Shortly after the turnoff for Palapala Ho’omau Church, stop at the small pullout for a grand view of the coastline. From this point, the road narrows for several miles, with many blind curves. Between MM 40 and MM39 you pass Kukui’ula Falls. Just moments MM 40 mile marker, a wonderful view opens to the Kipahulu coast, and shortly afterwards the road narrows for a few miles. The road twists and turns along the seacoast and rocky seacliffs past Opelu Falls shrinking down to a single-lane. Opelu Falls streams from tree-covered green cliffs surrounded by brilliant green pasturelands.
Shortly past the falls, the pavement ends near MM 38, changing to gravel for five miles and then back again after Kaupo to about 13 miles of bumpy blacktop. Near MM36, up the hillside (drive slowly and don’t take your eyes off the road for too long) is the Popoiwi Heiau, built by ancestors of the Hawaiians sometime after the 4th century AD.
Hui Aloha Church
On a small peninsula or bluff overlooking the bay, Hui Aloha Church (1857) suddenly appears facing Mokulau Beach. Windblown palms trees wave around its lawns. Waves crash below on the boulders at Mokulau Beach. Deep blue waters of Alenuihaha Channel to the Big Island are filled with white caps. It’s a wild, beautiful, scenic setting unlike any other in Hawaii. The church and its surrounding lava rock wall are reached by a narrow, rough gravel road that is very easy to miss. Drive slowly so that you don’t pass it.
Especially if the sky is blue with patches of clouds and the sun is shining, the Mokulau Beach area is a perfect spot for a snack or picnic lunch (which you should bring lunch and plenty of water with you from Hana). More than a mile further on, Kaupo Store (248-8054) may be open souvenir or snack.
Kaupo Gap Trail
Between MM 35 and MM34, after Hwy. 31 passes a one-lane bridge, a one-lane cinder road to your right leads in 1.5 miles to the trailhead up Kaupo Gap. Turn left at the fork in the road into a grassy parking area where you’ll see the trailhead sign for Haleakala National Park near a gate in a stone wall. The trail follows the west side of Manawainui Gulch, past the Hale o Kane Heiau to Kaupo Gap and the Paliku Cabin in the crater. Hikers usually use this trail coming down from Haleakala Crater after staying overnight at Paliku Cabin.
Kaupo also includes another of the island’s oldest churches, St. Joseph’s Church (1862). The size of the church gives you some idea of the large population that used to live around Kaupo. Walls of the old church stand near the newer church (restored in the 1990s) and both are now part of history.
Around MM33, at the beginning of paved Hwy. 31 (very bumpy asphalt), the landscape as far as you can see becomes stark, volcanic and desolate over much of the next nine miles. Drive on slowly to MM32 and look up the mountain at awesome Kaupo Gap.
At MM31 you’ll start passing desolate Nu’u Bay, site of an ancient fishing village. As you pass MM31, look for a gate on your left for the loop hike to petroglyphs. Petroglyphs are etched on the cliff to your right. The cliff leads to a boulder beach where an old heiau sits on a bluff. At the end of the beach is Nu’u Landing, a lava point where cattle raised nearby were loaded in boats. Further down the coast Huakini Bay and its boulder beach are battered by surf. At MM29 Pokowai Sea Arch can be seen from the roadside near the ocean.
From here, the stark volcanic landscape is barren, rust-colored, and deeply gouged with gullies -- an amazing sight especially after passing through lush greenery just a few miles around the mountain. The new bridge over the gully at MM 28 will be quite a surprise in this desolate context, without much of any traffic. Besides some cattle and a few feral goats, you won’t see any signs of life on Hwy. 31 that turns into Hwy 37 as it ascends to the 3000’ level. These parched slopes used to support more than a thousand people when Cook arrived in 1778. Soon cattle, goats and pigs brought by Europeans stripped the land of its vegetation.
Even though the relatively barren landscape has its special eerie beauty, most likely you’ll feel as sense of relief when you arrive at Tedeschi Winery’s wine tasting room. Mission completed. Time to celebrate with some red, white or sparkling wines that actually are better than their reputation. The wine tasting room usually is very busy and always fun.
The first time that I visited Tedeschi Winery, in the mid-1980s, Maui Blanc Pineapple Wine was almost in its 10th year and Maui Brut -Blanc de Noirs and Maui Blush were brand new products. My timing in 1993 was perfect, not long after the first release of Ulupalakua Red and the next year, Plantation Red. Maui Blanc made from pineapples is still Tedeschi’s signature wine, but try the reds and you may pleasantly surprised.