The Waihee Ridge Trail

Waihee Ridge is a very popular hike on Maui. It’s listed in a lot of tour guides, and a lot of visitors and locals alike do this hike. It’s conveniently located and relatively “short” and “easy.” Yet I’d never been on this hike until this year! How can that be? I guess I’ve just always hiked in other places. There are so many here on Maui. In any case, I finally had a chance to get out there earlier this year. It was so fun we went back again a few weeks later.

The trail head is at the Boy Scout’s Camp Maluhia parking lot. This is off of Highway 330, almost a mile past the 6 mile marker. Here you will turn mauka, up toward the mountain, and drive about ¾ of a mile to a small parking lot.

What I like about this hike is that it’s a great workout. There is about 1,500ft gain in elevation over the course of the two mile journey to the top. You hike through a variety of different forest types, and there are abundant native species. One of the neatest things about this hike is that, as the name implies, you’re hiking along the top of a ridge – so there are points when the mountain falls away on either side of you. Very cool! Unless you’re afraid of heights! The top is about 2,600ft elevation, and there are stunning views in all directions. Out toward the north shore and Kahului Harbor, toward Kakakuloa , and up into the deeper valleys of the West Maui Mountains.

Be warned – this can be a very slippery hike if the trail is muddy. I would not recommend doing it in the rain or even after a recent rainfall. Climbing up may be possible, but slip-sliding down will not be fun!

MUD!

I don’t want to ruin it for you by showing you all the views before you even get there. So here are just a few pictures to give you a taste of the hike.