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Week of October 19-26, 1995
Hiking in Maui’s Haleakala National Park
Q: I am going to Maui for the first time in February ’96. I am a novice hiker in better-than-average physical condition. I would like to know of any places in Maui where one could day hike or camp out for a short time (i.e., one to two nights)? Thanks for your help.
Michael Beaudoin
St. Louis, MO
ba-doyn@inlink.com or MichaelB59@aol.com
A: With 36 miles of hiking trails in upcountry Maui, Haleakala National Park is probably your best bet for short but spectacular backcountry treks. For a good overnight hike, pick up the Sliding Sands Trail at the visitor center and take it ten miles to the Kaupo
Trail. This combined route will take you from 10,000 feet right down to the seaside bluffs in Kaupo in just over 17 miles. Pitch your tent for the night at the Paliku Campground at the junction of the Sliding Sands and Kaupo trails (free backcountry permits are available at the visitor center), or bid for one of two rustic cabins along the trail for $40 per night. To do this,
you’ll need to send in a written request at least three months in advance to get your name in the cabin lottery (Box 369, Makawao, HI 96768). From Paliku, you’ll have an 8.4-mile hike out to Kaupo the next day. If you prefer a bed, base yourself crater-side at the Kula Lodge, a chalet-style hotel high on the slope of Haleakala, and stretch your legs on an eight-mile roundtrip
day hike along the Halemauu Trail to Holua Cabin. One of Kula’s five simple cabins with panoramic views of western Maui and the Pacific will run you $100-$150 per night. For more information, contact Kula Lodge at 800-233-1535 and Haleakala park headquarters at 808-572-9306. Or check out in
the Destinations section of our March 1995 issue and in our winter Travel Guide, on newsstands now.
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