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A perfect trail for families or those who aren't to keen on hiking. The trail is short and straight to the point! We saw tortoises, limestone caves, horses, and the beach! We hiked down to the beach and walked around in the sand a bit. The beach was fairly secluded. We walked (crawled at one point) into the limestone cave. What a beautiful sight to see. We parked a bit further away from the main area because we noticed a lot of people had to do some slight off roading in sedan type vehicles. We did have a forerunner but we didn't want to risk anything (we saw several people scrape the bottom of their vehicles on rocks). Just be prepared that the sand you walk on at the beginning of the trail is red and will stain. I'm
Video of our hike- https://youtu.be/HkpLV5yEB8E One of the best trails for all ages on Kauai is the Maha'ulepu Heritage Trail. This is a 2 mile point-to-point coastal trail that runs along side some of the most beautiful wave-crashing cliffs on South Kauai. The trail can be caught in two different places. We chose to watch the sunrise at Shipwreck Beach so started there. You can park in the beach parking or there is street parking a little further up the road leading to beach. It was an incredibly windy morning and the rain had just moved out, so the waves were in full swing. The surfers were taking advantage of this and we watched them for a while. I'm usually pretty good at singular sports, but surfing is the one thing that I continue to fail at, so I greatly admire those that have the agility and ability. So, instead, I whirled and played tag with the ocean waves on the shore and enjoyed the beautiful sand between my toes. Next, we started our trek. The trail starts between a grassy, picnic area and the beach; there is a small embankment to climb up, but nothing too hard, especially for Kauai. This hike is such a beautiful experience. There are areas where the trail is wide so you don't feel crowded by any others you may encounter. You can almost have your own journey, which is magical for a hike like this. By the way, we wore closed toed Keen sandals for the trek, but easily could've done it in sneakers. No poles are needed. The path takes you along cliffs, but if this makes you nervous, you can easily navigate more inland. It's the beauty of this hike. These cliffs are Lithified sand dunes- ancient sand dunes that have hardened into limestone and contain fossils of coral and algae. This process took over 125,000 years! The next part of the hike takes you to a Native Hawaiian temple or heiau. The cultural definition of heiau is a place of worship where mana (divine energy) is transferred and concentrated through ritual and prayer. Do not touch, play on or remove artifacts from this site. If you brought your family with you, please watch your children. This space is sacred and the whole area should be treated with respect. This is approximately half-way. If you decide to continue, the trail will take you along a golf course to Maha'ulepu Beach, also known as Gillin's Beach. The surf is pretty rough here usually; this beach is best known for windsurfing. Do not enter the water if you are not a strong and experienced swimmer. The beach is also known for monk seal sightings as well as sea turtles, so please do not disturb and keep your distance. You can also pop in to see the tortoises at the sanctuary near the beach, or duck to explore the Makauwahi Cave, but that wasn't on our agenda this day. This is the biggest limestone cave in the Hawaiian archipelago and includes an amazing sinkhole, where the cave ceiling collapsed. The cave is open for free guided tours (with a recommended donation) daily. You can park near CJM stables to access this side of the trail to start or to see the cave or tortoises. This trail should not be missed and is totally free! You can choose what side to begin at or how far to go. Even for a short jaunt, the views are worth it. I hope you enjoy my footage. It's some of my favorite from the trip.
Parking options: Hyatt, on the roadside, or at the small lot for the public shipwreck beach. The trail offers multiple routes to the left of the beach. We have hiked many trails in Kauai and this one is the only sand based trail we've encountered. The views are breathtaking from the cliffs. On one side of the trail is the golf course and other side is the ocean. Moderate hike was doable for our 8 year old son. Worthwhile if you visit the south side of island and want a unique hike.
