Road to Hana - Alelele Falls Viewpoint

Crossing the bridge at Oheo Gulch, a series of tiered pools can be seen from the roadside that make up the area known as The Pools of Oheo. Palikea Stream flows through the gulch creating a succession of waterfalls that cascade from one pool to the next, before travelling beneath the bridge and pouring into the ocean. The pools are a tranquil and peaceful swimming area, except during heavy rains when they are prone to flash flooding and become a safety hazard.

The pools are also informally referred to as the Seven Sacred Pools, a term coined in the 1940s by a local businessman who wanted to draw more tourists to Hana and its surrounds. The marketing worked since visitors to the area increased, bringing new concerns that the land and its natural pools would eventually be lost to commercial development and become inaccessible to the public. To alleviate this concern a parcel of land was purchased and donated to the district for safekeeping. In 1969 it was incorporated into the Haleakalā National Park, remaining a publicly usable space in perpetuity.

The nearby Pipiwai Trail is a 4mi loop that leads through a dense bamboo forest, past a huge banyan tree and the 185ft (56m) Makahiku Falls. The trail ends amongst dense jungle at one of Maui’s tallest waterfalls, the 400ft (121m) Waimoku Falls.

Returning to the highway and a short distance away in a churchyard is the final resting place of Charles Lindbergh who in 1927 shot to fame as the first solo person to fly nonstop across the Atlantic from New York to Paris covering 3,600mi (5,800km) in 33.5 hours. His feat was a turning point in aviation development and advancement. In the latter part of his life, Lindbergh became a conservationist particularly concerned about the impact new technologies had on the Hawaiian people and their environment. As such he helped Laurence Rockefeller establish the Haleakala National Park that includes The Pools of Oheo.

Having arrived at the last bridge, known as Alelele Bridge, I took a short hike inland to the last waterfall on this journey, the Alelele Falls and its 40ft (12m) drop over black lava rock formations. The small pool was cool and refreshing for a final dip. I reached the end of my travels at Alelele Falls Viewpoint, a small roadside pull-out with views of Maui’s east coast and narrow winding highway. Here I completed my 64mi (103km) Road to Hana journey.



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