The Pipiwai Trail, above the `Ohe`o Gulch (Seven Sacred Pools), is one of the best hikes on Maui. Pipiwai Trail is 4 miles roundtrip, gaining 650-feet in elevation. It takes 2 1/2 – 5 hours to hike, depending on how much nature loving you do. There are several great waterfalls along the route with the final destination fall being Waimoku Falls, falling 400-feet down a sheer lava rock wall shaped like a horse shoe. If it’s been wet in the area recently, you can additionally find yourself surrounded by numerous small waterfalls on the surrounding cliff face. This is an absolutely beautiful falls and well worth the hike to get to it.

The Waimoku Falls hike passes the 185 foot Makahiku Falls (which is also beautiful). Basically, the hike to Waimoku is the Makahiku hike extended about 1 1/2 miles. At one mile you will enter the first of three bamboo forests. Because of the marshy ground, wooden boardwalks have been built to make hiking easier.

Just past the third section of Bamboo is the breathtakingly Waimoku Falls with its steep fern covered walls. You will probably have to cross the stream in two places before you can get right up under the falls. Please use extreme caution, especially if it’s been raining. Do NOT cross the streams if the water is high or moving too fast. It’s a very long way back if you do get injured, so just use caution when approaching the falls. As always, we also discourage visitors from swimming beneath the falls. Rocks frequently fall over this cliff face and the fall distance would make even a small pebble an unpleasant experience.

Trail Difficulty: Moderate

Distance: 4 miles round trip

Location: Pipiwai Trail is located in the Southeast Maui Region