This trail is A-OK. It's easy and it's got decent ocean views. It's a great trail to hike with a pack full of ice and crispy boys. It starts at shipwreck beach. I don't like that it's surrounded by haole sprawl. It ends at a golf course and is flanked by big dumb resorts. I prefer something that feels a bit more wild and remote. This is a nice walk though, pairs perfectly with some Ola Hard Seltzer. (Ginger is my favorite)
This was a great trail for families of all ages! Used All Trails app to find our way and that helped.... We took our 2 kids (11&8) out on this trail and they did great. Start early before it gets too hot, and the parking lot gets full. We arrived just before 9am and nabbed the last spot. To get there, go past the Grand Hyatt and park on the left. You will see some signs, and you will find multiple trails to travel. Bring lots of water, & no bathrooms until you reach the beach. Amazing views, and a fun experience in the "jungle". Spent 2 hours exploring, dipped in the water at the end! Pro tip: ask your kids to try to locate the shipwreck! (It disappeared in 1982)
One of my favorite trail in Kauai, relative easy and scenic views of ocean. Parking: there is a public parking next to the Grand Hyatt at Shipwreck beach. Starting at shipwreck beach and you can either walk along the cliff or the path through the pine tree forest. The trail along the cliff is rocky and uneven. I would recommend to wear good support shoes. The views of rock formation, cliff and wave are really worthy. We also catch the best sunrise here. The path through the forest is easier and shaded. It is about 3 mile round trip to large beach and 6 mile round trip to the sink hole. We did not hike to the sink hole.
Also called the heritage trail, this starts at ship wreck beach on the southern coast of Kauai and continues along jagged cliffs ending at another long and isolated beach. The only thing required is 2-3 hours and some good sturdy shoes-no flip flops or open sandals-to enjoy this scenic hike. Also bring water-it's mostly sunny. We started out around 8:15 on a Sunday and were lucky enough to even get a parking spot in the small lot next to the Hyatt. There are public restrooms at the park on the beach where you start your walk. The trail itself has three separate zones: (1) crumbling sandstone covered with sand to start (2) red clay dirt with sharp volcanic rocks in middle then (3) an easy walk in the grass on the edge of a PGA golf course-keep an eye out for golf balls. If you keep going beyond there is another Large Beach and some caves (but they are only open certain days/hours). We went to the caves and back at a modest pace, stopping often along the way for pictures. For us the round trip was around 2-1/2 hours. There are a few tricky spots but overall it wasn't too bad in terms of hike-you just really need to watch your step on the volcanic rocks and stay back from the crumbling edges-especially in the sandstone section.
Three and a half stars. A couple hours' round-trip hike if you park near Grand Hyatt and start from Shipwreck's Beach. Terrain varies wildly if you stick close to the shore-- sandy dunes, dirt, stone, plus grass along the boring golf course stretch. It can be mildly strenuous depending on footwear and pace; we followed a more inland trail segment on the way back to avoid some minor but steep elevation changes, since I'd had my fill of cliff scrambling for the day. You'll want SPF and at least 1 standard sized bottle of water per person. Bug density is lower here than the more inland trails. Stunning views of waves crashing against the craggy coastline, with a few local joggers and fishermen dotting our trail. A windblown ironwood tree drapes itself Groot-like into a green alcove just before the first historic preservation area. We timed our hike towards late afternoon, and the golden hour transformed the undeveloped section between Punahoa Point and Maka-weki Bluff into a dreamy Tolkein-inspired landscape. I regret not budgeting more time for Maha'ulepu Beach.
We did the hike from Shipwreck Beach across the Lithified Cliffs to the Makauwahi Cave, but didn't make it all the way down to Mahaulepu Beach, which looked beautiful. Here's the deal, we loved the cliffs that make up the first part of the hike, but then it takes you into an area overgrown with brush that runs alongside the golf course (you're alongside the golf course for most of the trail, but this is when you're basically on the course itself, and you lose the ocean view intermittently). It's not horrible but I'm not sure it's worth this blah section to get to the other side when you can basically take Poipu Rd. to the dirt roads that lead right up to the cave/beaches, as long as they aren't washed out. How do I know this? Because the mister started to have some leg pain from our previous day's hike and we decided to take the dirt road back, and saw many cars flying by as we did. So I'd say definitely do the first mile-ish from Shipwreck Beach/Hyatt with the lithified cliffs and view of the beaches, as people have said, totally gorgeous, but as soon as the bushes thicken and the trail narrows toward the golf course, head back. It's not a short section that gets better, it's pretty much the rest of the trail.
