Akaka Falls State Park is a state park on Hawaii Island, in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The park is about north of Hilo, west of Honomū off the Hawaii Belt Road (Route 19) at the end of Hawaii Route 220. It includes its namesake Akaka Falls, a tall waterfall. Akaka is named after Chief 'Akaka-o-ka-nī'au-oi'o-i-ka-wao, grandson of Kūlanikapele and Kīakalohia. The accessible portion of the park lies high on the right shoulder of the deep gorge into which the waterfall plunges, and the falls can be viewed from several points along a loop trail through the park. Also visible from this trail is Kahūnā Falls, a tall waterfall, and several smaller cascades.

thumb|left|Trail in park, 1959

Local folklore describes a stone here called Pōhaku a Pele that, when struck by a branch of lehua āpane, will call the sky to darken and rain to fall. Lehua āpane or ōhia āpane is an ōhia tree (Metrosideros polymorpha) with dark red blossoms.

Akaka Falls is located on Kolekole Stream. A large stone in the stream about upstream of the falls is called Pōhaku o Kāloa. A shrimp called the ōpaekalaole has also evolved to climb Akaka Falls and live in Kolekole Stream.

See also

  • List of waterfalls
  • List of Hawaii waterfalls
  • List of Hawaii state parks
  • Umauma Falls
  • Rainbow Falls

References

  • Hiking to the Akaka Falls in Big Island, Hawaii
  • Photo Essay on Akaka Falls State Park