Lahaina Pali Trail

We had a blast hiking from the east side all the way to the west side. We did a two car shuttle system. The two trail heads are not far from one another via driving so it was easy. You do want to start this hike as early as possible, because it can get really hot. Wear shoes, and bring water. We have a helpful video up on youtube about our hike. Check it out

This trail was incredible! A little steep at times, definitely long, and not very much shade so make sure you are prepared. I live on Oahu so when I came over to Maui I was really interested in a good hike. My dad and I looked on Unilocal and found this one and it was so worth it! Once you get to the top and are up close and personal with the windmills, you will seriously feel like you’re on another planet. Not to mention the views of the ocean from the entire hike are so awesome! The trail was not hard, I would say probably an intermediate level. Definitely recommend!

One of my faves. Let’s start with that.
This is a hike that you kiiiinda need to plan out ahead of time. Because it starts on one side of the mountain and goes to the other, it’s helpful if you have transportation figured out. I don’t think anyone wants to go up and over all the way to the end, turn around, go up and over and back to the start in a day… That’s like. 10 miles. Ten hot miles. But there are some die hards out there, so have at it if ya like.
We met on the Olowalu side – we parked, piled into one car and cruised over the Ma’alaea side. We then parked, prayed and made our way up and over. Badda Bing, Badda boom done. Kidding. It was way more intense… let’s dig in shall we?
Planning for the sun to come up at our back side was really a good thing. That first hour-​ish of the hike is like. «straight up-can’t talk much because I’m so out of breath-​need to stop and „take pictures“ AKA: have a few moments to suck down some air» up, up, up. But so pretty! We got to watch the sun come up over Haleakala and it was so fabulous and food for the soul.
Here are a few things that I recommend when doing this hike:
*sunscreen
*hat
*sunglasses
*backpack
*water (lots of water)
*light snack
*small bag to collect rubbish that others have left behind
*camera
*socks and shoes (it’s pretty rocky in some spots)
The hike took us about 3.5 hours. but we did stop for a few selfies along the way. That’s what life is all about: fun with friends!
This IS a kid friendly hike but you’ll need to know your child’s level of endurance. Make sure they bring lots of water and take breaks. There are a few trees along the hike that provide shade. Other than that, it’s ALL sun. Unless you get bonus day from Mother Nature and score some partly cloudy action. There are no bathroom facilities on this hike so try to take care of business beforehand.
At both trailheads there is some fascinating info about the history of this trail. Make sure you take some time to stop and read it. Imagine riding a horse and buddy from Lahaina to Wailuku… on old dirt trails. So cool and kinda scary!
This is a great hike but just make sure to have it well planned out first. Some people choose to do ½, come down and be done. That’s a valid option. I am a fan of seeing everything from Ma’alaea to Olowalu though. The views are amazing. Enjoy!

The RED ARROW painted on the ground showing where the trail head is is essential! The reviews I read stated the trail head was hard to find from the road. I wrongly assumed «ROAD» meant the actual road — Hwy 30. No! There is an actual paved road to the right after you park and get started towards the trail. BEWARE LOOK DOWN on the ground for the red painted arrow that points to the LEFT for the entrance UP the mountain to the windmills.
I was in a heavy conversation with my son as we were walking and missed the trail head completely. We walked straight ahead staying on the road and soon found ourselves scaling the side of the gulch! We had gone too far to go back. Hikers from the trail above were not happy that we were disturbing the rock, shrubbery, wildlife and landscape by blazing that trail. They yelled down to us to go back but the lava rock is too unstable. Trying to go back would be too dangerous, we were slipping backwards on the rocks.
We made it safely back to the trail and accomplished what we had come to do: A yoga photo shoot at the infamous Lahaina windmills. YES… I hiked in a long, beautiful blue, flowing dress. Lol! You should’ve seen the looks we got from hikers fully dressed in gear.
Great hike! Difficult only if you don’t have strong quads and a good sense of balance. ;) Well worthit! The views are Amazing, the feeling is spiritual and the ginormous windmills will leave you awestruck.

This trail is amazing, but a tough hike from the Lahaina side. Steep and rocky hills make it quite dangerous so pay attention to where you are stepping! Take your time when you go. I only went up about 2.5 miles and came back down, and I went EARLY in the morning (got there at 6am) to avoid the heat. By 8am it was hot and there is little shade. Take lots of water and a snack. Definitely wear a hat and take sunscreen with you.
This is a great work out with awesome views at sunrise and beautiful surroundings. Be prepared for your body to be sore!

Activity Type: Hiking
Nearby City: Lahaina
Length: 5 miles one way
Elevation Gain: 1,600 feet
Trail Type: Out-​and-​back
Duration: 2 hours
Season: Year-​round
This hike begins from the Lahaina Pali Trail from the Maalaea (East) Trailhead. It can be combined with the Ukumehame (West) Trailhead for a one-​way, 5 mile jaunt.
This is an unmarked trail head and can easily be missed from the highway. If you reached the point then you have passed it. It’s the only «parking area“you will see before you reach the point. That’s the trailhead.
The Lahaina Pali Trail is an old Hawaiian horse and foot trail built in the early 1800s. The trail was used as a more direct route across the arid southern slopes of the West Maui Mountains, connecting Lahaina and Olowalu with Maalaea and Wailuku. There are two trailheads that zigzag up the mountain, crossing ridges and gullies to the 1,600-foot ridge.
It depends on your fitness level. To me this is a moderate 2 hr hike up. Awesome views of the above mentioned areas. For the most part it’s pretty exposed with a few trees to hide from the sun. As in any hike in Hawaii this too is riddled with sharp rocks. Some areas are steeper than most but it’s a gradual climb. You need a good pair of shoes that can handle sharp rocks.
You will be rewarded with an excellent view of Lanai, Haleakala and Molokini Islands. It’s is gorgeous. At the top you will be surrounded by wind turbines. They are actually noisy! There’s a total of about 34 of them. A service road divides the area as you cross into the eastern side of the hike.
No water source. Bring your own. The western side is definitely an easy way to get up here but then where’s your sense of adventure?

