Started the hike at 7am (the earliest shuttle left at 630). Made it back to the shuttle at 230pm. Definitely took my time with rest stops at Hanakapi'ai beach and lots of time at the falls swimming and drying off. Bring lots of water and snacks cause it's a long day. There's a bathroom at the start with water too, another bathroom at the beach. I didn't have hiking poles but there were times where it would be handy. Once you get past the beach the hike to the falls is pretty challenging. The rocks were slick with a thin layer of mud after the rain, so if you don't have good traction on your shoes it's easy to wipe out. It was a lot of work but so much fun and absolutely stunning from start to finish. One of the best things I've ever had the chance to do.

This is a strenuous hike that is worth the effort. The two miles to the stream goes along the steep cliffs that overlook the ocean. There are some striking vistas of the Na Pali coast. It's a lot of up and down, but not too challenging. When you start up the stream to the falls, the first mile is not bad. The next half mile gets steeper and rockier. You will cross the stream several times. If you are nimble, you can hop on boulders without getting wet. The last quarter mile is very rocky and slippery, but when you get your first clear look at the falls, it will spur you on. I consider this one of the most breathtaking natural sights I have ever come across. We were on the first shuttle of the day, and my daughter and I hiked hard to get there first. We had the place to ourselves for about 20 minutes before the next group got there. I came back up with my wife and son about an hour later and it was crowded, but people were being respectful.

The road to this waterfall itself is a unique attraction. you can go behind the waterfall.

Breathtaking falls! Great hike as well. I’d say it’s fairly easy until the last .5 mile marker then it becomes more technical. Very muddy and slick. River crossings and a few rocks to climb up and down. I would suggest doing the hike as early as possible before it gets too hot! We were pretty exhausted the last stretch returning but worth it ! Bring extra water + snacks.

A gorgeous hike to an incredible 300ft waterfall. The hike honestly was seriously less strenuous than I expected from read others' experiences. If you've never hiked before AND have some mobility issues, this will be difficult for you. If you have never hiked but generally can walk 8 miles, you'll be fine, just take your time ( BUT lookout for faster hikers behind you and be polite ). If you hike every once in a while, it'll be a breeze. The crowds really thin out past the beach. If you can navigate the crazy parking situation, once you're past figuring that out the rest is just peaceful gorgeous Hawaiian bliss.

Started the hike using the earliest shuttle at 7AM as a group of 4 friends with intermediate hiking skills. Each member of the party had between 2L to 2,5L of water which we all fully drank by the end of the trail. If you start the hike early enough, you will be mostly protected from the scorching sun on your trip to the falls(not the way back). Please remember that you need to book your daily pass many days in advance in order to get access to the national park. We finished the hike at 2PM. As many have mentioned, the first 2 miles portion on the Kalalau trail (up until the beach) is of intermediate level. From the beach up to fall itself(2miles also) it is intermediate level with the final 0,3 mile being challenging/technical from our point of view. If you started the hike as early as ourselves, the sun should now be overlooking the Kalalau trail portion on your way back. This definitely requires you to properly manage how much water you want to keep for the way back as it will be much hotter. With that being said, the hike was amazing with gorgeous view point and we really enjoyed cooling by swimming at the falls.

We paid $35 each to meet at the Waipa Park and Ride and GoHeana.com shuttle to the Ke'e Beach Parking Overflow Lot. We also took the public bus from our hotel to get to Waipa for $2 one way. If you don’t take the shuttle you have to pay $25 per car to get into Haena State Park. The hike was damp up to Hanakāpī‘Ai Beach and then pretty muddy to the falls. We didn’t use any hiking poles and my friend did the entire thing in Vans. So it is definitely doable! Just takes a while balancing and hopping rocks through the mud. There is a river crossing to the beach and then a few river crossings up to the falls. I chose to walk through the water in my shoes and my friend kept her shoes dry by walking on the rocks. We aren’t the most experienced hikers and we made it just fine! I would say it’s not as technical as others are saying. Beautiful hike!! You can swim at the falls and there weren’t that many people there when we went. If you swim across the pool there is a rock you can jump off of, kind of slick to get up but doable. The water wasn’t that cold if you were swimming around. You can swim all the way behind the falls and underneath them! We took the 9am shuttle, started hiking around 9:45 and then got back after hiking, seeing the Hanakāpī‘Ai Beach, and swimming at the Ke'e Beach, and took the 4pm shuttle back. The shuttle runes every 30 minutes to and from the overflow. The fare covers the roundtrip price. While you can’t swim at the Hanakāpī‘Ai Beach, there is a small pool off to the side that is a safe place to cool off after the hike. We didn’t have any issues with mosquitoes or bugs. There were a couple parts where the trail got confusing but there are pink tags on the trees indicating where to go so it was easy to figure it out. Bring lots of water to drink as it’s almost 9 miles and pretty humid.

The best hike I've ever been on. Husband and I are very experinced but out-of-shape hikers and we did the whole thing in about 6 hours, including swimming in the waterfall pool and stopping to take in the view along the way. We had to hike fast, but we made it. Slippery and muddy, but neither of us fell. Definitely some rock scrambles and narrow places next to cliffs. Look, you Gotta go. Get there warly, like before 10am, and plan to spend the whole day. Don't forget to buy tickets in advance, the park is on a reservation system.