This is the best kept secret of gorgeous views in Poipu. It's a super short hike to view beautiful cascading cliffs along the beach and to watch the sunset. Best to wear shoes because although the hike is short, there are steep inclines and uneven grounds. I love coming an hour before sunset and enjoy the scenic overlooks while eating sushi dinner. Parking: Park at Shipwreck Beach's parking lot and follow the left side of the beach towards to cliff and you'll eventually see the trail into the cliff. It's a total romantic spot and whenever I come I see "will you marry me" written on the beach sands.
This relatively easy hike is not to be missed especially if you are staying at the Grand Hyatt! It's practically in its backyard! I did this trail multiple times during my recent stay in Poipu one at sunrise and one at sunset! I HIGHLY suggest waking up a little early to catch the sunrise...it won't be hard if you are coming from the west coast as the time change works in your favor! Check the sunrise time on your nifty iphone and give yourself roughly 5-10 min to get to the top of the cliff from the bottom. It's a rocky climb so I recommend tennis shoes...no flip flops! Grab a seat at one of the many rocks and just wait for it! The beauty, the peace, the sound of the ocean waves is so incredibly healing! I will probably do this every morning if I make it back to Poipu again. Besides seeing the Napali coast up close and personal this was the second best thing I did on my trip to Kauai!
My favorite hike of all time. Not difficult and so many beautiful views. Would highly recommend.
There was no problem accessing this trail from our hotel and it provided outstanding views if you follow alongside the trail on the coastline. I would classify it as pretty easy but you might have to navigate some rocky areas if you stay on the coast. There's a parking lot for Shipwreck Beach in which you can get to the trail if you're not staying at the Hyatt. About a mile in, the trail will take you alongside Poipu Bay Golf Course. Just keep your head up for incoming golf balls as the trail runs a couple feet away from both a putting green and one of the tee boxes. We took the trail about 2 miles out and headed back. Taking our time, it took us a couple of hours. According to my GPS, we had about 250 feet in elevation gain, so not completely flat. There's not much cover from the sun at all so bring the water and you should be able to get by with any covered shoe. I would recommend this trail if you don't have a full morning or afternoon for hiking and don't have time to drive out to maybe Waimea Canyon or further places.
1 year ago
Beautiful trail along the hike that is fairly easy to moderate. A few bumpy parts, but no major elevation. Easy parking by Shipwreck Beach at the starting point. Took us a little over 2 hours with some photo opps. read more
On which trail can you see views of panoramic beaches, vastness of ocean waves, lengthy cliffs, golf courses, horse stables, limestone caves, sinkholes, and even tortoise reserves? November 7, 2021, first full day Kauai. Drive past the Grand Hyatt Resort and Spa, making a right turn at the Poipu Bay Golf course. Parked in the free Shipwreck beach parking lot, which will full by 845am. Later arrivals park alongside the road in the mud leading to the parking lot. Use the bathroom facilities, as no bathrooms nor water alongside the trail. However, once we came here before 8am, and the bathrooms were closed. Wife wore closed toe hiking sandals with socks, but had to stop a few times to empty pebbles and sand from her socks. I wore running shoes, but next time would wear hiking shoes with hardened toe area to prevent bruised toes from all to frequently hitting embedded rocks in the trail. Walked along Shipwreck beach, and then up a rocky hillside. Over the top of the hill of limestone, and an awesome sight of waves crashing against the stone cliffs below, on this southeastern coastal corner of Kauai. We hike on the sandy areas right on the cliffsides alongside the ocean, with limestone rock formations in view right at the ocean' edge. Arches of rock, and pinnacles rising right out of the sea. Sandy dunes replace the rock path, and then red clay. Inlets everywhere along the jagged coast line, where during calmer times sea turtles or Hawaiian monk seals resting on the sands of the inlets. In the background the red-brown Makawehi Bluffs, with palm trees above the golf course. Poipu golf course on top of the bluffs. Signs warn hikers to stay on the edge of the