Hiking the ʻŌhai Loop Trail on Maui, Hawaiʻi
Distance: 1.2 miles / 1.9 km
The ʻŌhai Loop Trail is a beautiful coastal trail on Maui’s North Shore that makes for a great place to enjoy the dramatic sea cliffs that parallel the windy Kahekili Highway.
On top of this, the short 1.2-mile (1.9 km) ʻŌhai Loop Trail is also a place of refuge for a number of native Hawaiian plants and animals, many of which are endemic to the islands, that call this place home.
Overall, the ʻŌhai Loop Trail is most comparable to that of the Kaʻena Point Trail on Oʻahu or the Moʻomomi Sand Dunes on Mokokai in that the hike is truly the place to take it easy, enjoy the coastal views, and learn about the trail and ecosystem from the many signs that can be found along the way.
ʻŌhai Loop Trailhead Parking
Parking for the ʻŌhai Loop Trail is located in a small parking lot directly off Kahekili Highway, about 18 miles (29.0 km) west of Wailuku.
Out of caution, consider the ʻŌhai Loop Trailhead, or any trailhead off the Kahekili Highway, to be a high-crime area for petty theft, meaning you should never leave visible bags or anything valuable in your car.
Google Maps Directions: ʻŌhai Loop Trailhead
My Hawaiʻi Hiking Checklist
Osprey 3L Water Bladder - The Osprey 3L water bladder is the most universal hiking and backpacking water bladder on the market, and it’s my go-to because of the slide-off seal that allows it to be quickly filled from the top. Additionally, individual parts are easily replaceable, such as the bite valve.
Blister / Heel Protectors - I swear by these cheap, amazing heel protectors to prevent blisters for nearly every kind of hiking and backpacking that I do!
Hiking / Trail Running Shoes - Depending on the type of trail, I prefer to use either the Keen Targhee for longer, more rugged hiking or the HOKA Zinal Trail-Running Shoe for lighter, less intense trails. In either case, both have been amazing to me for many years across countless environments, and both can be found in men’s and women’s sizes. - (Men’s Keen / Women’s Keen) (Men’s HOKA / Women’s HOKA)
Sun Shirt w/ Hood - A quality sun shirt can be your best friend on a trail with minimal shade, which can be found in both men’s and women’s sizes.
High SPF Sunscreen - Packing high-SPF sunscreen is a must for long days outside!
Hiking the ʻŌhai Loop Trail
From the parking area, the ʻŌhai Loop Trail splits immediately with the path that leads up to ʻŌhai Lookout.
That being said, go right to begin the ʻŌhai Loop Trail.
ʻŌhai Loop Trail
After just 0.1 miles (0.2 km), the ʻŌhai Loop Trail splits into both a mauka and makai (mountain and ocean) side of the loop.
Personally, I prefer to go right on the mauka side to save the best coastal views for the return hike, which is how the trail is shown below.
If you’re familiar with native Hawaiian plants, it will become very apparent that the dominant species along the trail is not ʻŌhai but rather ʻŪlei, a native bushy shrub that’s adapted to harsh dry environments, such as those along the ʻŌhai Loop, with high wind and salty sea spray from the ocean.
That being said, ʻŌhai is quite the tricky species to spot along the ʻŌhai Loop Trail, but since it is a federally listed species, I feel that it’s best to keep the specific location information out of this article.
Toward the very far end of the ʻŌhai Loop, the trail may appear to split, but the path to the right only leads to an off-trail lookout.
Instead, go left to begin the coastal side of the ʻŌhai Loop Trail.
Pāʻū o Hiʻiaka is another common native that can be found along the ʻŌhai Loop Trail.
In my experience, ʻAeʻae is much less common compared to other native coastal species, which is why I always consider it to be special when I come across it.
ʻŌhai Loop Junction
After roughly 1.0 mile (1.6 km) around the loop, the trail returns back to the initial split.
Here, go right to return to the trailhead and the path that leads to the ʻŌhai Lookout.
Native Plants on the ʻŌhai Loop Trail
The ʻŌhai Loop Trail is best known for being a place of refuge and management for various Hawaiian coastal species.
Some of these include ʻŪlei, Nehe, ʻĀkia, Naupaka, ʻŌhai, ʻIlima, ʻIlieʻe, ʻAʻaliʻi, ʻAkoko, Pāʻū o Hiʻiaka, ʻAeʻae, Alaheʻe, and truly too many more to name.
If you would like to learn more about these and many other native Hawaiian plants from across the islands, I encourage you to check out my separate post linked below.
Read My Separate Post: Native Hawaiian Plant Guide
More Maui Adventures
If you’re interested in reading about some more amazing Maui adventures, check out my separate posts below!
Best Hotels & Vacation Rentals on Maui
Since Maui is such a big island and driving from place to place can take a long time, many of the best places to stay are located on all different sides of the island.
I recommend starting your search on VRBO to compare places from Kīhei, Kahului, Lāhainā, Kāʻanapali, and Hāna.
Maui
Maui Airport-Hotel Shuttle
Prices on ride-share apps like Uber/ Lyft cannot beat the price of booking your hotel or vacation rental shuttle prior to arrival.
That being said, the shuttle options below are incredibly cheap, and they are a great option to get across North, South, West, and Upcountry Maui!
Best Way to Book Rental Cars!
I travel quite a bit, and I know firsthand that finding a good rental car deal can be a challenge, but that’s why I recommend comparing all of your options with Discover Cars.
In short, Discover Cars is a well-known, reputable business that allows you to search for the best deal across companies, and they have the best full-refund cancellation policy I’ve ever seen, valid up to 72, or sometimes even 48, hours prior to your reservation!
Book Here: Discover Cars
One of my favorites!
Visiting Other Islands
If you are visiting Maui or heading to another island, check out some of my personal recommendations for Oʻahu, Maui, Kauaʻi, Molokai, Lānaʻi, and Hawaiʻi Island (Big Island) in these separate posts.
If you’re trying to decide which island is right for your visit, check out my overview about each island in the post below.
Read My Separate Post: What is the Best Hawaiian Island to Visit?
What is the Best Time of Year to Visit Hawaiʻi?
The weather in Hawaiʻi can often appear to be warm and beautiful throughout the year, but in my experience, there is a lot more to consider when planning what time of year to visit the islands, such as what island you are considering, what sides of each island do you plan to stay, what activities are you most interested in, the wildlife, and countless other nuanced variables that can all impact the type of trip you can expect to have.
For these reasons, I highly recommend reading through my separate article to not only understand my thoughts regarding the best time of year to come to Hawaiʻi but also what you need to consider based on the time of year that you plan to visit.
Read My Separate Post: What is the Best Time of Year to Visit Hawaiʻi?
Safety
All hikes in Hawaiʻi should not be compared to trails outside of the islands, and hikers should exercise due caution on every adventure, given that many are extremely dangerous.
By this, I mean that Hawaiʻi is known for hot, humid weather, steep, dramatic, and unstable cliffs, and flash floods, which can occur without warning. Therefore, it is important that you check the local forecast, understand the physical condition of your entire group, and pack sufficient food and water before attempting any adventure.
Disclaimer
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