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 will find one of the most beautiful and inaccessible corners of Maui:

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

Waterfalls with their own name, centuries-old bay trees, bamboo forests...

After driving 70 km on the road for 2 or 3 hours to the small town of Hana, you probably think you have reached your destination...

But, of that, nothing. If you continue driving for about 17 km (35 minutes) more, you'll discover one of the must-sees of the Road to Hana: Pipiwai Trail and O'hoe Gulch.

Kipahulu, Haleakala National Park

The Kipahulu Valley is inside the Haleakala National Park. Therefore, the entrance ticket, valid for 3 days from the moment you purchase it, is also valid to enter the HaleakalaSummit.

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

Next to the parking lot, you will find the visitor center, public restrooms, a drinking fountain and directions to the O'hoe Gulch and Pipiwai trail.

O'heo Gulch or the 7 sacred pools

These natural pools, known as 'The Seven Sacred Pools', are formed by waterfalls and waterfalls falling through the valley and flowing into the east coast of Maui.

Because of leptospirosis (in this article I talk more in detail about this bacterium), it is not recommended to swim in fresh water in Hawaii. However, when the downstream stream remains weak, it is common to see tourists and locals taking a dip in these pools. No wonder, they are very tempting!

During our visit, at the end of November 2016, the river course was very abundant and violent, so it was forbidden to get into them.

Update: Since January 2017 the 7 sacred pools of O'hoe Gulch are closed indefinitely, due to severe landslides. So, for now, it is not possible to swim in them.

The dirt road that provides access and views of O'hoe Gulch (which, by the way, has more than 7 pools) is 1 km long and easy to walk. On it you will find a huge bay tree, spreading its aerial roots over the ground.

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

Pipiwai Trail

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

What could be 30-40 minutes of gentle ascent(3.2 km), become hours of walking. And no wonder. You'll be making stops at every step, trying to capture in your memory (or your camera's) the unique beauty of this valley:

• Prehistoric ferns.
• The enchanted forest.
• Waterfalls.
• Makahiku Falls.
• A hypnotic bay tree.
• Bridges over the river.
• The bamboo jungle.
• A gateway to another world.
• And the impressive Waimoku Falls over your head.

We did not manage to walk the last 500 meters due to some landslides, so we were left with the desire to see with our own eyes the Waimoku waterfall.

However, we enjoyed the rest of the way like little kids with new shoes.

Well, new shoes is just a figure of speech... I'll tell you now.

What to bring and other precautions

• Good hiking shoes. The terrain will most likely be covered with mud. I myself saw how some tourists had to take off their shoes or turn around when they found it impossible to continue with flip-flops. So here, although it may seem a contradiction, flip-flops are forbidden 🙂 .
• Rain jacket or rain coat to protect you from the rain.
• Sunscreen, sunglasses or hat.
• Repellent against mosquitoes in liter bottles. Exaggerated? Don't believe it...
• Enough food and drink to last half a day.

When to go

Here the message I want to convey to you is not related to the time of the year when you should visit the Kipahulu Valley. That is the least of it.

The important thing is the time of day you enter the park.

The vast majority of tourists get up as early as they can to travel the Road to Hana very early in the morning to avoid the queues that form in the direction of Hana during the morning. Along the way, they stop at the points of interest that catch their attention. By the time they arrive at the park, it is already at least half a day.

This means that, from 1 or 2 p.m. onwards, the concentration of hikers on the Pipiwai Trail is very high, while during the early hours (from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., approximately) you can enjoy this corner of Maui almost all to yourself.

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

Sleep nearby!

There are many options at your disposal: accommodation in Hana, camping areas in Kipahuluitself... But this, I will tell you in detail in the next post. Sign up for the newsletter if you want to be notified when I publish it.

The Maui Guide in PDF format

Would you like to download aPDFwith all the information contained in this blog about what to see in Maui and, even better, how to do it?

54 pages that will help you plan your personalized itinerary and enjoy Maui at your own pace. 

Interested? Then click here and get the guide for only €1.95.

Useful Links

• Official website of the Kipahulu district.
• Hotels in Hana.
• International flight deals to Hawaii: Trabber, eDreams, andMomondo.
• 5% discount when you purchase your travel insurance at IATI from here.

Are you putting together your personalized Maui travel route?

Then this is also of interest to you:

• 7 day tour of Maui.
• Guide to organizing a trip to Maui on your own.
• The best snorkeling beaches in southern Maui.
• Sighting of humpback whales off the coast of Maui.
• Nightmare before dawn at Haleakala.
• 3 days and 2 nights discovering the Road to Hana.

Want to see another island in Hawaii? My recommendation, take a look at Kauai:

• How to decide which Hawaiian island to visit.
• 9 days on the road in Kauai, step by step.
• A practical guide to organizing a trip to Kauai on your own.
• Waimea Canyon, the Grand Canyon of the Pacific.
• Kalalau Trail, Kauai's most challenging hike.
• Awaawapuhi Trail, the Napali Coast at your feet.
• Fly over Kauai in a helicopter... without doors!
• Kauai's most beautiful beaches: what would you like to do 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 on Kauai.

If you need more details on how to get the most out of the Pipiwai Trail and the 7 sacred pools of O'hoe Gulch, leave me a comment below. I'll be happy to help you.

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