Pools of Oheo Gulch hike 🌴 Kuloa Point trail to Seven Sacred Pools aka the Kipahulu Haleakala coast waterfalls! 🌴 Maui Hawaii travel blog

ALOHA!

 

So there are a ton of waterfalls on Maui.

And there are a ton of waterfalls along the Hana Highway!

And, among those Hana Highway waterfalls are waterfalls in Haleakala National Park along the Kipahulu coast.

 

 

These waterfalls go by a number of different names:

• Seven Sacred Pools
• Oheo Gulch
• The Pools at Oheo (The Pools of Oheo)
• Oheo Pools

These are all referring to the same area of waterfalls, and these are among the Haleakala waterfalls that you can see with a visit to the Kipahulu coastal side of Haleakala National Park.

 

 

 

So the Seven Sacred Pools are among the top waterfalls on the Road to Hana that you probably want to know about!

The Oheo Pools are waterfalls that are part of a stream that flows from mountain to ocean! Right near the waterfalls, you can see where this stream meets the ocean!

 

 

 

 

In order to see these Haleakala waterfalls, it requires hiking the Kuloa Point Trail that’s a part of the national park.

If you have started your research into planning your trip to Maui, you’ll probably have come across Haleakala National Park, but it’s likely the summit side (the red crater with the desert landscape) that you’ve seen in pictures in reference to the national park.

So it’s important to know that to hike to the Seven Sacred Pools, it will be a separate trip from that.

There are basically 2 sides of the national park, and the 2 sides aren’t connected by road. The 2 main areas of the Haleakala National Park are the famous summit district and the Kipahulu district. The Kuloa Point Trail is a part of the Kipahulu area. The other popular trail in the Kipahulu area is the Pipiwai Trail.

Most people would go to the Seven Sacred Pools as a part of the popular Road to Hana drive. It’s located at the “end” of the Road to Hana, and the last point where people would typically turn around and drive the Road to Hana as an out-and-back if they choose to go this far. (It is actually past Hana town though – technicalities!) 

So, you can also choose to make Maui’s famous Haleakala waterfalls a part of your Road to Hana day trip. Or you can choose to stay several days on the Road to Hana to take your time with the waterfalls and beaches that are along the Road to Hana! There are even campgrounds on the Road to Hana that you can stay at, including at a campground in the national park. 

If you’d rather not drive the Hana Highway to see waterfalls, then there’s also a waterfall hike in the West Maui mountains. It may not seem as magnificent as the Seven Sacred Pools, but you’ll see waterfalls! It’s also a small bamboo forest hike!

 

Side note: See more of the best hikes on Maui with amazing views!

 

 

What the national park wants you to know about the Oheo Gulch

 

So one of the things that has made the Oheo pools popular is swimming at the waterfalls.

But, there is also risk associated with swimming at the Seven Sacred Pools. There is risk associated with swimming at any waterfalls on Maui.

 

 

Risks of the Oheo Gulch, according to the National Park Service:

– Flash flooding

– Underwater hazards

– Slippery surfaces

 

And sometimes there is greater risk when swimming at waterfalls. And when the national park people feel that risk has become much greater, they may close off “pool” access to the waterfalls.

 

 

If this happens, you can still hike the Kuloa Point Trail to SEE the waterfalls, you just can’t go swimming at the waterfalls.

 

According to the National Park Service:

High water levels and submerged rocks can endanger swimmers and diver.

Wet rocks along the water’s edge can cause you to slip and fall.

Ocean areas are unsafe for swimming or wading.

 

There have been people who have died at the Seven Sacred Pools.

If you have plans to go to waterfalls or streams during your trip to Maui, it can be good to take a look at the Maui County flash flood precautions.

 

 

Cost to hike to Seven Sacred Pools

Since the Kuloa Point Trail is a part of the Haleakala National Park, an entry fee is required to hike to the Seven Sacred Pools. 

In 2021, an individual pass costs $30 per vehicle. See current fees. This pass lasts for 3 days and you can use it to visit the summit side too.

You can also consider buying a Hawaii national park annual pass which will cover you for one year for national park sites on Maui and the Big Island. The U.S. national park pass is also valid at Haleakala National Park.

 

More below on what you can see hiking the Kuloa Point Trail!

 

 

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And now…

Seven Sacred Pools hike in Maui: Here’s a bit of what it can be like to hike the Kuloa Point Trail to the waterfalls!

aka PHOTOS!

Right near the Haleakala National Park Kipahulu parking lot and visitor center, you’ll find the start of the trail.

 

 

Then you will come to a sign for the Kuloa Point Trail.

 

 

Then you will see the start of the loop trail!

 

 

Now, the Kuloa Point Trail is not that long. The entire loop is listed as a total of a half mile. So it won’t make too big of a difference which way you take the loop. But the more direct way is to the the waterfalls is to the left.

 

 

But, if you go to the right (the direction the trail sign is pointing), you will get some bonus sights along the way! So, you might as well go off to the right!

Then off you go!

 

 

You will come across a banyan tree and hala trees! You can even have a picnic under a hala tree.

 

 

You will also come to some old remains of part of an old Hawaiian house.

According to the National Park Service, traditional land records suggest a family had lived here in the 1790s and it’s possible that people lived in this area “as early as 1486 AD.” 

 

 

And it’s around here that you’ll start to better see the coast.

And then as you’re walking, you’ll see a trail that further leads to the coast. You can take in the ocean views of the Haleakala coast at Kuloa Point! This is the area where the waterfalls stream empties out into the ocean.

 

 

And then after you’ve taken in the ocean views, you can continue on the Kuloa Point Trail until you come to the views of the waterfalls!

 

 

And that’s a bit about hiking to see the Haleakala coast waterfalls!

 

Plus, if you are interested in the Pools at Oheo, then you may also be interested in these top activities on Maui:

• Pipiwai Trail
• Waihee Ridge Trail
• Iao Valley lookout
• How to spend one day in the West Maui Mountains
• Nakalele Blowhole
• Kapalua Coastal Trail
• Sliding Sands Trail
• Driving to the Haleakala summit
• Hoapili Trail
• Best of Maui hiking

 

HAPPY HIKING TO WATERFALLS IN HALEAKALA NATIONAL PARK!