The Breathtaking Ridge Trail In Hawaii That You Will Absolutely Fall In Love With
By Megan Shute|Published July 10, 2017
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Megan Shute
Author
With more than 10 years of experience as a professional writer, Megan holds a degree in Mass Media from her home state of Minnesota. After college, she chose to trade in her winter boots for slippahs and moved to the beautiful island of Oahu, where she has been living for more than five years. She lives on the west side but is constantly taking mini-road trips across the island and visits the neighboring islands whenever she can getaway. She loves hiking, snorkeling, locally-grown coffee, and finding the best acai bowl on Oahu.
When most people think of the Hawaii Islands, the first thing that comes to mind is the beaches. But there is another amazing aspect of Hawaii life that is often overlooked – hiking. From easy trails perfect for the whole family to hikes leading to cascading waterfalls, there are countless incredible trails to explore across the Hawaiian Islands. And with near-perfect summer weather year-round, there’s nowhere better to lace up your hiking boots and hit the trails than our beautiful islands. Featuring magnificent panoramic views, Maui’s Waihee Ridge Trail is one such hike.
This magnificent 5-mile round trip ridge trail is often considered to be one of Maui’s most scenic hikes - and it’s certainly easy to see why. Every direction you look, you’re treated to another magnificent view, from lush rainforest valleys and towering mountains to the vast Pacific Ocean.
The well-maintained Waihee Ridge Trail is located in the West Maui Mountains, also known as Mauna Kahalawai, and ascends nearly 1,500 feet through a gorgeous forest to some of the best views around.
This doesn’t look like much of a hike at the trailhead, but trust us - it gets better. You’ll pass through a cattle-proof gate and up a 200-foot cement road that is far steeper than it looks.
Once you reach the top of the incline, you’ll come across the trail sign. Here, veer to the right into a pasture. Soon, you’ll enter the magnificent forest.
Along the way, you’ll not only find various endemic tropical plants - including stunning red and yellow Ohia blossoms - but you might catch a glimpse of various species of birds found nowhere else in the world.
The trail consists of both flat and steep sections, culminating at the end in a series of switchbacks leading to the trail’s summit at 2,563 feet above sea level, at a hill called Lani’ili.
At the summit of the trail, you’ll either be rewarded with stunning views of Waihee Valley and the Pacific Ocean - or a magnificent sea of clouds. You’ll have a better chance of avoiding the clouds above Waihee Valley when you start hiking early in the morning.
The photos simply don’t do this gorgeous trail any justice - and the two to three hour hike is well worth the views you’ll experience along the way, if you’re in decent shape, of course. Otherwise, you might feel as though you’re dying.
With lush scenery, fantastic panoramic valley views, and dramatic ridge-line hiking, you’ll want to add this moderate hike to your Hawaii hiking bucket list.
The trailhead to Waihee Ridge is located near mile marker No. 6.9 on Maui’s Kahekili Highway across from Mendes Ranch – take this road and follow it to the second parking lot. When you reach the trailhead, you’ll find two gates: go to the one that leads uphill and start your hike. Don’t forget to prepare for this remote ridge hike: you should wear shoes with good grip, and your backpack should include plenty of water, sunscreen, rain protection, snacks, and a first aid kit.
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