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Kūamoʻo Road, Wailua, Kauaʻi, Hawaii
Photo: Famartin · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped

Drives Hawaii Kauaʻi

Kūamoʻo Road

HI 580, Wailua Road · Wailua → Keāhua

Twisty4.8 mi10 min700 ft climbHigh point ≈ 500 ftOne way
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The drive

Kūamoʻo Road (Highway 580) leaves Kūhiō Highway at Wailua and climbs inland beside the Wailua River. The drive is 4.8 miles and takes about 10 minutes, and it rises about 700 feet into the forest on a quiet two-lane road with three tight stretches of bends.

About two miles up is the ʻŌpaekaʻa Falls lookout. The falls drop 151 feet into a hidden pool, and there are picnic tables and restrooms. Across the road a short uphill walk gives a view of the Wailua River valley and the interior plains. The name is said to mean rolling shrimp.

The drive ends on the last paved stretch of Kūamoʻo Road. Past it the road becomes the dirt Keāhua forestry road, so you turn around here.

Along the way

  1. Wailua (Kūamoʻo Road)
  2. Keāhua
Elevation
700 ft of climbing · high point ≈ 500 ft
WailuaKeāhua
Curves
Mostly moderate, with three twisty stretches
WailuaKeāhua
GentleHairpins

Good to know

  • The lookout has parking, picnic tables and restrooms, so it is a popular stop.
  • The dirt Keāhua forestry road begins where the pavement ends; turn back there.
  • Traffic can back up at the Kūamoʻo Road and Kūhiō Highway intersection at peak times.

Open all year, weather permitting. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check Hawaii DOT: Kauaʻi lane closures.

Questions about this drive

How long does Kūamoʻo Road take?

Kūamoʻo Road (Highway 580) from Wailua to Keāhua is 4.8 miles and takes about 10 minutes without stops.

Where is ʻŌpaekaʻa Falls?

The ʻŌpaekaʻa Falls lookout is about two miles up Kūamoʻo Road from Kūhiō Highway in Wailua, on the right.

Is Kūamoʻo Road twisty?

Yes. It climbs about 700 feet in under five miles with several tight bends, though speeds are low and it is a short, quiet road.

Where does the paved Kūamoʻo Road end?

This drive ends on the last paved stretch of Kūamoʻo Road near Keāhua. Past it the road becomes a dirt forestry road.

What you get in the app

Turn by turn, on this roadSpoken directions along the exact route. Carve never reroutes you onto a faster one.
Preview it in 3DFly the whole drive over satellite and terrain before you go.
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Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.

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Map of Kūamoʻo Road, from Wailua to Keāhua