golf course. Safety fences prevent you from falling off the cliffs. Golf course ends, and enter area of tall grasses, where you can see the cliffs where you've hiked. Go over the hill, and come down, passing CJM country horse stables, with nearby Makauwahi sinkhole and cave and tortoise reserve, open daily 10am-4pm. We can see Gillin's beach in the background when it starts to rain, with winds gusting 30mph. On our way back, we cut through the forests away from the limestone hill formation. Two hours plus after starting, we return to the now full parking lot. Wife makes a beeline for the bathroom. At least they didn't have multiple unisex single occupancy bathrooms like they do in Yosemite NP, as I would have had to wait my turn in line with all the ladies ahead of me! read more
A perfect trail for families or those who aren't to keen on hiking. The trail is short and straight to the point! We saw tortoises, limestone caves, horses, and the beach! We hiked down to the beach and walked around in the sand a bit. The beach was fairly secluded. We walked (crawled at one point) into the limestone cave. What a beautiful sight to see. We parked a bit further away from the main area because we noticed a lot of people had to do some slight off roading in sedan type vehicles. We did have a forerunner but we didn't want to risk anything (we saw several people scrape the bottom of their vehicles on rocks). Just be prepared that the sand you walk on at the beginning of the trail is red and will stain. I'm read more
4 years ago
Video of our hike- https://youtu.be/HkpLV5yEB8E One of the best trails for all ages on Kauai is the Maha'ulepu Heritage Trail. This is a 2 mile point-to-point coastal trail that runs along side some of the most beautiful wave-crashing cliffs on South Kauai. The trail can be caught in two different places. We chose to watch the sunrise at Shipwreck Beach so started there. You can park in the beach parking or there is street parking a little further up the road leading to beach. It was an incredibly windy morning and the rain had just moved out, so the waves were in full swing. The surfers were taking advantage of this and we watched them for a while. I'm usually pretty good at singular sports, but surfing is the one thing that I continue to fail at, so I greatly admire those that have the agility and ability. So, instead, I whirled and played tag with the ocean waves on the shore and enjoyed the beautiful sand between my toes. Next, we started our trek. The trail starts between a grassy, picnic area and the beach; there is a small embankment to climb up, but nothing too hard, especially for Kauai. This hike is such a beautiful experience. There are areas where the trail is wide so you don't feel crowded by any others you may encounter. You can almost have your own journey, which is magical for a hike like this. By the way, we wore closed toed Keen sandals for the trek, but easily could've done it in sneakers. No poles are needed. The path takes you along cliffs, but if this makes you nervous, you can easily navigate more inland. It's the beauty of this hike. These cliffs are Lithified sand dunes- ancient sand dunes that have hardened into limestone and contain fossils of coral and algae. This process took over 125,000 years! The next part of the hike takes you to a Native Hawaiian temple or heiau. The cultural definition of heiau is a place of worship where mana (divine energy) is transferred and concentrated through ritual and prayer. Do not touch, play on or remove artifacts from this site. If you brought your family with you, please watch your children. This space is sacred and the whole area should be treated with respect. This is approximately half-way. If you decide to continue, the trail will take you along a golf course to Maha'ulepu Beach, also known as Gillin's Beach. The surf is pretty rough here usually; this beach is best known for windsurfing. Do not enter the water if you are not a strong and experienced swimmer. The beach is also known for monk seal sightings as well as sea turtles, so please do not disturb and keep your distance. You can also pop in to see the tortoises at the sanctuary near the beach, or duck to explore the Makauwahi Cave, but that wasn't on our agenda this day. This is the biggest limestone cave in the Hawaiian archipelago and includes an amazing sinkhole, where the cave ceiling collapsed. The cave is open for free guided tours (with a recommended donation) daily. You can park near CJM stables to access this side of the trail to start or to see the cave or tortoises. This trail should not be missed and is totally free! You can choose what side to begin at or how far to go. Even for a short jaunt, the views are worth it. I hope you enjoy my footage. It's some of my favorite from the trip. read more
