Known in the Hawaiian language as Waiānuenue (literally 'rainbow water'), the falls flows over a natural lava cave, the mythological home to Hina, an ancient Hawaiian goddess. The falls are accessible via Wailuku River State Park, Waiānuenue Avenue, coordinates 19☄3′9″N 155☆′34″W / 19.71917°N 155.10944°W / 19.71917 -155.10944, and are best seen from the park's viewing platform. The gorge is blanketed by lush, dense nonnative tropical rainforest and the turquoise-colored pool is bordered by beautiful, although nonnative, wild ginger. There is no fee to see the falls.Īt Rainbow (Waiānuenue) Falls, the Wailuku River rushes into a large pool below. The falls are part of the Hawai'i State Parks. It is 80 ft (24 m) tall and almost 100 ft (30 m) in diameter. On sunny days, a rainbow can be seen in the falls. And this is the best spot to view Rainbow Falls According to Hawaii state parks: The waters of Wailuku River drop 80 feet (24 meters) to create Waianuenue or Rainbow Falls. Rainbow (Waiānuenue) Falls is a waterfall located in Hilo, Hawaii. Once you park, the Rainbow Falls lookout is basically a short walk from the parking lot. To reach the Grassy Ridge Access Area (the west side of the park), turn south on NC 281 in Sapphire. Turn west on US 64 and travel toward Sapphire. Take exit 40 and make a right onto Hwy 280. Directionsįrom downtown Asheville, take 1-240 to I-26.

The hike is open in the winter, when the mist has been known to turn to ice. Rainbow Falls is popular in the summer because of the cooling mist, but the fall color here is also beautiful. People slide down these falls and swim in the swimming hole beneath them, but the currents can be extremely strong so, again, be cautious. While you’ll probably want to linger for a while, you can also continue up the trail for around 10 more minutes to Turtleback Falls, a low waterfall over a curved rock that resembles a turtle shell. Although it may be tempting to try to get photos from the top of the falls, don’t do it: it’s too dangerous. The water is so strong that you must exercise extreme caution when getting closer: the rocks are slippery. When you arrive at the falls, you’ll feel it: a cool mist will soak you. The trail gets narrower as you pass through a hardwood forest, but you’ll follow along the side of the river most of the way to the falls. While it doesn’t affect your hike, you should know that the trail switches from Gorges State Park to Pisgah National Forest about 20 minutes after you leave the parking lot. With a few creek crossings here, prepare to get your feet wet. From the Grassy Ridge parking lot, the Rainbow Falls trail starts out as gravel, but then starts to descend toward the Horsepasture River. Gorges State Park is located on the Blue Ridge Escarpment, where the mountains end and the Piedmont begins. Consider visiting on a weekday or in the early morning to better enjoy your visit and help take pressure off of busier days and times. Although the Rainbow Falls Trail is difficult and will take 3-5 hours to hike, this is one of the most enjoyable and scenic hiking trails in the Smoky. The waterfalls is located in Manitou Springs, just west Colorado. With so many natural wonders, the Gorges State Park area is a popular place for outdoor recreation. The hike to Rainbow Falls is a short easy walk to the waterfall and a historic bridge.

Rainbow falls