A cloudy day, with a little overcast is to me the perfect day for hiking. Sure, you can miss on some views, but the clouds keep you cool, and you don't sweat as much.Yesterday was just this day on Maui. So, we decided to hit the trail.
The Lahaina Pali Trail was built between 1830 and 1850 as the main transportation route between Lahaina and Wailuku on Maui. At that time the 5.5 mile long trail was used as a horse and foot trail. Today it is used for recreation, while Highway Thirty connects Wailuku to Lahaina, and is still known as the Pali(cliff) to the locals.
The Lahaina Pali Trail has two trail heads:the one in the east side starts near Maalaea, off Highway 30, and the one in west side,also starts off Highway 30, a quarter of mile west of the tunnel. We drove and left Bill's car in the parking lot for the west trail head,and started our hike from near we live in Maalaea in the east side. This is what the sign at the trail head reads:
Follow in the footsteps of travelers from over a century ago. Built for horseback and foot travel between Wailuku and Lahaina, the Lahaina Pali Trail was the direct route across the steep southern slopes of West Maui Mountain. It was hand-built along the steep,sometimes treacherous hillsides.
The trail is five miles long and climbs to over 1,600 feet above sea level. Along this trail, you will see native plants like a'ali'i(Dodonaea viscosa),wiliwili trees (Erythrina sandwicensis), and a native dryland sandalwood(Santalum ellipticum).
Petroglyphs,stone walls, and tocky outcrops mark the spots where long ago travelers stopped to rest. The mid-point of the trail is Kealaloloa Ridge, the southern rift zone of the volcano that formed West Maui. Pu'u(cinder hills) and natural cuts in the ridge line expose the dramatic geologic history of this part of Maui.
The first couple miles of the trail are very rugged and steep climb.The next mile or a mile and a half, the trail takes a meadow like terrain, very green and lush. The last part of the trail, is again very rocky, but the ocean comes to view(well,closer view). We heard a big thunder-like sound, which turned out to be a whale mama and her baby splashing up a storm below us. Where else can you watch whales while you are hiking?Unfortunately I was not able to take a photo of the whales from that high of a distance.
But here are some photos from the trail:
Look at all this greenery!
Green for St Patrick's Day?
West Maui wind mills.
The current Pali, Highway 30.
We finished the hike in about three hours, feeling good and energized.
Another great day in paradise!
Comments (10)
How cool that you saw the whale and baby! The trail is beautiful - it does look rugged at the beginning.
Posted by Annie | March 18, 2009 7:22 AM
Posted on March 18, 2009 07:22
Nice photos of an interesting hike, Candi. How cool to have seen a mama whale with her baby.
Posted by María I. | March 18, 2009 9:49 AM
Posted on March 18, 2009 09:49
How cool! Hiking wouldn't be so bad if one were able to enjoy views like that! *smile*
Posted by Jerry | March 18, 2009 5:57 PM
Posted on March 18, 2009 17:57
I am so behind on your blog right now but will catch up on the weekend - all these posts looks so interesting!
Posted by Chiocciola | March 18, 2009 8:59 PM
Posted on March 18, 2009 20:59
This looks like a very cool hike! Very cool that you saw a mom and baby whale.
Posted by girasoli | March 18, 2009 10:13 PM
Posted on March 18, 2009 22:13
I was surprised to see windmills just like we have in California. Trail looks so wild and rugged. You are home in paradise. So lucky.
Posted by Barb Cabot | March 19, 2009 1:06 AM
Posted on March 19, 2009 01:06
Fantastic views, Candi! And I'm so envious that you saw a mama and baby whale! I've seen some lovely little belugas from Quebec's North Shore, but hard to tell who is who. The baby must have been so cute.
Posted by sandrac | March 19, 2009 7:32 PM
Posted on March 19, 2009 19:32
Sandra,
Baby whales are so cute.
We do see a lot of mom and baby whales on Maui in the whale season. It is fun to watch the mom demonstrating breeches to the the baby. I often see them going in circles, where the mom goes first, the baby, then mom not fully satisfied with junior's breech goes again, so junior tries again,on and on, It is so fun to watch.
Posted by candi | March 19, 2009 7:40 PM
Posted on March 19, 2009 19:40
Candi - is this an out and back trail? So the 3+ hours was total? I'm getting all my morning hikes from you!!
Posted by Kim | March 20, 2009 4:52 AM
Posted on March 20, 2009 04:52
Kim, I am glad to supply you with your morning hikes.
This is a 5.5 mile one way trail. We did it by dropping one car off at one end, and then hiking from the other end back to our car. I am sure one can do it back and forth, but I think it would be difficult, since some parts of the trail are so rocky and rugged. And if you do the two way hike,plan on at least 6+ hours.
Posted by candi | March 20, 2009 1:23 PM
Posted on March 20, 2009 13:23