Overview
About Upper Waikani Falls
Why stop
- A memorable three-part waterfall visible from the route.
Heads up
- No verified stopping place or maintained path to the base.
Map
Where it is
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Road to Hana Tour Guide
Your drive to Upper Waikani Falls, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Road to Hana. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Road to Hana audio tourRecorded for this place
Upper Waikani’s Three Cascades“Up ahead are Upper Waikani Falls, also called Three Bears Falls for their three unequal cascades. Treat this as a passing view for passengers: parking at Waikani Bridge is prohibited.”
Plays as you drive up to Upper Waikani Falls in the Parkwolf Road to Hana Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Wailua Valley’s Two Views
- Hala: Leaves for Weaving
- Puaʻa Kaʻa’s Rainforest Break
- Halfway to Hāna’s Roadside Snacks
- 48 audio storiesacross Road to Hana’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Hawaiian Monk Seal, Green Sea Turtle, Frigatebird, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 13 trails, 39 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
More about Upper Waikani Falls
Three falls beside the roadUpper Waikani Falls, also called Three Bears Falls, is a trio of cascades on Wailua Nui Stream…
Upper Waikani Falls, also called Three Bears Falls, is a trio of cascades on Wailua Nui Stream beside Hana Highway at Waikani Bridge, just past mile marker 19. Their unequal drops give the three-part scene its nickname. This is a quick glimpse along the drive, not a developed trail destination.
Treat it as a passing viewThe falls are visible from the highway, but don't pull over at Waikani Bridge: Hawaii DOT…
The falls are visible from the highway, but don't pull over at Waikani Bridge: Hawaii DOT identifies it as a no-parking enforcement area. Visitor accounts describe the descent to the base as steep and slippery, and no maintained public route down has been verified. Don't plan on a base hike or swim.
Watch the flow as you passRainfall changes the falls: fuller flow can merge the three branches, while lower water makes…
Rainfall changes the falls: fuller flow can merge the three branches, while lower water makes their separate lines easier to pick out. If you're a passenger, look for all three cascades together against the dark rock and greenery as the car passes; don't ask the driver to stop on the bridge for a photo. There are no visitor facilities at the falls, so plan food and restroom stops elsewhere along the drive.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Road to Hana
10 sightingsHawaiian Monk SealMost seen around 11 AMSighting map
127 sightingsGreen Sea TurtleMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
86 sightingsFrigatebirdMost seen around noonSighting map
17 sightingsRed-footed BoobyMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
73 sightingsNene (Hawaiian Goose)Most seen around 6 AMSighting map
58 sightingsHawaiian StiltMost seen around 8 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Road to Hana. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