4 years ago
Parking options: Hyatt, on the roadside, or at the small lot for the public shipwreck beach. The trail offers multiple routes to the left of the beach. We have hiked many trails in Kauai and this one is the only sand based trail we've encountered. The views are breathtaking from the cliffs. On one side of the trail is the golf course and other side is the ocean. Moderate hike was doable for our 8 year old son. Worthwhile if you visit the south side of island and want a unique hike. read more
This trail is A-OK. It's easy and it's got decent ocean views. It's a great trail to hike with a pack full of ice and crispy boys. It starts at shipwreck beach. I don't like that it's surrounded by haole sprawl. It ends at a golf course and is flanked by big dumb resorts. I prefer something that feels a bit more wild and remote. This is a nice walk though, pairs perfectly with some Ola Hard Seltzer. (Ginger is my favorite) read more
This was a great trail for families of all ages! Used All Trails app to find our way and that helped.... We took our 2 kids (11&8) out on this trail and they did great. Start early before it gets too hot, and the parking lot gets full. We arrived just before 9am and nabbed the last spot. To get there, go past the Grand Hyatt and park on the left. You will see some signs, and you will find multiple trails to travel. Bring lots of water, & no bathrooms until you reach the beach. Amazing views, and a fun experience in the "jungle". Spent 2 hours exploring, dipped in the water at the end! Pro tip: ask your kids to try to locate the shipwreck! (It disappeared in 1982) read more
One of my favorite trail in Kauai, relative easy and scenic views of ocean. Parking: there is a public parking next to the Grand Hyatt at Shipwreck beach. Starting at shipwreck beach and you can either walk along the cliff or the path through the pine tree forest. The trail along the cliff is rocky and uneven. I would recommend to wear good support shoes. The views of rock formation, cliff and wave are really worthy. We also catch the best sunrise here. The path through the forest is easier and shaded. It is about 3 mile round trip to large beach and 6 mile round trip to the sink hole. We did not hike to the sink hole. read more
Also called the heritage trail, this starts at ship wreck beach on the southern coast of Kauai and continues along jagged cliffs ending at another long and isolated beach. The only thing required is 2-3 hours and some good sturdy shoes-no flip flops or open sandals-to enjoy this scenic hike. Also bring water-it's mostly sunny. We started out around 8:15 on a Sunday and were lucky enough to even get a parking spot in the small lot next to the Hyatt. There are public restrooms at the park on the beach where you start your walk. The trail itself has three separate zones: (1) crumbling sandstone covered with sand to start (2) red clay dirt with sharp volcanic rocks in middle then (3) an easy walk in the grass on the edge of a PGA golf course-keep an eye out for golf balls. If you keep going beyond there is another Large Beach and some caves (but they are only open certain days/hours). We went to the caves and back at a modest pace, stopping often along the way for pictures. For us the round trip was around 2-1/2 hours. There are a few tricky spots but overall it wasn't too bad in terms of hike-you just really need to watch your step on the volcanic rocks and stay back from the crumbling edges-especially in the sandstone section. read more
Three and a half stars. A couple hours' round-trip hike if you park near Grand Hyatt and start from Shipwreck's Beach. Terrain varies wildly if you stick close to the shore-- sandy dunes, dirt, stone, plus grass along the boring golf course stretch. It can be mildly strenuous depending on footwear and pace; we followed a more inland trail segment on the way back to avoid some minor but steep elevation changes, since I'd had my fill of cliff scrambling for the day. You'll want SPF and at least 1 standard sized bottle of water per person. Bug density is lower here than the more inland trails. Stunning views of waves crashing against the craggy coastline, with a few local joggers and fishermen dotting our trail. A windblown ironwood tree drapes itself Groot-like into a green alcove just before the first historic preservation area. We timed our hike towards late afternoon, and the golden hour transformed the undeveloped section between Punahoa Point and Maka-weki Bluff into a dreamy Tolkein-inspired landscape. I regret not budgeting more time for Maha'ulepu Beach. read more
