Accessible Trail: Yes (paved asphalt)
Mileage: 0.05 miles one-way (0.1 miles round trip)
Hawaii is a place of a beautiful dichotomy. A place born of fire and water, each continually jockeying for position throughout the islands. A place where ecosystems change as quickly as elevations. A place where endemic plants and animals can be found in overgrown front yards. Luckily for us, this duality provides us with opportunities to enjoy this beautiful and dramatic landscape.
Just five short minutes from downtown Hilo, the Wailuku River cascades over an extinct lava tube creating Rainbow Falls. Traditionally, the cave behind the falls is believed to be the home of the moon goddess Hina, mother of Maui. She's been kind enough to let us view her dwelling, and the view is spectacular.
In the morning, it's easy to see how the 80 foot falls earned its name. From the parking lot, follow the short accessible pathway leading to the viewing platform. Behind the rock wall, through the heavily vegetated jungle, the eastern sun hits the base of the falls forming rainbows within the mist.
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