Hiilawe Waterfall is one of the tallest and most powerful waterfalls in Hawaii

Hawaii

Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...

 located on the Big Island

Hawaii (island)

The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...

. The waterfall

Waterfall

A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...

 drops about 1,450 feet (442m) with a main drop of 1,201 feet (366m), into Waipio Valley

Waipio valley

Waipio Valley is a valley located in the Hamakua District of the Big Island of Hawaii. "Waipio" means "curved water" in the Hawaiian language.It was the capital and permanent residence of many early Hawaiian alii up until the time of King Umi...

on Lalakea Stream. Lalakea Stream above the falls has been diverted for irrigation purposes so the falls can be dry even during the wet spring in March.