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Waihilau Falls

Waihilau Falls, Hawaii
Waihilau Falls / Steve Jurvetson, Youtube / CC BY 2.0

WorldBlue  In short

Some of the best waterfalls in the world are not that easy to reach by feet. The 790 m tall Waihilau Falls (Hawaii) belong to the best in the world and it is not easy at all to reach these falls.

4.3 out of 10 stars 42.8%

GPS coordinates
20.1160 N 155.6556 W (middle of the largest waterfall)
Location, address
Oceania, United States, Hawaii, northern part of Hawai’i, Waimanu Valley
Height
up to 790 m (?)
Stream
Waihilau Stream

Map of the site

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WorldYellow In detail

Waimanu Valley

Similar to many other great valleys of Hawaii, also Waimanu Valley is covered with lush vegetation. Even the steep walls of the canyon are covered with green plants.

This is a remote valley and not too many visitors come here. In fact, it is not easy to come here. There are no official roads although one can enter the valley with a good and powerful car if the driver is not afraid of extreme steeps.

Waimanu Valley is rich with waterfalls and almost all of them are true giants regarding the height, many have fine, cool pools at their base. At the same time, one could easily get lost in the bush and it is not always easy to tell which waterfall is which.

On the western side of the giant Waimany Valley is a side valley that has formed on the slopes of the extinct Kohala Volcano. This valley resembles a giant, deep bowl with very steep, almost 800 m tall walls. This bowl opens towards the north-eastern side, the main part of Waimanu Valley.

Falls

Along the steep walls of this giant bowl flow several very tall waterfalls. After the rain the number and size of waterfalls increases but even in dry time at least one – the northernmost of the streams is flowing.

As the northernmost stream is richer with water, it has eroded the bed creating multiple smaller plunges and plunge pools. It has at least eight closely located drops.

Further to the south several more (at least three) streams of waterfalls form after rains. These falls do not have such plunge pools anymore.

Some videos (first 17 seconds) show that only the more powerful stream is flowing, while in other videos all four falls are active.

References

  1. Waihilau Falls. World Waterfall Database. Accessed on September 4, 2016

Waihilau Falls are included in the following list:

WorldYellow Linked articles

Waipoo Falls in Kauai
Waipoo Falls in Kauai / Garden State Hiker, Flickr / CC BY 2.0

Wonders of Hawaii

The Hawaiian Islands belong to the most remote islands in the world. Hawaii is characterized by a tropical climate, mountainous relief, volcanism, and isolation. If compared to most islands in the Pacific, several Hawaiian Islands have comparatively large landmasses. All these factors have led to the development of numerous impressive and unique natural attractions and some impressive monuments of culture.

Virginia Falls, Canada
Virginia Falls / Paul Gierszewski, Wikimedia Commons / public domain

Waterfalls

Some of the most fascinating and awe-inspiring natural monuments are waterfalls or locations where a river abruptly changes its elevation.

Bridalveil Falls in Yosemite Valley
Bridalveil Falls in Yosemite Valley./ Jorge Láscar, Flickr / CC BY 2.0

Wonders of the United States

The United States of America is one of the largest countries in the world and offers a wide array of diverse attractions: many are unsurpassed in the world. Highlights of the United States are cliffs, canyons, and rock formations, several impressive downtowns of cities with numerous skyscrapers as well as a rich array of geothermal features, and the giant forest of California.

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