The Other Side of Haleakala National Park
Most visitors know Haleakala National Park for its barren volcanic summit and famous sunrise, but the park has a second, completely different section on the coast near Hana: the Kipahulu District. This is where you find the Pipiwai Trail, a four-mile round-trip hike through jungle, past a freshwater pool, into a soaring bamboo forest, and up to a 400-foot waterfall. It feels nothing like the moonscape up top, and many travelers say it is the best hike on Maui. If you are summiting for sunrise, our Haleakala sunrise hike itinerary covers the upper section, and the Kipahulu coast makes a perfect contrast for a different day.
Trail Stats at a Glance
- Distance: About 4 miles round trip, out and back.
- Elevation gain: Roughly 800 feet, mostly gradual with a few steep dirt sections.
- Time: Plan on 2.5 to 3.5 hours including stops for photos and swimming.
- Difficulty: Moderate. Roots, mud, and stream crossings make sturdy shoes essential.
The trail starts from the Kipahulu Visitor Center parking lot, about 10 miles past the town of Hana on the Hana Highway.
What You'll See Along the Way
The first landmark is the overlook for the Makahiku Falls, a 200-foot drop visible from a fenced viewpoint about half a mile in. Continue on and you cross a sturdy footbridge over a gorge, then enter the trail's signature feature: a dense bamboo forest where the stalks clack together overhead and a boardwalk keeps you out of the mud. The light filtering through the green is one of the most photographed scenes on the island.
Beyond the bamboo, the trail ends at Waimoku Falls, a thin 400-foot ribbon plunging down a sheer rock wall. You can stand near the base, though the park asks hikers not to go directly under it due to falling rock. On the way back, the Oheo Gulch pools, sometimes called the Seven Sacred Pools, sit near the trailhead, though swimming is often closed for flash-flood safety, so check posted signs.
Getting There From Hana and Kahului
Kipahulu is remote. From Kahului it is a roughly 3.5-hour drive along the full Road to Hana, so most people either stay overnight in Hana or commit to a very long day. The narrow, winding road past Hana has a few one-lane bridges and unpaved patches, so leave early. The $30 park entrance fee covers both the summit district and Kipahulu for three days, so keep your receipt if you also did sunrise earlier in your trip.
Best Time to Hike the Pipiwai Trail
This is a rainforest, so it can rain any time, but the trail is hikeable year round. Go early in the morning to beat both the heat and the tour-van crowds that arrive midday. Avoid hiking during or right after heavy rain because the stream crossings and the gulch can flash flood dangerously fast. The drier months from April through October generally mean better footing, though waterfalls run fuller in the wetter winter season.
What to Bring
- Closed-toe shoes with grip, since mud and roots are constant.
- Bug spray for the humid jungle and bamboo sections.
- Water and a snack, as there are no services on the trail.
- A rain jacket, because passing showers are normal even on sunny days.
Pairing It With the Summit
The Kipahulu coast and the Haleakala summit are part of the same park but on opposite ends of the mountain, and you cannot drive between them through the park, you must go around. Many travelers do the summit sunrise early in their trip and save the Pipiwai Trail for a Road to Hana day later on. Seeing both gives you the full range of Haleakala, from a 10,000-foot cinder desert to a coastal bamboo jungle, in a single visit.