We did the hike from Shipwreck Beach across the Lithified Cliffs to the Makauwahi Cave, but didn't make it all the way down to Mahaulepu Beach, which looked beautiful. Here's the deal, we loved the cliffs that make up the first part of the hike, but then it takes you into an area overgrown with brush that runs alongside the golf course (you're alongside the golf course for most of the trail, but this is when you're basically on the course itself, and you lose the ocean view intermittently). It's not horrible but I'm not sure it's worth this blah section to get to the other side when you can basically take Poipu Rd. to the dirt roads that lead right up to the cave/beaches, as long as they aren't washed out. How do I know this? Because the mister started to have some leg pain from our previous day's hike and we decided to take the dirt road back, and saw many cars flying by as we did. So I'd say definitely do the first mile-ish from Shipwreck Beach/Hyatt with the lithified cliffs and view of the beaches, as people have said, totally gorgeous, but as soon as the bushes thicken and the trail narrows toward the golf course, head back. It's not a short section that gets better, it's pretty much the rest of the trail. read more
10 years ago
This is the best kept secret of gorgeous views in Poipu. It's a super short hike to view beautiful cascading cliffs along the beach and to watch the sunset. Best to wear shoes because although the hike is short, there are steep inclines and uneven grounds. I love coming an hour before sunset and enjoy the scenic overlooks while eating sushi dinner. Parking: Park at Shipwreck Beach's parking lot and follow the left side of the beach towards to cliff and you'll eventually see the trail into the cliff. It's a total romantic spot and whenever I come I see "will you marry me" written on the beach sands. read more
4 years ago
This relatively easy hike is not to be missed especially if you are staying at the Grand Hyatt! It's practically in its backyard! I did this trail multiple times during my recent stay in Poipu one at sunrise and one at sunset! I HIGHLY suggest waking up a little early to catch the sunrise...it won't be hard if you are coming from the west coast as the time change works in your favor! Check the sunrise time on your nifty iphone and give yourself roughly 5-10 min to get to the top of the cliff from the bottom. It's a rocky climb so I recommend tennis shoes...no flip flops! Grab a seat at one of the many rocks and just wait for it! The beauty, the peace, the sound of the ocean waves is so incredibly healing! I will probably do this every morning if I make it back to Poipu again. Besides seeing the Napali coast up close and personal this was the second best thing I did on my trip to Kauai! read more
7 years ago
My favorite hike of all time. Not difficult and so many beautiful views. Would highly recommend. read more
3 years ago
There was no problem accessing this trail from our hotel and it provided outstanding views if you follow alongside the trail on the coastline. I would classify it as pretty easy but you might have to navigate some rocky areas if you stay on the coast. There's a parking lot for Shipwreck Beach in which you can get to the trail if you're not staying at the Hyatt. About a mile in, the trail will take you alongside Poipu Bay Golf Course. Just keep your head up for incoming golf balls as the trail runs a couple feet away from both a putting green and one of the tee boxes. We took the trail about 2 miles out and headed back. Taking our time, it took us a couple of hours. According to my GPS, we had about 250 feet in elevation gain, so not completely flat. There's not much cover from the sun at all so bring the water and you should be able to get by with any covered shoe. I would recommend this trail if you don't have a full morning or afternoon for hiking and don't have time to drive out to maybe Waimea Canyon or further places. read more
8 years ago
What a beautiful natural trail that follows the coastline. Tip: Try to get early in the morning to see sea turtles feed! There are alot of fun little areas go discover but be careful if you have small children with you. There is no barrier and it can slippery in some spots (esp. after the rain). read more
