The Hulopo'e - Huawai Fisherman's Trail starts right at the west end of Hulopo'e Beach Park in…read morefront of the Four Seasons Lana'i. It's rocky at times but the trail is well marked and it's a very nice scenic hike overall. You will pass through Huawai Bay, some blowholes, and a historic site. At some points, you can even get a distant view of Pu'u Pehe (Sweetheart Rock). It's about 2 miles in each direction and the end takes you to one of the local golf courses and parking areas. I did not retrace my steps on the same trail, but ended up walking on Hulopo'e Road which runs parallel to the trail and coast. Best to wear closed-toe hiking shoes because of the aforementioned rough conditions of the trail.

Fisherman's Trail/Kapihaa Trail Hike (Hulopoe - Huawai Fisherman's Trail):…read more Trail begins west of the Four Seasons Manele Bay, passed oceanfront massage cabanas. You go through cool blowholes and historical sites. I like this trail but no shades. We did this twice while we stayed on the island. We did not go all the way due to overheat.

2nd Visit here We…read morelove the island of Lāna'i Comfy Homey Feeling The Beach and Bay and its surroundings are heavenly and peaceful. Sun is always shining Palm trees swaying the the beat of the ocean. Clean Clear Calm Soft Sand Cool breeze Warm ocean Killer Views Respect the land and take your trash and any items you brought to the beach- don't leave anything behind Mālama

There's a very safe walking trail from the Four Seasons Lana'i resort, and you'll find lovely…read moremanicured landscaping and happy grounds maintenance personnel. On an early morning walk from our ocean view room, it was a quick and easy path to watch the sun rise. Did I already say safe? Truly, there was nothing to worry about on this beautiful and peaceful walk. The sand is clean and soft. This is great for walking barefoot and feeling the sea shore. There's zero sign of litter, thankfully beach goers here are responsible for what they bring. The ocean itself is rough at this beach. The waves were crashing on near-shore reefs. Perhaps the early morning, but no one was in the ocean nor on the beach. In a convenient location nearby, an outdoor shower is available to rinse off. To the Beach Park personnel, big Mahalo for all you do to keep this clean and safe. It made a memorable morning even more serene :)

All the books and sites I checked on Maui said that Kapalua resort had a ton of hiking and lots of…read moretrails. My husband said I should have been wary that I hadn't found any reviews, just the comment that there were over "100 miles of trails." That's because that literally IS the only selling point. Still, this was the closest hiking to our hotel in Lahaina so we decided to try it. You head over to Honolua village (where you go to start the ziplining) and there is a free shuttle offered at 4 times throughout the day. If you miss it you have to wait as you aren't able to just walk to the trailhead. They were out of maps that day (freaky!) so we bought an iphone app online and looked at their maps on the wall. We also had to sign a waiver. After a 15 minute drive you arrive at the arboretum. At first there are fun flowers and plants, beautiful vistas and views and you feel a bit like you're in LOST as the trails aren't totally clear and you have to tread lightly through the tall weeds. However, once you are in there for a good hour there isn't much else to see. There are no birds, no frogs, no random unnameable bugs...It's the same thing over and over again. It gets very very rainy and wet (it's a rainforest but again, no wildlife). It gets cold and dark. The weeds become tall painful over-grown beasts that slice your legs as you try and walk. You find yourself walking on trails that run right next to roads. You see plastic from the vegetation that was installed! There is hardly any wildlife whatsoever. We saw far more of that on the hiking we did off the Road to Hana. We didn't want to sit around waiting for the shuttle which was so many hours out so we opted to take the trail that gets you back to where you parked your car. It was about 8 miles and we did it fast because we were super bored. If you do go, it's definitely good for the workout! I was sore the next day. Oh and fair warning...the ground is orange clay so definitely best to wear hiking boots, my sneakers are still red and they were soaked! Truly, I think there's better hiking elsewhere! One local told us a place called Swinging Bridges that is supposed to be amazing...Think it's on private property but maybe worth checking out! Definitely a miss! I am kinda pissed at my fodor's book for even mentioning it. I had to concede my husband a "told you so" and I really hate that most of all!

We did the 8-mile Arboretum to Mahana Ridge Trail and it was the best hike we've ever done in…read moreHawaii! A bit about us: we love the rain, bush whacking, overgrown trails and the challenge of figuring out if we're on the right trail or not. And getting muddy is part of the fun. So if you like all of that, you will love this hike. Note that it is WET and muddy at the top of the hike, so it's slippery in some parts. The abundance of fruit trees was pretty amazing - we were eating guava and lilikoi for the first couple of miles, it was hard to keep walking because we kept finding more fruit to eat. Further down, we found pineapples growing in the wild, how cool is that? The views were outstanding in some parts, and as we descended we kept entering different micro-climates which meant different plant life in each stage (did I mention that we are botanists at heart?). The smell of eucalyptus trees and seeing the huge banyan trees totally makes this hike. About 3/4 of this hike is under shady forest. I will mention that the last mile was the part I didn't like because all of a sudden we lost our shade and hiked in the blasting sun through the golf course, but we still had great views of the ocean. We took a right instead of a left at the overpass and ended up at DT Fleming beach, which isn't all bad because a dip in the ocean is just what we needed. Even though it's mostly downhill, this hike is a bit of a workout. Highly recommended for people who love to hike and don't mind getting dirty. We used the Kapalua free shuttle in the morning and this service is great (must call to reserve, we called at 8:45am and got on the 9:30am shuttle). Make sure to tip the driver!

