These Mesmerizing Pools In Hawaii Have A Very Deadly Natural Phenomenon

If you love the outdoors, Hawaii's Big Island is full of exciting things to do, such as exploring the gorgeous hidden gem Wailuku River State Park near Hilo. The park has some beautiful natural features, but one can be dangerous and even deadly: The Boiling Pots. While the name might make you think that the hazard comes from some type of geothermal activity, the water isn't actually hot. However, when the pools foam and bubble, you still want to avoid them.

A combination of geology and weather can get the waters moving like a heated cauldron. The Boiling Pots are a feature along the Wailuku River, which runs between lava flows from Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea. The series of large holes, about 50 feet around, formed as the lava cooled. The river runs, at least in part, through lava tubes beneath the surface and breaks through to create the series of cascading "pots." When the river gets high due to heavy rain upstream, the water level rises so quickly that it can't flow smoothly downstream at the pinch point of the Boiling Pots. It gets stuck in the pools and starts to churn and swirl with wild eddies and currents.

The situation can quickly turn deadly if you get caught swimming in The Boiling Pots as the water hits high levels. Thanks to the geology and how the pots formed, you could get pulled beneath the surface of the water and become stuck. The name of the river reveals the area's dangers: "Wai" means water, and "luku" means massacre or slaughter, leading to the common translation "waters of destruction." Over the years, multiple people have drowned in the Wailuku River.

While you might be tempted to cool off in what may seem like a famous swimming spot on the Big Island, do not go in. There are no lifeguards, and the waters can rise quickly and unexpectedly. Even if it doesn't rain during your visit, rain far upstream in the mountains could unleash hazardous floodwaters. The Boiling Pots don't always churn, though. If you come towards the end of summer or during a dry year, you might just see a series of pools. While this might make the danger seem overblow, there are few more accurate examples of "better safe than sorry" than The Boiling Pots.

While the roiling and bubbling waters of The Boiling Pots have a clear scientific explanation, Hawaiian lore offers a different take. The story centers on the Hawaiian goddess Hina and her son, the demi-god Maui, and ties into the nearby Rainbow Falls, an 80-foot-tall cascade along the Wailuku River around 1.5 miles downstream from The Boiling Pots.

In a nutshell, Hina is said to have resided in a cave behind Rainbow Falls. One day, Mo'o Kuna, a large lizard or dragon who lived in the river, threw a sizeable boulder over the falls, blocking the river and flooding Hina's cave. She called on Maui to help her, and he broke the boulder and then went after Mo'o Kuna, who found a place to hide deep in a hole in the river upstream from Rainbow Falls. Maui called to Pele, the goddess of volcanoes and fire, to help him drive out the creature. She sent lava down the river to his hiding place and boiled it off, exposing him for Maui. That spot is now The Boiling Pots.

It's easy to reach the area, as it will take just a couple minutes to walk to it from the parking lot, which has water fountains, restrooms, and a handicap-accessible overlook. Bonus — it's free! Peer upstream from the lookout to see Peʻepeʻe (pronounced peh-eh-peh-eh) Falls.