This is a pretty easy hike with great payoff! It only takes about 2 hours, and you get to hike over…read morea couple of bridges, through a bamboo forest, and end up at a gorgeous waterfall! I'm an athletic kinda girl, and I would say this trail is maybe a 2/5 in terms of difficulty. (I'd give it a 1, but it has some incline, so I gave it a 2.) My boyfriend is a homebody and rarely hikes, and he gave it a 3/5 in terms of difficulty. One thing to note: The drive to get here is a DOOZY. I did thee Road to Hana the last time I was in Maui, and it freaked me out so much that we tried going around the south side of the island this time. That was also very scary. Unless you are prepared for very narrow roads (I'm talking one lane with traffic going both ways) on a cliff, sometimes with drops straight into the ocean, don't do it. If you are okay with that, do the Road to Hana for the more scenic drive. The southern drive was less scenic, and probably just as scary.

Came back here 5 years after I went the 1st time and brought my 9 year old. He made it to the end…read moreand back. The trail didn't seem as magical, maintained or green as I remember the 1st time. Maybe a different time of year? More mosquitoes as well. Still, it was pleasant and glad we went. We saw a lot of people bringing infants in carriers and really small kids. This is a serious hike. I would say maybe 7 + in age if you are bringing kids. You may make it part of the way, but it will take you an hour to get to the bamboo forest at least and there are a lot of weird wide steps. Bring water, snacks, hiking stick and bug spray.

The full Kapalua Coastal Trail is about 1.76 miles and can be divided into four sections (see map I…read moremarked : 1. Blue 2. Yellow 3. Red 4. Green). We stayed on the west side of Maui, only about a 10-minute drive to the trail's north end. Left around 11:30am but had to detour a bit due to road work. 1. Kapalua Coastal Trail - Kapalua Bay Public Beach Parking You can plug in Kapalua Bay Public Beach Parking on Google Maps, but free parking is very limited. We drove in circles around 11:50am and couldn't find a single spot! Paid parking nearby was $20, and some restaurants had valet for $10. A little pricey just for a short hike, so we kept looking for other options. 2. Free Parking - Cliff House This lot is inside the Montage Kapalua Bay resort, but only about 10 spaces are actually free. We got lucky after waiting 10+ minutes and snagged a spot. From here, heading left takes you toward the Kapalua Bay side, passing Cliff House, Namalu Bay viewpoint, and Kapalua Bay Beach. After looping back, we continued right toward the Dragon's Teeth Trail. 3. Dragon's Teeth Trail The entrance has a small free parking lot right next to the Ritz-Carlton. Again, spots are super limited, and by the time we got there around 2pm, it was completely full. The trail takes you past Ironwood Cliffs and Oneloa Beach before reaching Dragon's Teeth. 4. Makaluapuna Ridge Trail This section continues further past Dragon's Teeth, but we didn't do this part. **Tips from our walk (123): * Switch Google Maps to satellite view to spot small parking lots. * Free parking is scarce, just come earlier if you can. * Kapalua Bay Beach & Oneloa Beach sections are sandy and flat, good for swimming and easy walking. * Dragon's Teeth is rocky, sneakers are way better than sandals. * Bring water, hat, and sunglasses. Even though it was only mid-70s (F), there's zero shade, and I ended up with a sunburned scalp after 2+ hours because I skipped my hat. Overall, this trail is short and easy, but because it runs through luxury resorts and golf courses, expect crowds. Still, the coastal views are stunning and definitely worth adding to your Maui itinerary.

The coastal trail was a fairly easy hike. Most of the trail was either a boardwalk or paved. Don't…read moreforget water and snacks. By the end of the trail we were both tired and hungry. As luck would have it we found a great little stand selling fresh açaí bowls and smoothies. It was perfect! Then the payoff of DT Fleming beach was worth the trek! Highly recommended!

Nice ocean side trail with few people and great views if youre looking for a place to go for a jog…read more Full sun exposure so bring sunscreen and water.

We randomly happened upon this trail after going to the Nakalele Blowhole and it was a perfect hike…read moreto do with my 5-year-old son and parents who both have some knee issues. The hike is a 1.2 mile loop and not very difficult (there is a dirt path the whole way). We did this hike in early February and in addition to the great views, saw so many whales! It was an unexpected highlight of our trip.

The Kapalua Coastal Trail is a beautiful little path along the west side of Maui. There are…read morenumerous meanderings of the trail to take you to hidden gems including olivine pools, heart rocks, coastal views, nesting birds, etc. there is a labyrinth to the north end Napili Bay to the south. It is an easy walk which can be started and stopped in numerous locations depending upon one's interests and exploration inclinations.

