Upper Waikani Falls (3 Bears)

Upper Waikani Falls' nickname is apropos, and you'll see why just as you pass mile marker #19 on the Road to Hana. You can't miss it. The spray from the 70-foot falls often reaches out onto the highway itself. 

From left to right, you'll see three cascading waterfalls of different heights. On the left, you have the largest waterfall, otherwise known as "Papa Bear." The middle falls is "Mama Bear" and the smallest falls on the right is "Baby Bear."

This incredible triple falls is visible from the road, and most tourists choose to snap pics of the attraction from the comfort of their own cars. But, if you bother to get out of your car, then you'll be treated to a cooling spray and a refreshing swim underneath this idyllic tropical attraction. 

An Easy Trail

Just past mile marker #19 on the Road to Hana, you'll find a bridge that spans across the Wailua Nui Stream; the very same stream that is created by Upper Waikani Falls. You'll also be treated to a horde of tourist vehicles at the parking lot for the falls, which if found about 800 feet passed the bridge, but you can leave most of them behind by finding the trail up to Three Bears.

You'll find a steep embankment down to the hiking trail on the opposite side of the bridge from the falls. This is the side of the bridge that faces the ocean, or the Makai side of the bridge. 

It's a difficult scramble down to the trail, but, once you're safely down there, the trail becomes easy and flat all the way to the falls. Although, you might have to do a modicum of rock scrambling to get to the pool at the bottom of the falls as the pool is surrounded by boulders that have been thrown from the top over the years. Approach with caution, the rocks here also came over the falls at one time. Don’t go down to these falls if it is raining, not only will the trail be slippery, but there’s always a chance of flash flooding.

Stash Your Stuff and Have A Swim

You'll be gobsmacked by the scenery of the falls as you approach, so get that camera ready for pictures every step of the way. From a distance, you can see each of the three cascades carving their ways down a steep embankment only to be thrown off of a cliff's edge into a dark pool below.

A pleasant fragrance may strike as you walk through a field of red torch ginger. The otherworldly plant can grow up to 15 feet into the sky, and the exotic flora almost always attracts curious tourists.

The boulders around the pool at the bottom of the falls make for plenty of hiding spots for your stuff. The bottom of the pool can be rocky, so consider taking some water shoes or leaving on your tennis shoes as you take a dip in the pool underneath the Three Bears.

The spray of the falls can sting, and you'll likely feel that sting as you approach the cascade, but many find the force of the water to feel like a massage. The water is bound to be incredibly crisp and refreshing, and a swim underneath the Three Bears can only add another story to your Hana adventure. 

Plus, you can turn around and wave. You're bound to be included in scores of pictures taken by less adventurous tourists from the comfort of their own vehicles.