We were able to get there early, before the crowds, since we stayed in Hana. The drive from Hana is really lush and beautiful, better than the “drive to Hana”. The first ¼ of the trail is not that shaded, or unusual, but it’s mostly shaded and more interesting once you get to the first waterfall. The highlight for our 13 & 15 year old sons was the bamboo forest. The fallen stalks were fun to play/spar with and they made neat noises. I liked the unusual sound when they clink together swaying in the wind. We always stop and do some side diversions (down to splash in the stream, etc) so it took us 2 hrs to get to falls, 1 hr back (no stops). It rained a lot the night before so the trail had some muddy sections but I would think it be impossible not to get either mud or at least dirt on your shoes so don’t wear your nice new neon yellow sneakers (like the 8 yr old boy we saw whose family turned around after 10 min because of that) or pretty strappy sandals (saw them turnaround too). Take lots of water (and some snacks, if you hungry teens!). When we finished we did the short loop to Oheo Gulch (sacred pools). Again, because of the heavy rains, it was closed for swimming due to the raging waterfalls. You can check the national park website before you go to see status of the pools.
After seeing pictures on the internet, I dreamed of hiking the bamboo forest. My top 5 "things to do" in Maui. Loved every moment. Please be advised the path can be very slippery and shoes with a good grip is highly recommended. I wore flip flops and almost fell several times. The hike to the falls is 4 miles round trip, but worth it!
What an amazing trail. The bamboo forest and the waterfall at the end are the best parts. It's a decent hike of moderate intensity. Id suggest bringing water shoes for the waterfall as the area is rocky.
This is a great hike up the Gulch to a waterfall at the end. On the way you pass through a board walked bamboo forest which is incredible.
The Bamboo reaches to the sky and at first glance all the canes appear to be perfectly straight. But on closer inspection each segment is slightly curved.
Bring lots of water and wear good walking shoes.
My absolute favorite hike we did on Maui. Walking through the bamboo is magical and worth the view at the end. This 100% lived up to the hype I had in my head. Do this!