We entered Lahaina side going towards Lahaina past the tunnel there is a dirt parking lot. We also saw people enter right before maalea near the stop light to go to maalea/​Kihei. I prefer entering the Lahaina side although it is steep and rocky you get a view the ENTIRE time hiking! I would rate it ⁷⁄₁₀ of difficulty. Go early. We started at 6am or even earlier the better because trekking down you will have the full sun beating on you. My favorite hike on the island so far. Growing up I’ve always wanted to hike to the windmills. They are soooo massive and amazing. Trail is nicely laid out and highly maintained. We could tell someone came and trimmed all the grass. Dress in layers because when we went it was raining in the morning then full sun on the way back down. Find a hiking stick before starting because it will help you immensely. More importantly take your time and enjoy the Maui beauty!

LAHAINA PALI TRAIL @HONOAPIILANI HWY 30:
Trail length: 5.5 miles one way
Time: Approx 4 hours one way
Terrain: Rock shrub land
Difficulty: Difficult
Elevation: 1600 feet.
You can approach this trail from Ukumehame West Trailhead (10 miles south of Lahaina+3 miles west of Maalaea Harbor) or Maalaea East Trailhead (2.5 mile south of Wailuke).
We did only half way but we loved it. Really beautiful ocean view from the high ground.
Note: Pretty steep elevation, rocky ground and not much shade. Good to have hiking shoes and water. Expect high cardio work out and dehydration and sun burn. Wise to protect your skin too.

This is a very accessible trail close to Lahaina. It follows an old, hand-​built horse/​foot trail made about a century ago linking Wailuku and Lahaina. I hiked this trail Jan 2015 starting from Highway 30. It gradually goes up over a thousand feet across about 7 well-​marked gulches until it reaches the Honoapiilani highway on the other side. I didn’t do the entire trail as it requires a shuttle, but instead went all the way up to the windmills. This excursion would be about 4 miles roundtrip. The scenic vistas are awesome — views of the ocean and the island of Lanai are plentiful amidst grasslands and red rocks. Even on a sunny day, the wind provides cool reprieve. However, I thought the scenery got monotonous after a while and the windmills seem to not get any closer! After persevering, it was nice to get up there. Those things were HUGE! However, it felt quite industrial since there was construction — yes, trucks and cranes were there — going on. I went late in the day and had a fortune of hiking down while the sun is setting. The way the sun hits the red rocks is mesmerizing and makes for a fun descent. This is not the best dayhike in Maui (that will have to be the Sliding Sands/​Halemauu followed by Pipiwai), but its accessibility is hard to beat. Allot about 3+ hours, bring water and protection from the elements! The entire trail is exposed.

Dang, prepare to get hella tan! There’s very limited shade. 4 hour roundtrip depending on how fast you go. We had kids with us so it took a while. Trail is very rocky.
All the way up you see a beautiful view. The giant windmills are pretty. You can’t really go right by it, but still a good photo shoot when you get up there. It was totally worth it!

What a lovely trail… You can stop and look over your shoulder at any point and keep saying to yourself, like I did, «gorgeous»! It’s definitely an intermediate trail and roughly 2.5 miles up to the windmills … I do want to say that the way back is 90% downhill so those with weak ankles or knee issues FYI … Wear your support shoes… Totally glad we did this hike even though on the way back it seemed a little tedious… also PLEASE bring a ziplock or something to carry your peepee wipes back out with you … Could Not believe some people left theirs on the trail

What an amazing hike! It’s a bit painful trying to find the trail head, but totally worth the efforts. We started from Lahaina side early in the morning since a lot of reviews suggested that and I am glad we did. The hot blaring sun gets unbearable on this un-​shaded trail pretty fast. This trail shoots straight up from the get-​go. It might not be for beginners. However, the views are amazing even if you can only tolerate 15 minutes climb. The trail is off highway 30 and the directions to the trail head is easier from airport (north bound): Turn right into the first patch of trees once you pass the tunnel, From Lahaina (south bound), turn left as soon as you pass a big rocky wall with mesh on your left (preventing falling rocks). About 20 minutes from either airport or downtown Lahaina. One star deducted for lack of signs!

One of the more difficult hikes in Maui, especially if you complete it in the heat of the midday. We left from Maalaea and hiked up to the windmills and then turned around. The trail continues onto Ukumehame (near the tunnel on the highway). The HI state website says 5 hours, but we were up and back down in 2.5hours. We parked the car around sunset, and as we hiked, we watched the full moon rise over Haleakala. The full moon was so bright we didn’t even need flashlights. It was SO WINDY on the ridge, so be careful!
Bring plenty of water.

to add video — placeholder — steep, difficult, sweeping views, stunning rocks, vista. I ran up this thing with about 30 lbs on my back and it almost killed me. lol… more to come when we get home