The Road to Hāna isn't a drive you rush. It's a narrow, winding highway along Maui's wet northeast coast, from Pāʻia to Hāna, with waterfalls, one-lane bridges and taro valleys around nearly every bend. Make the stops the point of the day, treat Hāna as the turnaround, and plan on 10 to 12 hours.
Before you go
- Book Waiʻānapanapa first. Non-residents need a timed entry and parking reservation for Waiʻānapanapa State Park ($5 per person plus $10 per vehicle). It's the stop most likely to sell out, so build your day around your time slot.
- Gas up in Pāʻia. It's the last gas before Hāna. Bring food and plenty of water too; there's no food or gas inside Haleakalā National Park's Kīpahulu District.
- Check the road that morning. The state transportation department (HDOT) posts weekly lane closures for Maui, and storms can close the Hāna Highway to visitors. Pick a dry-forecast day.
- Know the timing. The National Park Service puts Kahului to Kīpahulu at about 4 hours one way, without stops.
Early morning: Pāʻia and Twin Falls
Leave Pāʻia around 6:30 with a full tank, breakfast and water. The first easy stop is Twin Falls (Hoʻolawa) near mile marker 2, a short waterfall walk at the very start of the highway. It's a private farm, not a park, so follow the farm's posted rules; swimming is at your own risk.
Mid-morning: viewpoints along the highway
Take your time on the roadside viewpoints, like Kaumahina and the Keʻanae peninsula. Pull fully off the road to stop, yield at one-lane bridges, and stay out of anything posted private or kapu. Stay out of streams during or after rain; flash floods come fast.
Make the stops the point of the day, treat Hāna as the turnaround.
Late morning: Waiʻānapanapa State Park
Arrive for your timed reservation at Waiʻānapanapa, just north of Hāna: a black-sand beach on Pailoa Bay, sea caves, a natural stone arch, blowholes and a stretch of the ancient coastal trail. The park is open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. The ocean here is often rough, so only swim when it's calm.
Afternoon: the Pīpīwai Trail
Continue 12 miles past Hāna to the Kīpahulu District of Haleakalā National Park. The Pīpīwai Trail climbs beside a stream to a Makahiku Falls overlook, through a bamboo forest on boardwalks, to the Waimoku Falls viewing area: 4 miles round trip with about 800 feet of gain, rated moderately strenuous. Expect rain and mosquitoes. The national park entrance fee is card only, and one pass covers both park districts for 3 days.
The short Kūloa Point loop looks over the Pools of ʻOheʻo. The pools are closed to swimming and entry for safety, so enjoy them from the trail.
Heading back
Start back around 4:30, the way you came. It's about 4 hours to Kahului without stops, and you'll want to be off the narrow sections around dark.
Rather not drive it?
A guided tour lets everyone look out the window instead of at the next hairpin turn. Compare Road to Hāna tours on our Maui tours page, and check that the operator is permitted.
Plan it
- East Maui and the Road to Hāna in our Maui guide, with each stop's details and official links
- The Road to Hāna & Kīpahulu day plan, which you can add to a trip in one tap
- Build your Maui trip in our free Trip Planner, no account needed
- See the best Maui tours
Facts from our Maui guide, checked against the National Park Service, Hawaiʻi State Parks and HDOT in October 2026. Cover photo: Theskuj, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Some links in this story are affiliate links; we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.
