Skip to content

Kipu Falls

Kipu Falls is a waterfall in Hawaiʻi, at a modelled elevation of 72 m. Kawaikini stands 1,587 m to the northwest, 8.7 miles off. The nearest named place is Water Jump Zipline, a attraction 1.5 miles away.

The story

Kīpū Falls is a waterfall in East Kauaʻi, Hawaii. Kīpū Falls has a dangerous reputation due to drowning deaths of five people in a five-year span, as well as numerous other injuries. Due to the drowning deaths, Grove Farms Company, which owns the land where the falls are located, decided to block off the access route. From a legal perspective, visitors were trespassing, as the falls were not actually open to the public. Injuries became more prevalent after guide books began publicizing the falls. Kīpū Falls is also widely known for being the filming location of the introduction scene of the 1981 film Raiders of the Lost Ark.

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Wikidata Q37338, referenced by the OpenStreetMap record.

What the record says

Height
6 m

How to reach it

Coordinates21.95159, -159.41999

Named places within 25 miles

Peaks
Attractions: 40
Parks: 37
  • Pua Loke Park: 3.3 mi
  • Kalena Park: 3.8 mi
  • Lihue County Park: 3.8 mi
  • Weliweli Park: 5.1 mi
  • Rayno Park: 5.3 mi
Waterfalls: 34
Beaches: 20
Historic sites: 15
  • Statue of Dr. Jose Rizal y Mercado: 3.7 mi
  • Heiau Hoʻouluia: 4.9 mi
  • Malae Heiau: 8.2 mi
  • Hikina-a-ka-lā Heiau: 8.3 mi
  • Kukui Heiau: 9.0 mi
Gardens: 7
Artworks: 5
  • Lilo & Stitch: 11.1 mi
  • Wave Sculpture: 18.0 mi
  • Mark Daniells Gallery: 18.0 mi
  • Kahu Aina Mural by Melinda Morey: 18.4 mi
  • Weaving Lauhala: 18.4 mi
Picnic sites: 4
  • Kukui Picnic Area: 16.9 mi
  • Alakaʻi Picnic Area: 18.1 mi
  • Hanalei Pier: 18.7 mi
  • Pine Forest Drive Picnic Area: 22.2 mi
Springs: 3
Cliffs: 2
Nature reserves: 1

Summits around it

The highest named summits within 10.4 miles of Kipu Falls. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.

SummitBearingElevationDistance
KawaikiniNW1,587 m8.7 mi
Wai‘ale‘aleNNW1,569 m9.6 mi
Kapala'oaWNW1,009 m5.9 mi
KahiliWNW942 m5.0 mi
HaʻupuSSE700 m2.2 mi
KalualeaW562 m4.6 mi
HokuleiESE508 m3.0 mi
HokunuiESE490 m3.2 mi

When to go

Light through the year

DateSunriseGolden hourSunset
March equinox06:4218:2018:49
June solstice05:5618:5219:25
September equinox06:2718:0618:35
December solstice07:1317:2718:00

Local time (Pacific/Honolulu).

Climate normals

Months averaging 50–80 °F: Oct–Jun.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Avg °F737374767879808181807776

1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Mahaulepu 941.1, 4 mi away.

Months at or above the year’s average flow: Nov–Apr — fullest in Dec, leanest in Jun.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Mean cfs15.611.59.012.55.92.73.63.03.53.414.416.7

USGS monthly mean discharge at gauge Lawai Str nr Koloa, Kauai, HI, 6 mi away — the nearest gauge, which can sit on a different stream.

Where this comes from

Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.

OpenStreetMapWikipediaWikidata

OpenStreetMap element node/1275474579

More waterfalls in Hawaiʻi

Drive to it

Byway plans a real route around stops like this one.

Private beta · Free to join

Take the scenic way to Kipu Falls.

Byway plans around your taste, mapped places, real weather and opening hours — then opens every leg in Google Maps with one tap.

Private beta · Free to join · No card · Invite when a spot opens