Hands-down, the best hike I have ever went on in my life and I have been on plenty of hikes…read more There's a waterfall somewhere along the way and there are beautiful views of the ocean and beaches all around. Gorgeous is an understatement, but please make sure to bring plenty of water and sunscreen. You will need it. Enjoy!

One of my fave hikes, if you can get through the first 150 feet of vertical incline from the…read moreparking lot, well worth it. And I live in SoCal and get to do some pretty awesome hikes here. It was my type of hike, a bit of jungle, epic views of the water, the hike to the top was worth it when you have those insane views along the way...

What a magical forest! Don't skip the loop, people have started a Fairy Grove on the right hand…read moreside of the loop, and have left crafted fairy houses and doors. It's a fun place to take the kids to play pretend.

We drove an hour to get here and it was closed for some reason that wasn't super clear. Bummed as…read moreit looked beautiful and cooler weather!

Hoapili Trail was a surprise with its stunning coastline, featuring dark volcanic rock and white…read morecoral. We enjoyed hiking along the trail and exploring this unique area.

This is a walk from the only parking area…read more There is a map and you follow the coast. Today , just to the lighthouse and back. You need good shoes and water. No services.

Lava Fields is more of a scenic beach walk than a traditional hike, and it's such a beautiful way…read moreto spend time outdoors. You're walking alongside the water with nonstop ocean views, and the contrast of the lava rock and blue water is stunning the entire way. What's great about this walk is how flexible it is. You can go for miles or turn around whenever you want, which makes it accessible for all levels. It's very close to Wailea and some gorgeous beaches, so it's easy to fit into your day. Be sure to wear good footwear since the lava rock can be uneven and unstable in areas. Seeing the wild goats along the way was an added bonus and made the experience feel extra special. Peaceful, scenic, and a must-do if you're in the area.

Once you come to the Bay you can walk an established trail along the lava fields…read more There are remnants of lava rock houses from long ago. Now you see wild goats.

Hawaii MauiEast Lahaina Pali Trail Difficulty: 5 stars…read more This trail is 5 miles long and height of 1600 ft. We saw the sign on our way driving back to hotel around noon and thought we could continue hiking a bit, so we turned back to park. Some people parked directly by the roadside sign, but that area is not a parking lot (you might get towed). You can drive straight into the right parking lot (saves a lot of walking). There's a sign at the entrance warning that this is a difficult rocky road (THE ZIGZAGIEST ROAD) with a quote from a tourist in 1847: "All the way zigzag and winding, up steep, rocky and barren precipices. CHESTER LYMAN". It was indeed a bit challenging, especially since we weren't wearing proper hiking shoes. The path was steep with rocks of all sizes all the way (easily to get your ankle twisted), and the midday weather was really hot. This was a very exposed hiking route, literally with no shade and no wind! There were no markings along the way, but it was relatively easy to just follow the trail. We walked, rested, and drank water intermittently. There was no cell phone signal along the way. We thought we could continue but after 1 hour hike, my husband asked me to think about heading back since we didn't know how much we need to walk and at that point and we still were not too tired to head back. So we checked how long it would take to complete the trail. We had been walking for over an hour and it seemed like we had only hiked around 1/4 to 1/5 of the entire trail! There are two starting points, east and west. We started from the east, but Google Maps couldn't display the walking route and estimated time!! If coming on the other end from the west, Google estimated it to be 2.4 miles. (about an hour and half without resting) which means the entire east-west one-way trail is 5 miles. Round trip would be 10 miles !There's no way we could finish before sunset walking to the west and back to the east parking lot! Looking at the seemingly distant yet close windmills and not knowing how far we still had to hike, and also having not encountered anyone, so we decided it's okay to just head back. That's how hiking is, I think. Enjoy the hike but don't force ourselves to do what we couldn't do! Our plan for the whole day was quite spontaneous, and luckily we always brought at least 2 liters of frozen bottled water and 2 liters of a water bottle when going out. Otherwise, it would have been really difficult without enough water in such hot weather. The next day, both of us woke up with really sore legs, backs and waists. Ha Overall the view was beautiful and if we visit Maui next time, we will definitely hike here again but arriving earlier. East Lahaina Pali Trail Wailuku, HI 96793, United States

This is an excellent trail for almost 270 degree views of the island. It is also a thigh burner as…read moreyou climb up rocks the entire way to the windmills, and a knee burner on the way down. Be sure and go early in the morning before it gets hot and preferably on a partly cloudy and cool day as there is no shade. Lots of water and hiking boots with good tread are also needed. The first 5 minutes you are on an old asphalt road, which quickly gives way to a well maintained and signed rocky trail. Views of the bay, towards the west and Kaho'olawe island and south are excellent. After about 2 miles you come to the windmills and the trail flattens out. You can continue on to the east, but we turned around and went back the same way as clouds were threatening.

