Pipiwai Trail
The Pipiwai Trail on Maui, Hawaii hikes up along a river with many waterfalls for two miles.
Makahiku Falls and Waimoku Falls are towering cataracts on the streams above Oheo Gulch. Makahiku Falls, a half mile from the trailhead, plunges 185 feet off the forested cliff into the deep gorge. The trail ends further up the stream at the base of Waimoku Falls, set in a 400-foot rock wall amphitheater.
There are a lot of people that hike this incredible trail. Some hikers stop part way up to swim in the pools along the trail. We chose to stay to the trail and hike the two miles to the base of Waimoku Falls, which is a 400 foot waterfall.
The beginning of the hike was well trodden and busy, though it was a weekend so we expected as much. There are nice outlooks to the left at some of the waterfalls, and to the right is an orchard or farm land.
At one point on the trail, there is a banyan tree, which is a tree, originally from India, that drops roots from its branches as it expands. Further up along the trail is a bamboo forest. This was a big attraction for us. As you approach the bamboo forest, you notice that the treeline looks different than the usual tree tops. They resemble the hair on some Dr. Suess characters.
When you get into the bamboo forest, it is very dark. The density of the tree trunks allow you to weave in and out of them for a few yards and become invisible to someone on the trail. This place would be pretty scary at night!
After a long hike in the heat and humidity, you can walk back to the ranger’s station and continue down a trail to several levels of pools that you can swim in. These pools are very busy during the day, but around supper time the area grew quiet so we decided to take a refreshing dip.
