Discover the Pipiwai Trail and the 7 Sacred Pools of O’heo Gulch

If you reach the end of the famous Road to Hana, you'll come across one of the most beautiful and remote spots in Maui:

Kipahulu Valley, its 7 sacred pools (O'heo Gulch), and the Pipiwai Trail.

Famous waterfalls, centuries-old banyan trees, bamboo forests…

After driving 70 km along the road for 2 or 3 hours to the small town of Hana, you'll probably think you've reached your destination…

Think again. If you keep driving for about 17 km (35 minutes) more, you'll discover one of the top highlights of the Road to Hana: Pipiwai Trail and O'heo Gulch.

Kipahulu, Haleakala National Park

The Kipahulu Valley is located inside Haleakala National Park. Therefore, your admission ticket, valid for 3 days from the moment of purchase, also gets you into the Haleakala Summit.

Passes cost 20$ per vehicle or 10$ per person if you arrive on foot.

Right next to the parking lot, you'll find the visitor center, public restrooms, a drinking water fountain, and signs pointing toward the O'heo Gulch and the Pipiwai Trail.

O'heo Gulch or the 7 Sacred Pools

These natural pools, known as 'The Seven Sacred Pools', are formed by waterfalls cascading down through the valley until they flow right into Maui's east coast.

Due to leptospirosis (I talk about this bacteria in more detail in this article), swimming in freshwater isn't recommended in Hawaii. However, when the stream's current stays weak, it's common to see tourists and locals taking a dip in these pools. Honestly, I can't blame them, they're super tempting!

During our visit at the end of November 2016, the river flow was very heavy and rushing fast, so swimming was strictly prohibited.

Update: Since January 2017, the 7 sacred pools of O'heo Gulch have been closed indefinitely due to severe rockslides. So, for now, swimming in them isn't possible.

The dirt trail that leads to the viewpoints overlooking O'heo Gulch (which, by the way, has way more than 7 pools) is 1 km long and very easy to walk. Along the way, you'll come across a massive banyan tree, spreading its aerial roots across the ground.

I'm totally in love with these trees, can you tell? 🙂

Pipiwai Trail

This hiking trail is one of the most stunning in Maui.

What could easily be a gentle 30-40 minute hike (3.2 km) easily turns into hours of exploring. And with good reason. You'll want to stop at every single step, trying to capture the unique beauty of this valley in your memory (or on your camera):

• Prehistoric ferns.
• The enchanted forest.
• Rushing waterfalls.
• Makahiku Falls.
• A mesmerizing banyan tree.
• Bridges over the river.
• The bamboo forest.
• A boardwalk leading to another world.
• And the breathtaking Waimoku Falls towering above you.

We couldn't hike the last 500 meters due to some landslides, so we missed out on seeing Waimoku Falls with our own eyes.

Even so, we enjoyed the rest of the trail like little kids on Christmas morning.

Well, maybe a bit muddier than Christmas morning… Let me explain.

What to bring and other tips

• Good hiking shoes. The trail will most likely be covered in mud. I actually saw several tourists who had to go barefoot or turn back because it was impossible to keep going in flip-flops. So here, ironic as it may seem, flip-flops are a definite no-go. 🙂
• A rain jacket or poncho to protect you from the rain.
• Sunscreen, sunglasses, or a hat.
• Bug spray by the gallon. An exaggeration? Not as much as you think…
• Enough food and water for half a day.

When to go

The main tip I want to give you here isn't about what time of year you should visit the Kipahulu Valley. That's the easy part.

What really matters is the time of day you enter the park.

The vast majority of travelers wake up at the crack of dawn to hit the Road to Hana extra early and beat the morning traffic heading toward Hana. Along the way, they stop at whatever viewpoints catch their eye. So, by the time they show up at the park, it's at least midday.

This means that, from 1 or 2 PM onward, the trail gets really crowded with hikers on the Pipiwai Trail, while during the early morning hours (from about 9 to 12), you'll get to enjoy this magical Maui spot practically all to yourself.

How to get to O'heo Gulch and Pipiwai so early?

Sleep nearby!

You have plenty of options: accommodations in Hana, campsites right in Kipahulu… But I'll tell you all about that in full detail in the next post. Sign up for the newsletter if you want me to let you know when it's out.

The Maui PDF guide

Want to download all the info from this blog on what to see in Maui and, even better, how to do it in a PDF?

54 pages to help you organize your custom route and enjoy Maui at your own pace.

Interested? Then click here and grab the guide for just €1.95.

Useful Links

• Official website of the Kipahulu district.
• Hotel deals in Hana.
• International flight deals to Hawaii: Trabber, eDreams and Momondo.
• 5% discount when you get your IATI travel insurance here.

Are you putting together your custom travel itinerary for Maui?

Then, you'll also be interested in this:

• 7-day Maui road trip.
• Guide to planning a DIY trip to Maui.
• The best snorkeling beaches in South Maui.
• Humpback whale watching off the coast of Maui.
• A nightmare before dawn at Haleakala.
• 3 days and 2 nights exploring the Road to Hana.

Want to explore another Hawaiian island? My recommendation: take a look at Kauai:

• How to decide which Hawaiian island to visit.
• 9-day Kauai road trip, step by step.
• Practical guide to organizing your own trip to Kauai.
• Waimea Canyon, the Grand Canyon of the Pacific.
• Kalalau Trail, Kauai's most demanding trek.
• Awaawapuhi Trail, the Napali Coast at your feet.
• Fly over Kauai in a helicopter… with no doors!
• Kauai's most beautiful beaches: what are you in the mood for today?
• Discover the Napali Coast on a luxury boat.
• Queen’s Bath, forbidden beauty in the Garden of Eden.
• Mahaulepu Trail, hiking, temples, and pristine beaches in Kauai.

If you need more details on how to make the most of the Pipiwai Trail and the 7 Sacred Pools of O'heo Gulch, leave me a comment below. I'd be happy to help you.

Map