10 years ago
What an amazing hike! You follow the cliff with the ocean on one side and a golf course on another. To get there, map shipwreck beach and park adjacent to the Hyatt. The trail picks up to the left of the hotel if ypu're facing the ocean. I only went about 1.5 miles in but the path led farther had I not run put of time. It's so gorgeous, it's hard not to stop at every scenic cove and explore. There are a few different paths....closer to the edge (rockier, more narrow, more elevation changes) or closer to the golf course (flatter and more dirt/desert like) and some in between. As far as I can tell, they all lead to the red rock cliff straight ahead. While it's fairly flat (some rock climbing depending on the path chosen) and easy, if you take the path cosest to the cliff's edge and you have a fear of heights, you may have issues. But so worth it. Definitely bring water and sunscreen. Bug spray and a hat aren't bad ideas either! read more
15 years ago
Absolutely loved this hike. The views were beautiful and it wasn't too long or strenuous. HOWEVER, it was really confusing to figure out where to go because there were so many paths to take. Also, there didn't seem to be an end to the trail. It seemed to have just led into another trail which led to caves. I may have missed it though. Side note: I attempted to run this hike and learned halfway through that the paths were too rocky to run on. I badly twisted my ankle so it's definitely only a hiking trail. read more
This is one of the best hikes along the beach. There are gorgeous views! Each day this week, I came here for sunrise. Everyday was different. During the week, very few people are on the trail. On the weekend, there are a lot more people. The cliffs are the best part. Make sure you stop and look in the cracks - there are so many sea creatures to see. This is my favorite spot for sunrise - it is amazing! read more
8 years ago
Beautiful scenery with moderate courses. Went for a outdoor run which turned into a hike the trail is just too beautiful to rush thru. Part of the trail gets pretty steep, with rocky surfaces so be running all the way thru may not be a real option. Also keep bugs and mosquitos can be prevalent in parts of the trail as well so you want to be prepared for that. All in all a beautiful trail that showcases the wonderful southern coast line of Kauai. Definitely recommend!! read more
7 years ago
Liked this one. Almost completely sand based, so easy on the feet. Great views and varied terrain add to the charm on this trail. Take 50% more water than you normally do as the sand requires more effort to traverse. read more
9 years ago
Brief hike, went ok a Sunday afternoon around 230pm. Parked at Shipwreck Beach and went left, the opening to the trail is to your left as you hit the sand. Branches cover it, so a little hard to see. You have your choice of a few trails, some more "inland" and others right near the tip of the cliffs! Great views! Bring water and use bug spray and sunscreen. read more
15 years ago
8 years ago
15 years ago
If you drive down Poipu Road until it ends, take the dirt road (very bumpy, lots of potholes) past CJM stables and you reach a small dirt parking lot. Find the path through the trees to get to the beach. You'll see cliffs on the right side and if you start walking towards them you cross a small stream to get to the hiking path. It's not a difficult trail. We walked with some small children as well as some older adults. No hiking boots are needed. We didn't walk the entire trail since we got there late and the lot gate closes at 6 pm. But there are some great views at the top of the cliffs. read more
9 years ago
Great trial. Beautiful and easy but pretty hot. There was a lot of direct sunlight so we didn't make it all the way to the beach. The starting beach was pretty though. The coastline was pretty amazing and made for some great photos. read more
9 years ago
This hike is really beautiful. Not too difficult. my husband and I, along with our kids (10 and 12) enjoyed the stroll with my mother-in-law (73). It is a sandy path mostly, so it can be slippery. The rest of my family wore shoes, but I had flip flops on because I hate the feeling of sand in my shoes. :) so many different photo opportunities along the trail! read more
12 years ago
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More info about Maha'ulepu Trail
Poipu, HI 96756
Directions
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