The title hiking Wailua Falls in this is deceiving. This popular destination on the island of Kauai really isn’t a hike at all, unless you want it to be.
Wailua Falls is actually a roadside destination near the city of Lihue on Kauai. If the city Lihue sounds familiar, that’s because that’s where the airport is. Wailua Falls is a quick and easy stop on your way to or from the airport.
Don’t expect solitude at Wailua Falls. This is an incredibly popular destination. The waterfall is viewable from the parking area. A concrete fence surrounds the cliff. It may seem like you can’t see much, but if you stand on the south end of the fence (it’s stable), you’ll get the best views.
There’s also a flat area beyond the fence where it appears many people have trodden. Do so at your own risk. There are many signs up that say don’t go beyond the fence at Wailua Falls.
Visitors can hike to the bottom of Wailua Falls as well. We didn’t do so in the interest of time and hanger and weather. All the reports we read indicated a slippery, muddy, wet slog down. We found the “trailhead” about a quarter mile down the road from the parking area. As we started to make our way down, it began to rain, making the trail a bit of a slick mess.
We opted to turn around and head to dinner instead.
