Top Trails: Maui

Sara Benson is a prolific travel journalist whose career has taken her skipping across the Pacific from California to Japan and back, including stints living on Maui, the Big Island of Hawaii, and Oahu. Her first backpacking experience in Hawaii was at Haleakala National Park on Maui, to which she has returned countless times over the last 15 years. Sara has worked as a national park ranger and is an avid hiker everywhere she travels. For this guide, she rehiked every trail on Maui described in this book, racking up well more than 100 miles on all types of terrain, from jagged lava flows and cinder deserts to misty cloud forests and muddy waterfall paths. Sara is the author of dozens of travel and outdoor activity guidebooks, including for Lonely Planet and Fodor’s. She has traveled to every continent except Antarctica and has visited over 30 countries. Her writing regularly appears in newspapers and magazines around the world, including the Honolulu Star-Advertiser and Backpacker, as well as on popular travel and news websites.

Maui Regional Map
Maui Trails Table


Using Top Trails
Organization of Top Trails
Choosing a Trail


Introduction to Maui
Geography
Geology
Flora
Fauna
When to Go
Trail Selection
Features & Facilities
Multiple Uses
Trail Safety
Camping, Cabins & Permits
Note from the Author


On the Trail
Have a Plan
Carry the Essentials
Useful but Less than Essential Items
Trail Etiquette


Chapter 1: West Maui
1. Olowalu Petrogyphs
2. Kaanapali Beach Walk
3. Kapalua Coastal Trail
4. Kapalua Village Trails
5. Maunalei Arboretum & Honolua Ridge
6. Mahana Ridge
7. Nakalele Blowhole
8. Ohai Trail
9. Kahekili Highway Ocean Baths
10. Waihee Ridge
11. Waihee Valley
12. Lahaina Pali


Chapter 2: Central & South Maui
13. Iao Valley
14. Kealia Pond
15. Kihei Coastal Trail
16. Wailea Beach Walk
17. Hoapili Trail


Chapter 3: East Maui & Upcountry
18. Waihou Spring
19. Twin Falls
20. Keanae Arboretum
21. Waianapanapa Coast & Caves
22. King’s Highway North
23. King’s Highway South


Chapter 4: Haleakala National Park
24. Hosmer Grove
25. Halemauu Trail to Holua
26. Halemauu Trail & Silversword Loop
27. Halemauu Trail to Paliku
28. Sliding Sands Trail to Ka Luu o ka Oo
29. Sliding Sands Trail to Kapalaoa
30. Sliding Sands Trail & Cinder Desert Loop
31. Sliding Sands Trail to Paliku
32. Sliding Sands & Halemauu Trails
33. Haleakala Grand Loop
34. Kaupo Gap
35. Skyline Trail
36. Kuloa Point Trail
37. Pipiwai Trail

Appendix 1: Top-Rated Trails
Appendix 2: Major Public Agencies & Nonprofit Organizations
Appendix 3: Maps, Books & Internet Resources
Appendix 4: Local Guides, Tour Operators & Hiking Clubs
Appendix 5: Outdoor Gear, Supplies & Food
Index
Author