Best Jungle Hikes in Maui: Top 5 Family Favorites
I could spend all day every day hiking in Maui. It is one of the best places on earth to enjoy the great outdoors. This relatively small island offers extraordinarily diverse climates for such a small space. Coming from Canada this fact alone was such a surprise. I had no idea an island that is 1884 km square could have a legitimate dessert AND jungle within an hour drive of each other. It's a feat of nature, and incredible to experience. My family and I spent 6 months exploring Maui as we began our quest to embrace slow travel. We got to know the island in a way a short vacation would have never allowed. We gained so much respect for the natural beauty of the island, the way of life that is embraced by the people who call Maui home, and the ongoing effects of tourism economy. As you embark on a journey to Maui, may you remember to Malama Aina (to care for and honor the land). Leave only footprints, take only memories.
Hiking in Maui offers something for everybody, for every time of year! You can hike in lush rainforest, explore a lava field in a volcanic landscape, see huge banyan trees and rare plants, and hike in the desert climate up a natural rock formation. If you want a fun hiking destination for the family, Maui will not disappoint!
I consider hiking to be something that is done on an unpaved path that allows me to reach a place on foot that would otherwise not be possible to see by other means of transportation (except maybe by donkey?). I do try to include some walks in my posts to be mindful of families with young kiddos who may be in strollers or just starting out on their hiking adventures with little legs. All Trails is my favorite hiking resource, so just type any of the trail names into All Trails to get all the details you desire on distances, difficulty level, as well as thousands of reviews with the personal experiences of other hikers.
We invested in this Garmin 945 Forerunner Premium GPS watch as a family, so it is easy to download trail maps and have them with us without having to deal with cell phone data and signals. It's also a great safety tool when you are hiking in remote places.
We spent our first month in Maui exploring the beaches and the forests of Haleakala National Park. Finally, one weekend we headed up to Paia and started out on the Hana Highway.
When we pulled into the parking lot for Twin Falls and got out of the car, it immediately felt different. It was like we had entered a jungle in Asia! Except there were no monkeys or tigers (or snakes for that matter)! A short way down the path we were surrounded by a bamboo forest. We were practically giddy with the excitement of being in an environment so vastly different from the desert of Kihei.
To reach the best jungle hikes in Maui you need to head out on the Hana Highway. Remember, there is no one keeping score of how many stops you make on your drive to Hana so just do what makes sense for your group. There is so much to do, see, and explore it's impossible to do it all! Try to take a breath and appreciate where you are. There is nothing to achieve here!
This is an easy hike on a well maintained path to view the waterfalls. The walk is pretty short to the upper falls, and then you can follow the path along the water down to view the Twin Falls. The bamboo forest and lush vegetation make for great photos. This is usually a crowded spot, so there is a $10 charge for parking. There are portable toilets on the trail. There is a snack stand where you can buy a coconut to drink from, banana bread, and a few souvenirs. If you want to experience the jungle on Maui, but don't want to spend a whole day driving on the Road to Hana, then this is a perfect compromise! This short hike gives you a taste of the jungle of Maui. It's also important to note that there is an additional path to the top of the upper falls, but it is often closed due to weather conditions.
If you are driving the entire road to Hana, then you can actually skip Twin Falls because there are so many more waterfalls to see along the way!
The Pipiwai Trail & Seven Sacred Pools is my all-time favorite hike on the entire island of Maui. It's one of the best hikes with kids because the trail itself is well maintained and the elevation gain is slow, so little legs don't have to manage extremely steep hills. The beginning of the trail is rocky dirt path that can get quite muddy in the rain! Then you get to adventure across a few bridges! Once you get up a bit higher you get to the bamboo forest and you get to enjoy the walking on the wooden boardwalks. The pay off at the end of the trail is the magnificent 400-ft Waimoku Falls. There is a risk of flash floods on this trail when it rains, so be sure to check in with the park rangers and respect the weather.
Make sure to wear proper footwear since this is a longer hike. It takes us about 3-4 hours depending on the kids energy level and how many breaks we take to do the round trip. It's an exciting adventure! Read more about this hike.
