The most popular hiking attraction on Hana Highway is Twin Falls Trail. With easy access to several falls and swimming holes, it’s easy to understand its popularity.
Twin Falls Trail is on Hana Highway past mile marker 2. The hike will be graced with golden yellow gates with a “Twins Falls” hiking sign in the shape of a surfboard. The 1.8-mile out-and-back hike is ranked easy to moderate by hiking enthusiasts, which further explains its appeal. Hiking is allowed year-round, but when flash floods are prominent, it may be closed.
No matter what time of year you come, parking at Twin Falls Trail will be challenging even with two designated areas. The first is a gravel lot at the trailhead near the fresh fruit stand. The second is on the same side of the road, just past the bridge. These fill up fast, even when arriving early in the morning.
Although it can be overcrowded, Twin Falls Trail has features uniquely its own. The first feature is the trail. It isn’t the narrow, root-infested path you typically find in Hawaii. Twin Falls Trail is comparable to a smooth, dirt road, making this hike ideal for young and old alike. The reason for such a pathway is that the surrounding land is private property. Owners needed access to their properties and worked with local officials to develop the trail and area. For these reasons, be respectful on your hike and stay on the trails. A donation jar is available to help offset expenses, so consider dropping in some money.
The second unique feature is the restroom area. Although these are port-a-potties, they’re better than nothing! Remember that donation jar? The local citizens provide these for your convenience, which is another reason to “pass it forward” with generosity.
Lastly is what we’ve already mentioned: the fresh fruit stand. Afterward, celebrate your hike and adventures with a fresh fruit smoothie.
The Twin Falls Trail begins when you follow the access road by the fruit stand. The path winds gently uphill as it follows the Ho’olawa Stream. After hiking for about one mile, you will come to a fork. The left path leads to Little Ho’olawa Stream, and the right fork goes to Big Ho’olawa Stream. Both courses are narrow and more challenging than the access road, so keep that in mind when planning your hike. Despite these challenges, we believe children accompanied by parents will hike these with little difficulty.
Follow the left path to the falls locals deem “Caveman.” Along the way, you will cross an irrigation ditch and come to an old, rocky weir or dam. It is no longer in use, and you can walk across. Continue upstream in the shallow water to reach “Caveman” falls, aptly named for the overhang the waterfall gushes over. You may swim in the pool that isn’t too deep, but swimmers say the water can be cold.
The right path leads to a similar irrigation ditch that has a hand-dug tunnel through the rock. Continue until you come to the base of the Twin Falls. You’ll marvel at the massive rock that splits the Big Ho’olawa Stream into two waterfalls. When water is high enough, many adventurers’ cliff jump into the pool below. Make sure you know the depth is safe for jumping before launching off those rocks! Sometimes, there has been too much rain, and the stream and falls are too dangerous for diving or swimming. Warnings will be posted at the entrance if this is the case.
Insider Tip:
There are many auxiliary trails off the primary access road and paths. Some lead to hidden waterfalls or up to heights for cliff jumping. These paths are not marked, and only experienced hikers should consider taking them. Since there are so many trails to explore, it’s easy to get lost. If that happens, make your way to a stream and follow it downhill. All the streams flow to the ocean and will lead you back to safety.