I loved being right next to the access of this trail. I could walk this every day at any time of…read morethe day. Having the beach as your view makes the walk/hike even more enjoyable. Walking one way leads you to Kapalua Bay and walking the other way leads you to D.T. Fleming Park (Beach).

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.

Located at the end of the Pipiwai Trail in the Kīpahulu District of Haleakalā National Park, this…read more400-foot waterfall is absolutely picturesque and breathtaking. Pictures will never do this waterfall justice, and it should be included in anyone's Road to Hana journey. To get here, you'll have to do the Road to Hana, and Haleakalā National Park is about 12 miles past the town of Hana. Once there, Waimoku Falls is at the end of the Pipiwai Trail - a 4 mile round-trip moderate hike. That being said, the trail is well-maintained and was not a difficult hike at all. Once you get to Waimoku Falls, it's totally worth it to take some time to just sit and enjoy it. It's such a peaceful and beautiful area to relax and take in all that nature is offering. We visited both the Kīpahulu and Summit districts of Haleakalā, and the Pipiwai Trail w/ Waimoku Falls was one of my top two experiences in the park. This is a must-stop for your Haleakalā National Park and Road to Hana adventures.

Waimoku Falls is a statuesque waterfall featuring a 400-foot plunge off a cliff faced wall in the…read moreheart of the Kipahulu (Coastal) District of Haleakala National Park. It is without a doubt the #1 attraction in this section of Haleakala. I highly recommend everyone taking time to come visit this stunning landmark. Besides making the 55-mile drive (if you're staying in the town of Kahului) along adventurous Hana Highway to arrive here in the Kipahulu area...you also must hike 2 miles along Pipiwai Trail to be precisely standing in front of Waimoku Falls. The Pipiwai Trail wasn't too difficult to trek. In fact, I found the surroundings and overall setting to be very pleasant. It was as if I was situated within one giant rain forest, immersed by plenty of bamboo trees. Plus, for the 2 miles (each way) it was pretty humid outside and sort of refreshing (in my opinion) to work up a good sweat before finally getting to witness such an inspiring waterfall. The freefalling appearance initially took my breathe away when I first approached it. My only maybe slight, slight disappointment with the experience was eventually confronting a sign where it specifically stated you cannot pass or enter any further than an exact point. And...unfortunately, I wasn't able to fully capture (with my camera) Waimoku Falls touching the bottom base pool of water for where it splashed down into. The sign read..."DO NOT PASS THIS POINT. FATALITIES HAVE OCCURRED. VIOLATING A CLOSURE - $100 FINE". Oh well, still, it was plenty good enough to view Waimoku Falls from a short distance away. You're still able to see about 4/5's - 5/6's of the entire cascading waterfall drop. Some extra details.... - I visited in the morning time back in the middle of March, 2022 and it was a worthwhile time to come make the 2-mile trek to the falls. The sun was at my back when I finally reached Waimoku Falls, it allowed for terrific picture moments with the sun reflecting beautifully upon the lush green tropical forest. - Interestingly, this Kipahulu District of Haleakala NP actually closes their gates at 5pm daily, and so they leave a visible sign at the trailhead saying starting at 3pm, it's the last time of the day for you to begin the Pipiwai Hike (allowing for 2 hours to reach Waimoku Falls and also returning to the parking lot). So, overall, it's just best to arrive here and see Waimoku Falls in the early part of the day. - Although almost everyone explores around the Summit District of Haleakala, if this is your first time coming to Waimoku Falls or visiting this Kipahulu section...they will charge you $30 entrance fee at the gate. - While here in the area...make sure to stop at Wailua Falls located just 3 miles down the road. It's a quick roadside stop featuring another fantastic waterfall. And plus at Wailua Falls you can swim and cool off at the base of the waters, just not here at Waimoku Falls. - Finally, while in this Kipahulu part of the park when returning from Pipiwai Trail...I'd suggest easily and efficiently taking the 1/2-mile Kuloa Point/Trail for outstanding coastal views from the edge of the island of Maui. And along this Kuloa Trail you'll stand high above the Pools of Ohe'o...a prime opportunity for looking down on yet another stunning waterfall setting. Waimoku Falls was one of the best aspects from my Haleakala National Park experience. I couldn't have been happier for the chance to hike the pleasant/charming Pipiwai Trail while then taking time to admire such an impressive 400-foot plunge. It only confirmed how fond I am of waterfalls.

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!

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!