Makaleha Falls: A Kauai Waterfall Hike

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When it comes to family-friendly hikes in Kauai, I’m not sure I’d put the hike to Makaleha Falls on the list, simply due to that fact that this hike was not well-marked and there was a lot of guess work involved. It involves crossing the stream several times, climbing over rocks and branches, and a lot of second guessing. But, it’s also a lot of fun and ends at one of the best waterfalls in Kauai.

As far as the ability to do it? My kids, ages 10, 9 and 6 at the time, had no issue. It was more the nervousness of us parents, questioning if we were going to end up in the right spot, and if we would be able to find out way back. I had read a lot about this hike, so I knew we’d be in for an adventure. And what an adventure it was!

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Makaleha Falls: Getting There and Best Time to Visit

The Makaleha Falls are in Kapa’a. You’ll find the Makaleha trailhead on Kahuna Road in Kapa’a. There is a small parking lot next to a giant water tank with room for about 4-6 cars. When we visited, there were a few other cars parked, but this was definitely not a very crowded hike. We only saw 2 or 3 other groups during the entire hike.

Do not attempt this hike if there is heavy rain in the forecast!

The Hike to Makaleha Falls and River Crossings

I wish I could give a clear cut map of this trail because finding it and being sure you’re on it is the hardest part of this 5.2-mile roundtrip hike. The hike itself is fairly strenuous. It’s rated intermediate to moderate in difficulty, as you are having to constantly climb over and under branches, climb rocks, cross the stream, deal with muddy terrain, and climb over logs. Again, I went with three kids and we all did fine, but we took our time. It took us about two hours to make it to the falls. Most hikers should plan to spend about 2-3 hours round trip.

You can use the AllTrails+ app and download the trail to help guide you while you’re on it. I didn’t know about that feature when I completed this hike. But I would most definitely use it if we hike to Makaleha Falls again in the future.

Also, water shoes are a good idea here because the mud, wet terrain, and slippery rocks can make the walk especially slippery.

Do Not Hike in Heavy Rain

Because you have to cross the stream several times on the Makaleha Falls trail, it is very important that you check weather conditions. If there is heavy rain in the forecast, you should not attempt this hike. Current trail conditions can become more dangerous during or after heavy rain, with flash flood risk and rising water levels that can lead to flash floods. If the water levels rise and the stream is unable to be crossed, you will be stuck. Please use caution.

The Trail and Bamboo Forest

The hike will follow the Makaleha Stream the entire time to the falls. But, this unmarked route requires you to follow the stream and its track rather than a defined path. Expect multiple river crossings throughout the hike. And that means crossing the river several times through overgrown vegetation. My best advice is to stay close to that when possible. If the trail seems to get worse or starts to feel impossible, it’s probably a good opportunity to cross the stream and see what the other side is like.

There are areas of beautiful, clear trail that you’ll find throughout the hike. That helped to assure us that we were in the right spot, or close to it when we’d find those clear paths. We just had to go through areas of straight tree branches and rocks in between the beautiful clearings.

There were several times during our hike that we questioned if we should turn back. At one point, we saw a few adults who had turned around and were heading back after not reaching the falls. They were tired of guessing, and they needed to get back for a tour they had scheduled.

They told us they had probably gone about 30 minutes further and hadn’t reached the falls. We got to the falls probably 35-40 minutes after passing them. So my message to you is that if you follow the stream and have the time, just keep going. That family was so close! But this is a challenging hike better suited to experienced hikers, and there have been several recent rescues on this route. Please plan carefully and turn around if conditions worsen.

The Falls

The Makaleha falls are absolutely beautiful and are worth the trek, with multiple tiers and a small swimming hole at the base. The water is freezing cold though, so even if you want to swim, be ready for a shock. We had seen pictures of people cliff jumping at this spot, and it’s clearly popular here. But I have no idea how people could get up to the middle tier. I’d love to have seen some people jumping.

My son was able to climb up to one point that he could jump from. Always check the water depth before anyone in your group is going to jump. My husband went in to check the depth and rock situation, and there was one large rock near the spot my son wanted to jump. My husband stood at the point with the rock so that he could mark it, and my son was sure to jump over him to where it was clear.

Note: Never go directly under the waterfall or swim directly beneath it because of falling rocks. Sadly, a woman died shortly after our visit when a rock landed on her from above while she was under the waterfall.

The Hike Back

The hike back was much easier because we were more accustomed to what we’d have to go through, even though the return follows the same unmarked route and stream crossings and can still feel challenging on the way back. We stayed close to the stream, and if it started to look unfamiliar or if the trail became too tough, we’d cross the stream. We were so happy when we saw some familiar landmarks that we remembered from early on in the hike. And when we finally got to the long dirt stretch that leads out toward the parking area from the mountains, we saw another family with teenagers just getting started.

If the hike to Makaleha Falls sounds too rigorous for your crew, be sure to check out the easier hike to Ho’opi’i Falls or the hike to the Secret Falls. Those are other favorites from our recent Kauai trip.

Interested in more? Check out:

• Best Family Resorts in Kauai
• Places to Eat in Kauai That Everyone Will Love
• Best Kauai Beaches for Kids
• Kauai Backcountry Tubing Adventures: What to Know
• 20+ Best Things to do in Poipu

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