Beautiful Akaka Falls State Park: Hilo’s Epic Waterfall Experience

Each time we visit Akaka Falls State Park it’s just as beautiful as the last. One of the easiest and tallest waterfalls to visit in Hawaii, Akaka Falls is a gem on the Hilo side of the Big Island. With beautiful views, natural and manicured botanical garden-like areas and a great hike (a short one, don’t worry) you’ll love visiting. Something that keeps us returning to Akaka Falls State Park is just how easy it is to add to our plans.

We’ve got the details one what to expect at Aakaka Falls State Park, things to do and how to add it to your time in Hilo and on the Hamakua Coast. If you haven’t been yet, add this to your list of must-see spots on the Big Island, and if you have any questions about visiting Akaka Falls or other waterfalls spots, leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help YOU plan a great Aloha trip!

Highlights of Akaka Falls State Park

Even though Akaka Falls isn’t one you can swim in, it’s got all the winning characteristics of an epic Hawaiian waterfall. Being the tallest waterfall on the Big Island that you can drive to, at 442 feet tall, its sight alone is worth the trip but then the actual hike around the valley is the icing on the cake. If you’re not able to do the hike, you can view Akaka Falls from the parking area, but not fully or very well.

So the big highlight of visiting Akaka Falls State Park from Hilo really is the actual journey to the main waterfall lookout. Starting from the parking area, the hike is on a fully paved trail down along the valley wall and through a beautiful ravine. It’s full of flowers and epic tropical trees and bamboo, and then it continues on with an opportunity to check out a second waterfall before making the final stretch to the most beautiful, unobstructed view of Akaka Falls. It’s one of the most gorgeous sights on the Big Island and checks all the boxes for what you expect of a tropical Hawaiian waterfall.

The walk back up from the final viewpoint is just as beautiful as the valley hike when you first started your Akaka Falls journey. I think the flowers and vegetation on the last leg of the hike is actually my favorite, and for flower photography, you’d be hard pressed to find a better place to capture photos of ginger and heliconia on the Big Island.

Tips for a Great Waterfall Visit

Mid to late morning is the best time to visit Akaka Falls State Park. I love the morning light on the waterfall and streaming through the jungly forest, also it’s not too hot here early in the day. In the afternoon the sun has fully passed over the falls and you get glare and flares in your photos and eyes, but it’s still pretty. Any time of day the walk through the valley is great, but the morning really is best.

Depending on how fast you walk and how good of shape you’re in, visiting Akaka Falls State Park will take at minimum 30 minutes, and likely 90 minutes. The hike isn’t hard, but if you’re like me you are extra cautious about your knees AND you take full advantage of the beautiful views for photography and just being immersed in the nature of the Big Island. The trail has both stairs and paved paths which typically aren’t too slick, but down in the forest area when it’s a wet day, it can be a little slippery, so just proceed with caution.

Now, this may sound counterintuitive, especially after I talked about slippery trails, but a great time to visit Akaka Falls in during or right after a good rain. The falls will be flowing more and the moodiness of the whole valley completely changes. I think it’s even more pretty when there is extra moisture in the air!

Being Prepared for Akaka Falls State Park

You know me and what I’m always going to say first: be sure to wear sturdy sandal, like Keens, or close toed shoes. Even though the pathways are paved and in great condition, I think the traction for hiking here is important. The complete loop trail is only a half mile in total but we usually walk it two times if the weather is changing or if there were lots of people on the trail the first time. It’s easy enough and worth the second go-round.

For sure, bring your camera when you come to Akaka Falls State Park. The tropical vegetation and birds are enough to keep you shooting photos for the duration of your visit, and then the actual Akaka Falls is beautiful too. I enjoy setting up long exposures of the falls because it’s such a perfect, quintessential Hawaiian waterfall. If you are setting up a long shot in the rain, there is a shelter at the closest lookout and if you have a tall tripod or are tall yourself, you can get the shot without people in your pic while still staying dry.

Cost and Parking for Akaka Falls State Park

When you arrive at Akaka Falls State Park, you’ll see that there are usually quite a bit of staff hanging out. I love the reason for this. They are there to make sure that you pay for parking properly. There are automated machines and they only take credit cards, and for whatever reason visitors really struggle to figure them out… or struggle to remember how many people are in their group to pay for. Y’all, it’s $10 for parking and $5 per person unless you’re kamaaina, so just pay it. You can pay in advance and have your receipt ready on your phone too, which is a good idea because there’s almost no cell reception in the park and you’ll have to use the slow machines with everyone else if you haven’t done it.

Before you can enter the trail, the staff will absolutely validate that you’ve paid for parking and the correct number of people entering the trail. There are bathrooms at the parking lot so make sure you use them before you start on the trail, and be sure that everyone that’s accounted for on your receipt is with you when you start on the trail. If you’re waiting for somebody to finish in the bathroom a staff member will legit make you wait until you’re all together. This is one of the prettiest, most iconic waterfalls in Hawaii and it’s worth it.

Things to do while you’re waiting: hang out with the many feral cats, take photos of beautiful plants, talk story with the park staff, eat strawberry guava from the many trees around the parking lot…

Including Akaka Falls into your Itinerary

I love activities that are easy with a big bang for the buck and the time. Visiting Akaka Falls State Park is an easy addition to your time in Hilo, as it’s just over 20 minutes from downtown. Head up the Hamakua Highway to Honomu (where my favorite shave ice place it, Kula Shave Ice) and head up the hill. Akaka Falls is fed from the slopes of Mauna Kea, so you have to start heading up the mountain, but it’s an easy drive.

It’s not so far off the highway that it’s inconvenient, and it’s very simple to add it to your day on the way to or from Umauma Falls and the Umauma Experience ziplines. If you’re doing the farm tour at Lavaloha Chocolate Farm, Akaka Falls is only 30 minutes north, so you can visit after you’ve done your tour.