Now we can head over to the West Maui Forest Reserve. The lush greenery of the West Maui Mountains offers some breathtaking waterfalls. They are more hidden on this side of the island and you have to get out of your car and get hiking to see the west maui waterfall areas. On the Road to Hana in East Maui you can see plenty of waterfalls from your car, but that is not the case on the north west side of the island. Some of the best trails are located on this side.
Iao Valley State Park is significant in Hawaiian culture. It is the site of major battle and remains as a memorial to this event in Hawaiian history. The state park itself offers a short hike to the Iao Needle. As you venture down into the valley there are paths to hike. It's a great spot to explore with kids and is easily accessible by car from everywhere on the island. Since you are hiking in a valley, this area is also prone to flash floods in heavy rain, so as always be mindful of the weather and avoid hiking in the rain. Maui is called the valley isle!
If you are looking for a more challenging hike with spectacular views, Waihee Ridge Trail is for you! This 5 mile round trip hike has big elevation gain and will definitely get your heart rate up in a few spots. If the clouds aren't too low you will see some jurassic park type scenery, and a waterfall in the distance. There is much more shade on this trail than the Lahaina-Pali trail, which is similar to Waihee Ridge in length and elevation, but located on the south side of Maui. If you are looking for a desert hike, check that one out!
Even with the shaded parts of the Waihee Ridge Trail, make sure to take plenty of water. You are more likely to get clear views early in the morning before the clouds roll in. The best thing to do is just have a look at the West Maui mountains to see if there is cloud cover. If there's not, head out on your hike and enjoy the scenery. We do the same thing when we head to the summit of Haleakala. Look to the sky! If there are clouds on the mountains, you won't be able to see much when you get up there!
When we hike Waihee ridge with the kids we usually stop at the look out point. Past that point the path narrows and has some steeper cliffs that aren't ideal for hiking with little ones!
When you are navigating to Waihee Ridge Trail, look for the boy scouts camp sign. When you turn in, make sure to drive past the first parking lot. I have seen so many people park here and it adds nearly an extra mile of walking before you even reach the trail head. There is another parking lot farther up. When you reach it you will know! There are portable toilets and a trailhead sign.
#5 Makamakaole Stream (13 Crossings):
I love this hike, but I haven't hiked this trail with my kids yet. I always see families with small kids on this trail, and it's totally doable in the right weather conditions. The challenge of this hike is that you are walking on uneven paths, and across streams with wet slippery rocks.
My strategy is to skip the wet rocks and just wade through the water. I would rather have wet feet than a broken ankle or wrist! That's just me and it makes my hike more enjoyable. Having wet feet when it's warm out is no big deal. This is definitely the right hike to wear hiking sandals!
The trail is not well marked, but since it's one of the most popular hikes you will not be completely alone on the trail. At the final stream crossing most people go straight across (it angles to the left) to reach a lovely elusive waterfall complete with waterfall pools. If you reach this spot and it's busy, or if you want to continue your waterfall adventure, go back to the last stream that you crossed and follow it to the right (in the opposite direction from which you came). Follow it a short distance you will come to another waterfall and pool. When we came here it was completely empty and we enjoyed sitting here for almost an hour enjoying the serenity of this hidden waterfall.
The jungle on Maui gets quite a bit of rain, more so during the winter months (December-March). You can still hike during these months as long as you keep an eye on the weather and wait for a clear day. There is an increased risk of flash floods when it's raining, and nobody wants to get caught in a flash flood! Read the Maui County flash flood precautions for hikers.
Whether you live in Maui or are visiting for family vacation, you will not be disappointed if you take your adventure into the jungle (on a clear day)!
Knowledge and prevention are always the best ways to stay safe when enjoying the great outdoors.
Don't forget that there are other micro climates to experience on the island of Maui. If you want to continue your hiking adventure, consider some of my other favorite hikes listed below.
West Maui:
Upcountry:
Kahakapao Loop Trail (Kula)
Haleakala National Park:
Halemau'u Haleakala Overlook Trail
South Maui:
La Perouse Bay (Hoapili Trail)
In health and happy hiking,
Jen
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The #1 Snorkeling Spot with Kids in Maui
The #1 Hike in Maui with Kids: Pipiwai Trail
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