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.

Wow, such an amazing, wonderful, peaceful and beautiful place to visit in Lana'i, and you will feel…read morelike you are on some kind of martian land. Keahiakawelo (Garden of the Gods) is literally a big rock garden with red dirt and boulders of various sizes. Plus, you can see Moloka'i and Maui in the distance. There is no particular walking path but don't be disrespectful and move rocks around or pile them on top of each other because it is a sacred place. Don't know what happened to the original "Garden of the Gods" stone at the entrance that I have seen on videos and other users' images in the past, but it seems to me that it has since been replaced with a smaller metal sign. Garden of the Gods and all the other attractions along this rocky dirt road are only accessible with a 4-wheel drive (Jeep). I would love to come back to see this incredible location in the near future.

Keahiakawelo, on the island of Lanai, is also known as the Garden of the Gods…read more The beautiful area reminds me of what it must be like to be on Mars. You drive on some serious 4x4 rugged dirt roads to reach it and when you do it's like being transported to another planet. There is red dirt and random boulders everywhere! The area is easily accessible, and there is no climbing or difficult paths. Anyone can go experience the beauty! You get amazing views of several other Hawaiian islands such as Maui and Molokai. You can see the beauty of the Pacific Ocean all around you. The boulders gleam in the morning and evening sunlight and you get some beautiful different iridescent colors. We used a private guide to get there and we were glad we did. Our hotel arranged it for us and we spent a short but perfect amount of time at the Garden of the Gods. I appreciated how the area was so clean and pristine. You can keep traveling farther on the same road and I'm not sure where that leads. When we were there, there was a lot of Vog (volcanic smog) coming from the big island. Because of the vog, we weren't able to see as far as others may be able to on a clear day. We could still see two of the islands. Our guide said on a really clear day you can see Oahu. One Island legend tells us that the rocks and boulders were dropped from the sky by the gods tending their gardens. Another ancient tale explains that the rocks house the spirits of ancient Hawaiian warriors. And still another legend says that the gods enjoyed creating art, and this spot on the island is where they made their favorite sculptures. They created powerful winds to literally sculpt each rock formation (perhaps explaining why there is no vegetation in the Garden of the Gods). This site is located about 7 miles outside of Lanai City. The dirt road is well marked but only a 4-wheel drive vehicle can manage the rutted and rugged trail. If there has been any recent rains, the road if may be closed and unsafe for driving. This road leads all the way to Ka'ena Point and Polihua Beach.

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.

I enjoy visiting this NWR every time I visit Maui. There are two sections. The coastal boardwalk is…read moreopen every day and is a nice walk between the beach and coastal wetlands on a well maintained boardwalk. The headquarters and ponds are located further inland and only open Monday to Friday, except the first Saturday of the month. I really recommend visiting on the first Saturday of the month for interesting events, presentations, and tours. I stopped on the most recent First Saturday for a bird walk down at the ponds. The staff is energetic, informative, and friendly. There was also a performance by the US Pacific Fleet woodwind quintet. We saw a number of recently migrated birds such as Pacific Golden Plover, Wandering Tattler, Ruddy Turnstone and the year-round locals.

A stroll on the boardwalk. And access to the water at 3…read morepoints. Some bird life. Overcast and windy day.

Halawa Valley, Molokai…read more Kalani Akana Wilmington Pruet grew up in Kaimuki on Oahu, a graduate of Kamehameha Schools. Before making his way to his Ohana homestead in Halawa Valley on Molokai, he lived on Maui for a few years. Kalani was our guide, historian and smoothie chef! Walked the entire hike in slippahs no less. Halawa Valley was once the home of hundreds of Hawaiian families who grew taro and lived sustainably on family farms. The irrigation system that runs pretty much the entire length of the valley, still exists as it has for hundreds of years. Swimming in Moaula Falls was the highlight of the hike. Cool, deep and refreshing. The hike wasn't difficult and included crossing the water in a few places. Wet shoes that squish! Bring water shoes, lunch to eat at the falls, water and enjoy the majesty of the falls. Back at the flower farm we enjoyed smoothies made from fruit grown on site. Remember the valley is at the end of the road literally. Park near the beach or the old church. One way road so proceed with caution in some parts. Remember what Oahu was like when you were a kid? This place reminds you that the simple life is sometimes the best life.

Absolutely loved spending time in Halawa Valley. The valley itself is majestic, well taken care of…read moreand packed full of history. Greg did a cultural presentation it was such a highlight of the entire experience. Hearing about the valley, his family, the history will leave you awestruck. Grey shared his produce from his land, had a great energy and wonderful laugh. We felt very welcomed and would love to experience it again. Tanner was our hike tour guide and he was a joy. Filled with great knowledge and very personable. Hike was easy and just beautiful. If you love Hawaiian history/culture this is a must do.