Anyone who has read my previous travel journals knows that I am CRAZY for hiking. So of course on Maui I was continually searching for the next great hike. Having hiked in Haleakala Crater the previous weekend, I was looking for something in the West Maui mountains. How great it would be to get into those steep green valleys for a closer look!
Alas, it is not as easy as it sounds. First I visited Iou Valley State Park hoping to drive part way into the West Mauis and then hike in further. At the park I found a short paved trail, with a very promising dirt trail headed the way I wanted to go blocked by a "Private Property – No Trespassing" sign. I was so disappointed!
My guidebook promised at least a look at some sheer mountain walls with plummeting waterfalls by hiking the Waihee Ridge Trail. And as my feet were itching to get on a trail, and this one was nearby, that is where I determined I should go ASAP.
The trailhead was pretty easy to find. I followed Kahekili Highway (also called Highway 33) north out of Wailuku past the town of Waihee. After a winding section of road, between mile markers 6 and 7, turn left at a small sign for Maluhia Boy Scout Camp (there is also a very small brown and yellow sign for the Waihee Ridge Trail, but it is easy to miss). After about 1 mile, you will see a brown and yellow sign marking the trailhead on the left.
The total distance of this hike is 4.5 miles, with a good amount of elevation gain (about 1500 feet), so hikers should be relatively fit. There is no water available on the hike, so bring all you will need. Bringing a rainjacket is also a good idea.
At first, I didn’t have high hopes for this trek. I spent the first 10 minutes looking back over my shoulder at the eyesore of a housing development that was plainly visible from the trail. Plus the trail so far was a paved road?!?! But after ¼ mile or so, I found myself on a real trail in a cool shady stretch of trees. At ¾ mile, I arrived at a lookout point with a bench. The view was directly into the breathtaking Waihee Valley. There was layer upon layer of deeply carved walls, years of erosion making a startling panorama. And I could see the more recent work of running water in smaller ripples on the steep walls. The whole scene was a testament to the true power of water. All the while, misty clouds were coming and going at the mountaintop level, shrouding everything in mystery. Ahem…. I’ll just ignore those houses that annoyingly popped back into view behind me….
As I hiked on, I found the trail to be surprisingly well-maintained. After the one mile marker, the switchbacks begin. They aren’t bad - I knew I was gaining elevation but I didn’t feel winded. There is little shade after this point, but the day wasn’t overly warm. The views back to the ocean kept drawing me – I just can’t resist that intense blue color and sparkling waves. The trailside vegetation was lush with grasses and ferns, hala trees and guava. And finally, the top! 2500 foot Lanilili Peak, complete with picnic table and the West Maui scenery I was looking for. What a great day for a hike!