Stunning beauty. You can swim in the lake but beware of the large boulders in the water in the shallower end. There is a rock to sit on behind the waterfalls. The current is tough and a good swim skills are recommended. It helps cool you off before the 2 hour hike back to the beach. Good luck and be safe on the muddy sections (for us all of it was mud). The river crossing is super sketch and take extra caution. This hike is not for kids or not sure footed people.

Oct 2022 | 2 days of rain before, rained middle half of hike. Incredible trail. First half is very easily managed by most people with hiking sandals or boots. The 2 miles from the beach to the waterfall were pretty brutal. Consistent rain made every rock slippery and the trail became very muddy. You will cross 5-7 proper streams and ~10 other mini streams that pool during rain. I would highly recommend proper hiking boots but it can be done in sneakers with moderate tread. If you’ve got bad knees, ankles, are prone to stumbling, take extra care during the tight scrambles and rocky navigation. I saw several people slip and fall *hard*, and the only way out is the way you came. Bring 2 liters of water and snacks. This hike takes 4-6 hours depending on speed and the amount of time you spend at the waterfall. Happy trails!

Beautiful views. Hike is moderate to hard, the first part to the beach is around 2 miles(there is a really cool cave there) , then to the waterfall is also around 2 miles (harder, slippery) Get snacks, food and please lots of water ( like 4 bottles for a person) totally worth it. We split in two teams, team enjoyed the beach and the other time continued the hike towards the waterfall Both of us had a great time Absolutely gorgeous! Must do

Absolutely amazing and worth it. The best hike of my life. Some of the pictures I’ve seen looks like the falls are just a little trickle yet. The falls was massive the day I went. There was rain the night before and the crossings were high, and the falls were intense. Too intense to swim, but such a feel of exhilaration when you reach the falls. My calves hurt for the next four days. First one to the falls that day with another guy from Long Island/Brooklyn named James, which I ended up hiking back with and had a great time. Wish I would have got his number to stay in touch.

Amazing waterfalls. Make sure to bring plenty of water and reserve a shuttle ahead of time. Maybe not for beginner hikers and more for moderate to expert level hikers. It took us 7 hours total but we aren’t seasoned hikers.

It’s a 300’ waterfall that you can swim under. The trail is difficult, as difficult as getting tickets for entry. We took 1.75 hrs from the beach and 1.25 hours back, but I was with 19, 21 and 23 yr olds so we were zooming. Trail was a sloppy disaster since it rained but this is an absolute must if you are able.

Not the easiest of hikes but we’ll worth it. Amazing views and the waterfall is beautiful. We had 4 kids in our group as well (12,12,10,7)…they were troopers and all did well. However, I wouldn’t suggest it for kids with little to no experience. There are some treacherous spots that made me nervous.

Bring lots of water. Hike itself isn't hard just long and if it's hot you could get heat stroke. Water shoes is a plus for easier water crossings. But do able with regular shoes

I’m definetly not an expert hiker, but I made it to the end. It’s about 9 miles round trip to the falls and it is quite challenging. It took us most of the day to hike it with several stops along the way. We took 3L’s of water and we drank every last drop. Wear good hiking shoes, preferably water proof. There are several stream crossings and your feet will get wet. Hiking poles were handy and good for those who aren’t spring chickens 🐥. The scenery is beautiful and can’t be beat. The waterfall and swim at the end make it worth all the sore muscles and exhaustion.

This was an amazing waterfall to hike to! Absolutely stunning! But this trail was tough. Having hiking poles and good traction on my shoes helped. Exceedingly muddy and slippery, with roots and rocks most of the way, plus a few tricky stream crossings. And it only rained on us the last mile headed out. Had it rained hard during the majority of our hike, it would have been an absolute nightmare for me with my not-so-great knees. I would do it again, but not if there's been rain lately or in the forecast. I would also book the first shuttle so you have plenty of time. For us, this was an all day affair... but we are in our mid-fifties. By far, the oldest people on the trail that day.

This was an amazing waterfall and hike. It was a really fun hike, but it was hard. It is about 2 miles to the beach and then 2 more miles to the falls, then the 4 miles back to the trailhead. It took us about 7 hours after taking our time at the beach and the falls. Trailhead to the beach is basically along the coast, beach to the falls is directly up the rocky stream. You need to make sure to bring enough water (more than 2L per person) and food. Additionally there are multiple stream crossings and some require wading in, there really isn't a way around it. With that being said I would not do this hike in sandals as it is very rocky, slippery, and muddy most of the way. We wore hiking shoes and they can be taken off to go through the water. If you want to just do the 2 miles to the beach and back, the trail is well maintained and includes some steps to help with the elevation. Great views of the coast. Still a moderate hike to the beach as there is elevation to climb in both directions to and from the trailhead. Make sure to book your tickets to the park as soon as they open them up 30 days in advance. I recommend the shuttle service. Please also be wary of the weather and your experience level. I'd say we are intermediate level hikers, beginners/kids should be cautious. If it rains heavily the stream is prone to flash floods and locals have told us it can be very dangerous.

Did this the same day as hiking to Kalalua and it was too long. Would recommend only hiking to the half way point and then going to Kalalua the next day. This trail is technical for the last 0.5 miles would bring water shoes for the river crossings or just where Tevas for the hike. You can swim in the waterfall and swim underneath it!

Definitely not an easy hiking trail, especially when it has rained a lot the path is very muddy and it is very easy to slip! It took us about 6.5 hours with a lot of rest and swimming in the waterfall. Be sure to take enough water with you, we had a little more than 2L (67 oz) of water with us and they were empty in the end.