Perfect Days on Maui
Perfect Day #37 – Hana to ‘Ohe’o and Kipahulu
Start early in the morning after breakfast in order to spend a few hours at the ‘Ohe’o Gulch Pools before most tourists arrive. The 10-mile road from Hana to Ohe’o is narrow and winding, dotted with one-lane bridges, and not much fun to drive when it’s bumper-to-bumper with drivers sightseeing.
From Hana, drive past the turnoff for Hamoa Beach and St. Peter’s Catholic Church on your right, and slow down a couple of miles later (there’s no place to park) to see Paihi Falls (at a sharp curve in the road). Pull off to the side of the road at Wailua Falls cascading 200’ into a natural pool. After parking (which you can do if it’s early morning), take the trail before the bridge to get a closer look and possibly even a swim.
Don’t expect to see a sign saying “7 Pools.” The pools are named the “Ohe’o Gulch Pools” in the Kipahulu District of Haleakala National Park. Kipahulu Valley was added to Haleakala National Park in 1969. It’s 7.6 miles from the summit of Haleakala to the subtropical forests around Ohe’o Gulch Pools. Four streams drain the valley of over 250 inches of rain annually.
No one is permitted to hike in the Upper Kipahulu Valley, a reserve that provides sanctuary for hundreds of species of indigenous and other plants. Palikea Stream on the mountainside passes two of Maui’s largest waterfalls, Makahiku and Waimoku. A damp and muddy trail lined with yellow ginger, passing through three bamboo forests, follows this stream to these magnificent falls.
Kuloa Loop Trail
The parking lot for the Pools and the Ranger Station are just past the bridge. At the Ranger Station, you’ll find the junction of the Kuloa Loop Trail to the pools and the Pipiwai Trail to Waimoku Falls and Makahiku Falls. The Kuloa Loop Trail will take you past great views to the lowest pool seaward of the highway and then upstream to other pools and railings where you can safely enjoy views of the rest of the pools.
Lower Pools
The pools below the concrete bridge are the most visited. A 15-minute walk from the Visitors Center on The Pools of the ‘Ohe’o Loop leads down to the lower pools and loops back past interpretive signs. The two pools closest to the ocean are connected by an underwater tunnel 8’ below the surface. Head up ‘Ohe’o Stream from the bridge to see at least a half-dozen more pools.
Pipiwai Trail
A 4-mile hike that takes 2-3 leisurely hours brings you to two of the most scenic falls on the island, worth every effort to reach them. The Pipiwai Trail to the falls at Makahiku starts across the highway from the visitor’s center parking lot, crosses pastureland, passes near a guava tree forest (pick the ripe fruit and watch out for falling guavas), takes a right hand fork and ascends through forest.
Makahiku Falls
After only about 20 minutes on the trail, from viewpoints on the rim of ‘Ohe’o Gulch, you’ll see Makahiku Falls dropping 184’ into the gorge below. A trail leads to the pools behind the falls where you can enjoy a swim or at least a cold splash.
Waimoku Falls
Parts of the trail to Waikomo Falls get muddy and slippery, and mosquitoes are abundant. The path consists of raised boardwalks between several giant stands of bamboo, through greenery that includes passion fruit, guavas, even wild bananas and papayas, and other edibles. The path crosses several channels of Pipiwai Stream to your first look at Waimoku Falls making a 400’ plunge to its base and shallow pool (too shallow for a swim). Waimoku is surrounded by an amphitheater of sheer rock walls with cascades pouring down from every side. A great way to see and learn about Kipahulu Valley and Waimoku Falls is with Ken Schmitt’s Hike Maui (see http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/hike_maui.html).
Ranger Hike
Every Saturday, National Park Service Rangers conduct a hike to Waimoku Falls, leaving the Ranger Station at 9:30am. This hike heads through lower Kipahulu Valley, east of Kaupo Valley, created by successive lava flows and two tributaries of ‘Ohe’o Stream (Palikea and Pipiwai) carving out the main valley, Kipahulu, and a smaller side-valley.
Horseback Rides
Take the 3-hour Maui Stables (http://www.mauihorse.com/) ride to breathtaking views of Waimoku Falls above ‘Ohe’o Gulch. ‘Ohe’o Stables is about 35 minutes past Hana on Hwy. 31 (MM 40-41), roughly a mile past the Haleakala Park sign in Kipahulu. After crossing the bridge, take your first right. The praises heaped on ‘Ohe’o Stables, its well-trained and cared-for horses, John and other guides, and the overall riding experience are well deserved. For people who ride and love horses, there’s no better way to see Hana countryside, waterfalls and other scenery, while listening to enjoyable stories and Hawaiiana. (See http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/maui_stables.html).
Kipahulu
Just past MM41 in Kipahulu you’ll pass St. Paul’s Catholic Church before turning left on a narrow lane and left again to Palapala Ho’omau Church (c.1860, also called Kipahulu Church). In a small cemetery next to the church is the gravesite of Charles Lindbergh.
The world famous aviator and his wife, Ann Morrow Lindbergh, spent a great deal of time living in the home that they built in Kipahulu in 1968. Buried in 1974 next to this church, Lindbergh’s gravestone reads (139th Psalm): “If I take the winds of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea.” The small park on the bluff in front of the church offers shaded tables and a marvelous view across the channel to the Big Island.
Kipahulu is the point of return to Hana for those who do not intend to follow Maui’s southeast coastline to “Upcountry.” For those that want to stay overnight or more likely for several nights in beautiful, remote Kipahulu, the marvelous ‘Ala’aina Ocean Vista B&B is the perfect choice, especially for honeymooners and other couples looking for a serene escape.