Rainbow Falls

Getting There and What You'll See

Rainbow Falls sits just minutes from downtown Hilo. Park on Rainbow Drive and walk a few steps to the viewing platform. What you see will take your breath away.

Water drops 80 feet over a wide basalt ledge. It crashes into a bright blue pool below. Mist rises like clouds. The gorge explodes with green life. Wild ginger blooms fill the air with sweet scent.

Hilo gets lots of rain. During rainy season from October to May, the falls roar with brown water. You see the river's true power. During dry times, the cascade turns silver and thin. But even then, morning light can still make rainbows in the gentle mist.

The main lookout gives you the classic view. But take the short trail to the left for something special. Stone steps with metal rails climb up to the top of the falls. Here you stand right at the edge. You watch the full force of the Wailuku River gather before it pours over.

A giant banyan tree grows near this upper spot. Its roots hang down like curtains. They touch ground and become new trunks. It looks like a small forest, not just one tree. This tree alone is worth the climb.

The main platform is paved. Wheelchairs and strollers can access it easily. A van parking space waits nearby. But the upper trail has steep stone steps. People with trouble walking should skip that part.

How the Falls Formed

Rainbow Falls exists because of volcanic fire. About 10,500 years ago, Mauna Loa erupted. Lava poured down the mountain into the Wailuku River channel. This flow was called the ʻAnuenue flow.

The river had spent thousands of years cutting through soft volcanic ash and old rock. When it hit the hard new basalt, it couldn't cut through. So it had to jump over. That created the 80-foot drop we see today.

Behind the waterfall sits a cave. This isn't just legend. It's real geology. When the lava flow cooled, the outside hardened first. Hot lava inside kept moving and drained away. This left a hollow tube. Today the river pours over the roof of this ancient cave.

Hawaiian ancestors knew this land well. They saw how the rock formed. They put that knowledge into stories that lasted forever.

In the misty cave behind Rainbow Falls lived Hina. She was goddess of the moon and mother of the hero Māui. Hina spent her days making kapa bark cloth. Her peaceful life faced a terrible threat.

Kuna was a giant moʻo. A dragon-like monster who lived in the river depths. He wanted Hina as his wife. When she said no, he grew angry. He sent floods and debris over the falls to ruin her work.

Māui raced upstream. With one mighty blow of his magic club, he smashed the blocking rock. The river ran free. His mother was safe. But Kuna wasn't finished. The angry moʻo fled upstream with Māui chasing behind.

Photography Tips

Rainbow Falls main lookout gives you the classic shot. For the best rainbow, arrive on sunny mornings around 10 AM when the sun is behind you. A polarizing filter is essential. It will dramatically boost the rainbow's colors, deepen the sky's blue, and cut glare on water and wet leaves.

The upper trail offers a unique top-down view of the waterfall's power. It's also the best spot to capture the giant banyan tree's scale and intricate root system. Use a wide-angle lens to fit both the tree and river in the frame.