Parking
A gravel roadside turnout on Kahekili Highway (Route 340) appears to serve the path. Its legal use for trail parking is unverified; keep vehicles fully clear of the narrow road.
Overview
About Kahakuloa Head Trail
Why go
- Very short path to a coastal view between volcanic cones
Heads up
- Public access and legal parking are unconfirmed
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the West Maui Scenic Drive map
Full mapElevation269–279 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
1 active West Maui Scenic Drive alert
- CautionWest Maui daytime lane closures on Routes 30 and 340, Oct. 26–30Expect daytime single-lane closures on Route 30 near Honokōhau and Route 340 between Waiehu and Waiheʻe on scheduled weekdays Oct. 26–30; follow traffic control and allow for alternating traffic.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
West Maui Scenic Drive Tour Guide
Your drive to Kahakuloa Head Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for West Maui Scenic Drive. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the West Maui Scenic Drive audio tourRecorded for this area
Kahakuloa Head: Two Green Peaks0:00 / 0:27
“You’re nearing Kahakuloa Head, where two green hills rise above dark cliffs and surf. The taller one is Puʻu Koaʻe, with a smaller peak beside it.”
Plays on the road 0.1 mi from the trailhead in the Parkwolf West Maui Scenic Drive Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Karen Lei’s Gallery: Art Above Kahakuloa
- Kahakuloa: Banana Bread and Shave Ice
- Olivine Pools: Keep to the Overlook
- Land from Mountain to Sea
- 65 audio storiesacross West Maui Scenic Drive’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Humpback Whale, Hawaiian Monk Seal, Spinner Dolphin, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 28 trails, 54 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Kahakuloa Head Trail
A tiny walk between the conesKahakuloa Head Trail appears to be a 0.
Kahakuloa Head Trail appears to be a 0.1-mile out-and-back along a narrow dirt path through low pasture between green volcanic cones, with the Pacific ahead. It is a quick coastal viewpoint walk rather than a summit hike. The path is nearly level; allow about 10 minutes for the walk and a look around.
Stay on the lowland routeThe mapped line follows the path once from the turnout; walk it back the same way.
The mapped line follows the path once from the turnout; walk it back the same way. Don't confuse it with the much steeper Kahakuloa Head summit scramble, also called Kahekili's Leap. That separate route climbs loose rock and brush and is not part of this short walk.
Check access before enteringThe entrance appears to use a gate in pasture described as leased ranchland.
The entrance appears to use a gate in pasture described as leased ranchland. I could not confirm a public easement or permission to cross, so enter only if access is clearly authorized. Don't climb a fence or pass a closed or posted gate. The gravel turnout is beside narrow Kahekili Highway; keep the road clear. No formal trailhead facilities were confirmed.
Wildlife
Wildlife in West Maui Scenic Drive
152 sightingsHumpback WhaleMost seen around 9 AMSighting map
71 sightingsHawaiian Monk SealMost seen around 11 AMSighting map
23 sightingsSpinner DolphinMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
401 sightingsGreen Sea TurtleMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
14 sightingsHawksbill Sea TurtleMost seen around 10 AMSighting map
92 sightingsWedge-tailed ShearwaterMost seen around 6 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across West Maui Scenic Drive. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