We tackled the Mahana Ridge Trail on a warm, humid morning, starting just above D.T. Fleming Beach…read more At first, the trail seemed approachable--lush trees, a slight incline, sounds of birds--but that calm quickly gave way to a true backcountry challenge. As we climbed, the path became narrower, steeper, and in some sections, so overgrown we were basically bushwhacking. Mud clung to our sneakers, spiderwebs greeted our faces, and parts of the trail felt like they hadn't seen a hiker in weeks. It was tough, but also strangely meditative. There's a real sense of solitude out there--just you, the forest, and whatever's rustling in the leaves nearby. The terrain shifted constantly. We moved through wild guava trees, thick ferns, and eventually into a grove of towering Cook pines. Reaching the Maunalei Arboretum felt like arriving in a different world. Some of the trees had roots taller than we were, and there were entire stretches of ground that felt like walking on a trampoline--just a thin mesh of tight, spongy roots stretched across the forest floor. It was one of the most unique environments we've ever hiked through. Now, full honesty: after hours on the trail, we were wiped--and the thought of retracing our steps all the way back down didn't exactly spark joy. So, we took a little shortcut: a road that winds down through a private neighborhood. It saved time, saved our legs, and got us to the beach that much faster. No regrets. If you're planning to hike Mahana Ridge, start early--you'll want to beat the heat and make the most of daylight. Sneakers worked fine for us, even with the muddy sections, though expect them to get dirty. Long sleeves and pants are smart for protecting against the overgrowth, and downloading a trail map ahead of time is a must, since you'll lose signal and some junctions aren't clearly marked. Be ready for a workout--this isn't a casual stroll, but a full-on forest adventure. Mahana Ridge was challenging, sweaty, and at times borderline ridiculous--but also unforgettable. It's not the kind of hike where the payoff is one big view at the end. It's the kind where the journey is the reward: the silence, the wild terrain, the spongy roots, and the occasional thrill of wondering, "Are we still on the trail?" And finding out... no you are not.

Finally had the chance to do Mahana Ridge Trail over on West Maui earlier in July 2024 and it is…read moredefinitely a nice scenic hike, though not too difficult at the same time. Much of it is in the shade, which does help but still best to try to start early in the day, as it can get really hot later on. There were other hikers on the trail, so it did not feel too lonely. The trailhead is at D.T. Fleming Beach, and you will want to park in the designated parking lot but will have to pay for an all-day pass through scanning a QR code or going to the stated website on the signs. There are points where you can see Kapalua and the golf courses as well as other parts of the West Maui Mountains. The stretch with the guava trees can be a bit treacherous at times because of the muddy conditions and all the berries that have fallen on the ground. Some of the signage is hard to read or follow at times. I got up to the loop point where you can clearly see Napili, Kapalua as well as the West Maui Mountains, Lana'i, and Moloka'i in the distance. Then turned around at that point, and the hike took about 4-1/2 hours roundtrip.

Be smart and safe, bring a telephoto lens and view this from a safe distance. If there is a swell…read more(waves breaking against the cliff) don't go down there, a large wave could break over the cliff and pull you out to sea. The blowhole can trick you into thinking it's not doing much and then a huge explosion out of it will soak you and knock you down. Watch for a while from a distance to get a good idea of what is going on and if after 30 minutes you have an idea of the level it's going to go at and you can determine how close you can get safely. Still recommend keeping a good 50 yard distance at a minimum.

Beautiful but a very difficult to climb. Crazy that they now…read morecharge $17 to park! What a ripoff!

Visited alone and explored the area, did not feel comfortable going into the pools as I was the…read moreonly one there. Went back the next day with niece and boyfriend. The steep hike seemed easier but longer and steeper. The pools were teeming with fish and crabs, high tide was about and hour off. Looked around and dove into the deeper of the pools, the water was cool and the salt seemed filtered away. We hung out until the waves started cresting the outer walls. Very beautiful, please be respectful if you go; leave it a better, cleaner place than when you arrived.

We came here to potentially get in the pools, but after reading some of the warnings online and…read moreseeing the pools, which were magnificent, we opted out. We also had our kids with us so that was a game changer. Parking was easy at the trailhead and there weren't a lot of people here. There is a sign at the beginning honoring a man who died here and asking people not to go in the pools. It is about a 5 minute walk to the cliff where you can first see the pools. If you choose to walk down, it is probably another 10 minutes and the terrain isn't too terrible. The pools are indeed right on the ocean, with water from the ocean splashing into them and then pulling back out. It did not too violent when we were there and there were about 10 people swimming and diving into them, so they must be pretty deep. We stood and watched and took in the view for about 15 minutes and then went on our way.