Pipiwai Trail & Waimoku Falls Maui Hike Guide
The Pipiwai Trail & Waimoku Falls is a popular hike located in Maui’s Haleakala National Park. This hike starts with the Pools at ‘O’he’o aka the Seven Sacred Pools, works through a lush rainforest into thick bamboo and ends at the massive Waimoku Falls. This is a beautiful hike and one of our favorite’s during our time on Maui. The Pipiwai Trail & Waimoku Falls is a family friendly hike and an absolute must visit if you like hiking.
Pipiwai Trail & Waimoku Falls Quick Facts
Virtual Trail Guide: Pipiwai Trail & Waimoku Falls
Pipiwai Trail & Waimoku Falls Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 Stars)
Distance: 4.7 Miles (Including Pools at O’heo)
Elevation Start: 124ft
Highest Point: 750ft
Total Elevation Gain: 900ft
Estimated Time to Complete: 3-5 Hours RT (depending on how far you hike)
Difficulty: Moderate What does this mean?
Class: Class 1 What does this mean?
Season: Year Round
Directions to Pipiwai Trail & Waimoku Falls
Trailhead: Kiphahulu Visitor Center in Haleakala National Park
Getting Here: Directions to Pipiwai Trail & Waimoku Falls depends on where you are coming from on Maui. You could make this the end point of your Hana Highway drive or the starting point. In either case, you can enter Kiphahulu Visitor Center into your GPS.
Fees: As of 2021, there is a $25 fee to enter the Haleakala National Park. Read more about fees here.
Parking: There are three lots you can park for the Pipiwai Trail & Waimoku Falls hike. The main lot is small and can only fit about 20-25 cars. The upper lot is similar and then the overflow lot is a little bit of a walk from the main two and can fit 30+ cars. All three of these can fill up on busy days especially when the weather is nice so get here early. There is a bathroom located at the start of the hike as well.
Summary
Hike Name Camping: Read more about camping in the National Park here.
Dogs: Since this hike is located in a US National Park, it does not allow dogs.
Make It a Loop: This hike is an out and back hike.
Hike Name X Factors: Stream Crossing Before Waimoku Falls & Swimming
During our hike to Pipiwai Trail & Waimoku Falls we almost bailed on the hike right before the end due to a raging stream crossing. Luckily, we were able to figure out a safe way to cross but if you are not used to stream crossings, have waterproof shoes or a bag you can get wet, this will result in you losing the best views of the waterfall at the end of this hike. If you do cross this stream, be extremely careful and make sure you test every single foothold. In addition, the levels of water can change depending on recent rain making it impassable.
Swimming used to be an option on this hike but due to several lawsuits and deaths, that is no longer possible. If this does change in the future (it’s unlikely, but hey I can dream) it would open up a whole different level of awesomeness that this hike would have.
Hike Tip(s): Even though this hike does not focus around the Seven Sacred Pools, they are easily missed if you do not know they are there and it would be an absolute shame to not see them. The hike out to the waterfalls and pools only adds a mile to this hike and is absolutely worth it. Take some time to explore the rugged terrain along the coastline as well.
Best Views: This hike is basically beautiful from start to finish. Gun to head, my favorite views were the Seven Sacred Pools, bamboo section of the hike and the final waterfall. However, you are not going to hear any complaints from my end about views and there are endless photo options along this hike.
Pipiwai Trail & Waimoku Falls Hike Route
Gear Needed
- Mickey’s Mountain Kit
- Water shoes or Sandals
- Optional: Bathing Suit & Towel – Swimming is not allowed in the park, but helpful for the final stream crossing
- Optional: Garmin Fenix Watch
- Optional: Camera and Lens
- Optional: GoPro, Joby Tripod
- *Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you.
Our Trip to Pipiwai Trail & Waimoku Falls: March 2021
On our visit to Hawaii, Maui was the destination and this hike was the first on our list for the trip. After a long drive along the southern coast of the island we arrived to the trailhead around 10:30AM. We both had zero expectations for this one but knew that it had been raining and it would probably be pretty muddy. We wore our water shoes and sandals and hit the Seven Sacred Pools first. If this spot was the only beauty of the hike the entire drive was worth it.
After exploring the ‘O’He’o Gulch, we headed up the trail towards Waimoku Falls. The hiking here was beautiful even though it was raining off and on the entire day. We reached one of my favorite parts of the trail, a thick bamboo forest that felt like you were entering a cave of the natural plant. We continued up the trail past several smaller waterfalls and finally reached a raging stream with Waimoku Falls right in front of us. There were good views of 3-4 falls, but I felt we could get closer. I slowly worked across the stream proving that it was safe for Jackie.
We carefully navigated the rushing waters and were at the end of the trail with massive waterfalls all around us. The hike was somewhat crowded but we never felt like we were battling crowds and really enjoyed this hike. What a start to our trip to Maui!
