Journey across Maui and explore some of the most beautiful hiking trails in the world. From the sea breezes and ocean views of Kūloa Point Trail to snaking along the mountainside of the Waihe‘e Ridge Trail, the diversity of Maui’s hiking paths will have you delighting in the wonders of nature and seeing the variety of landscapes the island has to offer.

Kūloa Point Trail (Keiki friendly)

Located on the southeastern side of the island in the foothills of Haleakalā is a beautiful oceanside trail that takes hikers along a well-maintained path to view the Pools of ‘Ohe‘o, or the Seven Sacred Pools. To reach the trailhead of the Kūloa Point Trail (‘Ohe‘o Gulch), drive north along Highway 360 (Hāna Highway), passing through the towns of Kaupō and Kīpahulu. As you coast along the country road, stay alert for a sign on the left-hand side of the road for the Haleakalā National Park Kīpahulu Area. Turn right at this sign and find yourself at the paved parking lot for this trail.

After parking your car near the visitor center, look for the signs marking the start of the trail. You can complete this 0.5-mile loop trail in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, but the most common way to enjoy the Kūloa Point Trail is in a counterclockwise direction. As soon as you start walking along the path, you will encounter a reconstruction area of thatched roof homes and rock walls like those of ancient Hawai‘i. As you continue along the gently downslope path, you will quickly come upon seven beautifully terraced freshwater pools or the Pools of ‘Ohe‘o. There are swimming closures, and it is important to know about flash floods and sharks in the water below. Sitting beneath the waterfall is also not advised since debris from upstream can make its way down to the falls. After passing the pools, you will find yourself arriving back at the visitor’s center and near the start of the trail. This mellow, short walking path is easy to complete for most visitors, taking only about 20 to 30 minutes and achieving only 100 feet in elevation gain. The area is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but the inbound gate closes at 4:30 p.m., so be sure to arrive before that time.

Kahakapao Loop Trail (Moderate)

Delve into the forests of Maui along the Kahakapao Loop Trail to view native birds and plants while experiencing the splendor of a Hawaiian rainforest. Located upcountry in Makawao Forest Reserve, this well-maintained trail is easy to find from the town of Makawao, driving north along Makawao Avenue. Turn right onto Pi‘iholo Road, just after St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. Drive approximately 1.5 miles mauka (towards the mountains) until you reach a fork in the road. Take a left at this fork, turning onto Waiahiwi Road and driving until you reach a point where the road intersects with Kahakapao Road. Take a right onto Kahakapao Road and drive until the road opens up into a large parking lot. The first parking lot you encounter is reserved for horse-trailer parking only. Continue along the road, and you will come upon the upper parking lot reserved for vehicles.

Once you secure your vehicle, head to the sign that marks the start of the Kahakapao Trail. Hikers are known to take this 5.8-mile loop trail from both the clockwise and counterclockwise directions. Both paths will gain steadily in elevation until you reach the middle point of this hike. Reaching the mid-point takes approximately 1.5 hours, so your roundtrip travel time will total about three hours. Along the way, gaze up to view towering trees like endemic koa and fragrant eucalyptus. Glance at the foliage framing the trail, and you will see kupukupu ferns, an endemic sword fern whose name means “to sprout” and symbolizes knowledge and learning. And, if you are lucky, you might hear the buzzy tweets and trills of the Hawai‘i ‘Amahiki flittering above. This native forest bird is known to be one of the most adaptable forest birds and is prized for its green feathers, which were used by native Hawaiians when creating feather lei. While the trail only sees a 1,151-foot elevation gain, the Makawao Forest Reserve area sits approximately 4,000 feet above sea level, resulting in a unique habitat. Open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., this heavily trafficked trail is popular with hikers, bikers and the occasional horseback rider.

Waihe‘e Ridge Trail (Challenging)

Spend a day in the clouds as you climb the path of Waihe‘e Ridge Trail and see breathtaking views. While measuring approximately four miles in length, the elevation gain of this out-and-back trail can be the toughest challenge to overcome since you will be gaining about 400 feet in elevation per mile. To reach the trailhead for this hike, drive through Kahului and Waihe‘e-Waiehu in a northwesterly direction along Highway 340 (Kahekili Highway). As your car curls along the road, look for Mendes Ranch on the right-hand side of the road. This is your signal to turn left onto a small road, where you will see a small sign advertising that this is the area of the Waihe‘e Ridge Trail. Continue along this road until you reach the end of the pavement.

To reach the start of the trail, head through the cattleguard and ascend a steep ramp. It might seem overwhelming to start the hike, but keep going since this ascension is short. After the path levels out, you will find yourself on the trail and heading into a dense forest. The trail is marked at each .5 mile, making for easy navigation as you climb the series of switchbacks that lead you up the side of the mountain. At about three-quarters of a mile into the hike, you will see Makamaka‘ole Falls, a multi-tiered waterfall cascading about 60 feet into a pool below. As you continue along the path, you will steadily gain in elevation as you pass by ‘ōhi‘a lehua trees, both with blossoms of red and yellow. Endemic to the islands, the flowers of the trees are considered sacred to the goddess of lava and volcanic eruptions, Pele. Throughout the trail, you will also see kukui trees. Also known as candlenut trees, the oil from the tree’s nut was used and burned as a light source in ancient Hawai‘i. Open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, this popular hike rewards hikers with views of the West Maui mountains ending at a small hill known as Lanilili located at 2,500 feet above sea level.

Across the island, many hikes take you to some of the most breathtaking spots on the island. No matter your age or ability, a hike is waiting for you.