Kopiliula Stream + Falls

If you’re looking for an inconspicuous stream replete with innocuous waterfalls and finally a small slice of solitude along the very well-traveled Road to Hana, make a quick stop at Kopiliula Stream. The pull-off for this super under-trodden clear turquoise stream comes just a tenth of a mile before mile marker 21. As you approach the small bridge over the stream, you’ll find slightly enlarged dirt shoulders on either side of the road. 

Though you can see Kopiliula Falls (alternatively known as Kopihula Falls) from the road, wandering upstream along this cute little flow gives you a peek at many others. It’s an excellent reminder that the Wailua Valley into which Kopihula is nestled is one of the wettest parts of the island, receiving between 100 and 300 inches of rainfall per year (more than twice as much as nearbu Ho'olawa Valley). Though this part of the road to Hana is lumped in with everything else, it’s truly distinctive in its ecology and history. Although it’s now known because of the contentious cattle ranch that was established nearby several years ago, it was once home to critical taro groves, a chief staple for native Hawaiians, along with other critical plant life and culturally-significant fish.

Take as long as you please at the Kopiliula Stream and drink in the bit of peace and quiet you find.