High Very High

3 4 23 58

Based on 86 years of record

1.23 ft

Water depth at gauge

7-Day Discharge Trend

What does this mean for your visit?

Flow is about average for this time of year.

About This Gauge

Waialae Str at alt 3,820 ft nr Waimea, Kauai, HI

USGS 16019000

3.7 miles from waterfall

Drainage: 2 sq mi

Altitude: 3,820 ft

7-Day Flow Outlook

Based on the USGS gauge Waialae Str at alt 3,820 ft nr Waimea, Kauai, HI (6 km away).

High confidence

Moderate right now

12 cfs

↓ Falling

Today

Moderate

13 cfs

5/10

Tomorrow

Moderate

16 cfs

5/10

Mon

Moderate

14 cfs

8/10

Tue

Moderate

14 cfs

8/10

Wed

Moderate

14 cfs

8/10

Thu

Moderate

16 cfs

5/10

Fri

Moderate

18 cfs

5/10

Best window: Mon — moderate flow, mostly sunny (trip score 8/10).

Best time of year: this gauge typically runs highest from late March to late April, peaking in December.

How we calculate this

This is a transparent outlook, not a precise forecast. We take the waterfall's current flow strength (how it ranks against its historical normal for today, from the nearest USGS stream gauge), carry that ranking forward along the gauge's seasonal curve, and nudge it for forecast rain. Confidence is highest for the next day or two and falls further out. Always check official conditions and your own judgment before visiting — high flows can be dangerous.

Know when to go.

Get a free email alert when waterfalls near Kalaheo hit peak flow. We only send when conditions are worth the trip — no weekly newsletters, no spam.

Is Waiānuenue Falls Frozen?

Updated about 7 hours ago

Not frozen highs above freezing lately

Waiānuenue Falls is not frozen right now; highs have been above freezing. Yesterday ran 74°F to 63°F.

Days below freezing: 0 of the last 14
Current cold streak: 0 days
Freezing days ahead: 0 of the next 7
Flow: 16 ft³/s

Winter safety. Frozen falls are the one waterfall trip with a documented injury pattern: falling ice, and ice-glazed rock and trail. Wear microspikes, keep well back from the base and from overhangs, and never walk out on ice over moving water.

Estimate from Open-Meteo daily temperatures at the falls, the LiDAR-measured facing direction, and the nearest stream gauge. It is a likelihood, not a report from the trail.

Weather Forecast

The Terrain, Seen by LiDAR

Aircraft-mounted lasers measured this ground to within inches. Trees and buildings are digitally stripped away, leaving the bare shape of the land the water has carved.

Along the line through the falls, the bare ground drops about 465 feet, most of it in one sheer step, the signature of a plunge waterfall. The ground at the falls is roughly 1,944 feet above sea level.

Steep ground runs through the entire stretch: about 186 feet of descent in the 500 feet above the pin and 195 feet in the 500 feet below it. Facing southwest, the falls glow in afternoon and evening light.

Aerial photo of the same ground around Waiānuenue Falls near Kalaheo, Hawaii, for comparison with the lidar view

LiDAR bare-earth terrain around Waiānuenue Falls near Kalaheo, Hawaii, showing about 465 feet of drop, a single sheer drop, facing southwest

Aerial LiDAR bare earth

Drag to compare. The dot marks the waterfall. The frame is about a mile across.

Ground elevation: 1,944 feet; Measured by 1-meter lidar
Drop at the falls: About 465 feet; Change in ground height within ~250 feet of the falls
Faces: Southwest; Glows in afternoon and evening light.