On our most recent trip to Maui over spring break, we made it a point to visit the famous bamboo forest on the road to Hana. Apparently there are multiple areas in Hana with bamboo – the more popular one is right past Twin Falls, near mile marker 6.
That trail is at the very beginning of Hana, so it’s probably the better one to visit if you’re short on time. The one we went was in a national park at the end of Hana, and it was also awesome! Great for a nice hike with views of a giant waterfall.
Located at Haleakala National Park, the bamboo forest we went too was definitely a great spot for photographers and hikers alike. The great thing about reaching this bamboo forest is that you’ll hit other great sights on the way such as one of the most popular road to Hana waterfalls, Waimoku Falls.
Bamboo Forest Maui Hike
Head to Haleakala National Park in Kipahulu, which is at the very end of Hana. Note that since this park goes off a national park fee schedule, parking was $25 for a 3-day pass. Pretty crazy if you’re heading there for just one day like us, so if you can somehow avoid parking there, do that!
To get to the bamboo forest, you’re going to want to take the Pipiwai Trail, which is right across the road from the parking lot. The hike is about 2 miles one way and took us about 3-4 hours roundtrip. (Take into consideration that we were taking a looooott of pictures and filming, so your hike probably won’t take as long.)
In terms of difficulty, the hike would have been relatively easy if the trail hadn’t been a complete mud pit. It rained heavily the night previously, so while it was great for the raging waterfalls, but trekking through the muck (barefoot!) really slowed us down.
First up…some waterfalls!
You’re first going to see Makahiku Falls – beautiful, but don’t turn around here! Afterwards you’ll cross a large, banyan tree.
Next…
Once you see the beautiful ‘Ohe’o Pools (which is now closed off for swimming) and cross the bridge, you’ll reach the start of the bamboo forest.
Now we started taking pictures at the very beginning, but after each section we saw increasingly better shots for photos. If you’re looking for that iconic, curved boardwalk look, wait until the very end – the bamboo forest continues on for a while.
Once you reach the very end of the bamboo forest, you’ll end up at Waimoku Falls, a 400ft. stunner! Our friends swam in the falls years ago, but swimming and walking near the falls was recently ‘blocked off’ due to flash flooding and recent incidents. I’m not sure if it will be blocked off indefinitely, but the weather can make areas in Hana dangerous so be cautious.
Have you ever been to any of the bamboo forests in Hana, Maui?
