World Botanical Gardens

World Botanical Gardens

World Botanical Gardens and Waterfalls is a commercial botanical gardens with a large waterfall, located between Umauma and Hakalau, at the corner of Leopolino Road and Hawaii Belt Road, State Highway 19, 16 miles north of Hilo, Island of Hawaiʻi, Hawaii. The gardens are open daily with an admission fee. Major features include Kamaʻeʻe Falls, a 100-foot (30 m) waterfall, the second largest maze in Hawaii known as the Children's Maze, over 10 acres (0.040 km2) of arboretum, and many specialized garden areas.

The gardens were founded by Walter L. Wagner in 1995, who purchased 300 acres (1.2 km2) of agricultural land bordered by the Umauma River and extending up Mauna Kea's slope from the failing sugarcane companies that formerly dominated the Hamakua coast. The Rainforest Walk was the first portion open to public touring on July 4, 1995.

On September 2, 2004, a change of management of World Botanical Gardens took place, and in 2008 the Umauma Falls overlook and its surrounding 90 acres was sold to Umauma Experience, with World Botanical Gardens retaining the Rainforest Walk and lower gardens (including Children's Maze and Arboretum).

In 2010 the garden officially opened a zip-line tour known as Zip Isle Zip Line Adventure descending into the Honopueo stream gulch, in competition with the neighboring Umauma Experience's zip line, also opened in 2010.