The Pipiwai Trail on the Hawaiian Island of Maui is my all time favorite hiking trail in Haleakala National Park, and an epic adventure with kids. This is how you take your family vacation to the next level! You can also explore this hike with a tour guide if that suits you!

Located at the end of the trail is the spectacular Waimoku falls, a 400-foot waterfall, that is well worth the 4 mile roundtrip hike.

Getting There:

Unless you are staying in Hana, it will take you about 3 hours to drive to the Pipiwai Trail Head from elsewhere on the island. BUT the long drive makes it that much more of an adventure! If you are planning to make this hike part of a day trip, make sure to get an early start! The Pipwai Trail itself is an easy hike (for adults with a decent level of fitness). You can do the Road to Hana as a self-guided tour, or book a private tour for your family.

To access the Pipiwai Trail you take the Hana Highway (Hwy 620) all the way to the end. You will enter Haleakala National Park where you will have to pay the entrance fee of $30. Remember that if are also driving to Haleakala summit to see the house of the sun (Haleakala Crater) you will be entering the same national park service and this entrance fee is good for 3 days!

The annual pass to the Haleakalā National Park is only $55 so if you plan to stay on Maui for more than a week or if you plan to visit the national park twice (but more than 3 days apart) the annual pass is a good idea! If you are taking a tour, this is already part of your fee!

Once you pay the entrance fee you will see the parking area, which is a dirt and gravel lot. There is often a park ranger directing cars on where to park.

If this is your first time hiking the Pipiwai trail, make sure to give yourself and your family additional time. If the hike is easy and smooth for your family then you'll back to the car ahead of schedule! It's always best to be over prepared than under prepared!

Our kids are 4 & 6 years old and the first time we did this hike it took us just over 3 hours (and it poured rain on us during the last half of the hike).

There is significant elevation gain (approx 650ft), which is tiring on little legs, but the trail is scenic and interesting to explore which kept the kids motivated to keep trekking.

What to Expect:

Since this trail is located on the backside of Haleakala and the end of the Hana drive, you are surrounded by lush greenery and a dense bamboo forest. The climate on this side of Haleakala is completely different from the high altitude climate on the summit side of the volcano.

The Pipwai trail is a popular activity on the Maui vacation itinerary, but it is extremely important to check the current conditions before heading to the Kipahulu visitor center. This area is prone to flash floods during heavy rains.

NOTE: If you have any concerns about the trail conditions, talk to the park rangers. Make sure to respect the warning signs posted on the trail!

When you start out on the hike the path is wide, with some rocky steps to climb and lots of tree roots. You will come to an enormous banyan tree that where the kids stopped to play for a few minutes.

You reach your first waterfall lookout, Makahiku Falls, within a few minutes of hiking, so it's always nice to get a payoff quickly! There is plenty of water to appreciate on this hike. My kids loved listening to the rushing water of the pipiwai stream as we hiked along.

Stick to the main trail as you continue your hike uphill and be mindful of the steep cliffs! There are trees and plants growing along the side of the trail so it never feels like a straight drop off (my mama anxiety doesn't handle straight drop offs with kids around very well!). There are a few short trails that lead to overlook points, but all of these are marked with signs warning you of the risk of death from falling off the edge. We weren't tempted to go past the signs.

The trail can get quite muddy and slippery, especially during the winter months when there is more rain. Make sure you have good hiking shoes! I love my Merrell Moab 2 Mid Hiking Boots and I got the Merrell Kid’s Trail Chaser for my little ones.

You get to cross over two bridges that take you over the palikea stream. Who doesn't have fun on bridge crossings?!

About half way through you will reach the wooden boardwalks and the bamboo forest. The kids had a blast running on these boardwalks and it definitely helped us to pick up the pace.

Even though this is a very popular hike, we never found the trail to be overcrowded. There was a park ranger on the trail who we saw a few times, and I found the other groups we encountered to be friendly and respectful of the entire trail.

When we reached the end of the trail and glimpsed our first view of the Waimoku falls, everyone was excited to have made the trek. We ate our picnic lunch on the rocks (being careful not to leave any trash!) and re-energized for the return trip. The hike back to the parking lot is downhill and takes much less time.

The combination of the spectacular views on the drive to Kipahulu district of haleakala national park, the massive banyan tree, the scenic views of waterfalls on the pipiwai trail, the unique experience of the bamboo forest, and the excitement of my kids completing this trek made this my #1 Hiking Trail in Maui with Kids.

What to Bring:

• Rain jackets

• Hat & Sunscreen

• Plenty of Water

• Lots of snacks or a picnic lunch

• Good footwear for hiking in mud and uneven terrain

• Camera

• A good attitude!

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