Kūloa Point Trail

Kūloa Point Trail is an easy 0.5-mile loop from Kīpahulu Visitor Center, with about 80 feet of elevation change. It passes a Hawaiian cultural demonstration area before reaching Kūloa Point at the mouth of ʻOheʻo Gulch. Allow about 30 minutes with stops. This is a good choice when you want a gentle walk that combines waterfall and ocean views with a look at Kīpahulu’s long human history.

The trail leaves the visitor center and passes the cultural demonstration area on an unpaved dirt path. The shaded beginning runs beneath trees and ferns; nearer the gulch mouth, the route opens to dark coastal rock, surf and the meeting of stream and Pacific. It is a compact circuit rather than a hike to a distant waterfall. Sturdy shoes are a good idea, especially in the district’s hot, humid, rainy weather.

Kūloa Point is a place to look toward the Pools of ʻOheʻo and out across the ocean. The pools are not open for entry or swimming, and wading in the streams is not recommended. Flash floods and sudden rockfalls can happen at any time, so stay on the marked trail and outside closed areas. For a photo, frame both waterfall tiers with the stream in the foreground; the small bridge above the falls helps show the scale of the gulch.

A square foundation beside the trail marks a hale noa, or sleeping house, once part of a larger kauhale. Archaeological work in Kīpahulu has identified at least 300 features and dates settlement to AD 1161–1384. People grew kalo and ʻuala in rain-fed gardens and fished along the coast. The stone walls here reflect several periods of use; traditional Hawaiian walls were built by carefully stacking stone without mortar. Leave the foundations, walls and other cultural features undisturbed.

Kīpahulu is reached on Hāna Highway, 12 miles past Hāna. A park entrance pass is required. There is no food or gas in the park, so bring food, fuel and water. Pets are prohibited on all park trails. Hiking groups are limited to 12 people; larger parties must split and leave 30 minutes apart.