Hiking the Waihou Spring Trail on Maui, Hawaiʻi
Distance (Waihou Spring & Loop): 2.2 miles / 3.5 km
The Waihou Spring Trail, also called the Waihou Spring Loop Trail, on Maui is a short and easy day hike up the hill from Makawao that leads hikers through a beautiful Eucalyptus forest to a natural perennial volcanic spring on the slopes of Haleakalā.
It is here that hikers will find a towering wall of ferns, not a waterfall, where a slow drip from Waihou Spring brings life to a number of different native Hawaiian plants, particularly ferns.
Before visiting, it’s important to understand that the final 0.5 miles (0.8 km) of the hike is fairly steep, as it descends roughly 330 ft. (101 m) to reach the bottom of the gulch where Waihou Spring is located. I say this to suggest bringing good shoes for the somewhat slippery descent, which is especially true if it has recently been raining.
Waihou Spring Trailhead Parking
The Waihou Spring Trailhead and parking area are located directly off Olinda Road, about 4.8 miles (7.7 km) up the hill from Makawao.
It is that hikers will find a roadside parking area just off the pavement on the right-hand side when driving uphill.
Google Maps Directions: Waihou Spring Trailhead
Hiking the Waihou Spring Trail
The Waihou Spring Trail begins on a relatively flat trail within the Waihou Spring Forest Reserve and Tree-Growth Research Area, which was an experimental tree plantation established in the early 1900s to test which tree species would grow well at these cooler high elevations on Haleakalā and contribute to reforestation and water-retention efforts.
After the gate, the Waihou Spring Trail simply follows a wide, flat path for about 0.3 miles (0.5 km) to reach the start of the Waihou Spring Loop.
The Upper Waihou Spring Trail and the loop just ahead are great places to go for a trail run on Maui, as running at these higher, cooler elevations here and on the neighboring Kahakapao Loop Trail is a really fun way to explore the island!
That said, the shoes linked below are my go-to trail-running shoes, as they work well for both Hawaiʻi’s muddy trails and for road running when the two overlap.
Waihou Spring Loop Trail
After just 0.3 miles (0.5 km), the Waihou Spring Trail reaches the Waihou Spring Loop Trail, a 0.6-mile (1.0 km) loop around the upper part of the forest reserve above Kailua Gulch, where Waihou Spring is located.
Once here, go right to begin the loop and reach the start of the trail that descends the switchbacks to Waihou Spring, as the loop heading left is less direct, making it a better return route for the way back.
Waihou Spring Loop-Waihou Spring Junction
After just 0.1 miles (0.2 km), the Waihou Spring Loop reaches a junction where the trail continues down to Waihou Spring, about 0.5 miles (0.8 km) away.
At this split, go right to begin hiking down to the bottom of Kailua Gulch and Waihou Spring, or go left if you’re only interested in hiking the upper loop.
The first 0.25 miles (0.4 km) of the descent into Kailua Gulch is fairly gradual and easy, but this abruptly changes when the trail reaches the edge of the gulch at the signs just ahead.
These signs mark the edge of Kailua Gulch and the start of the steepest descent to reach Waihou Spring at the bottom.
With that in mind, I do not believe that this steep descent is a great place to trail run, as I mentioned about the beginning of the trail. In fact, some hikers may want to carry trekking poles for the steep switchbacks ahead.
In total, there are 12 switchbacks to reach Waihou Spring at the bottom, many of which are very short, back-to-back switchbacks like these two at the beginning.
These sections can be a bit challenging if the trail is slippery from recent rain.
This is where Waihou Spring becomes visible for the first time through the trees!
Waihou Spring (Warning)
The Waihou Spring Trail ends just before the spring itself, which is important to mention because the base of the cliff just ahead is a hazardous area for rockfall.
In fact, I have personally seen rocks fall and nearly strike friends and other hikers on numerous occasions at various cliffs and waterfalls like Waihou Spring, which I mention to hopefully show just how real the danger is.
All that to say, it’s important to know these risks before continuing further, understanding that hikers have died from rockfall in Hawaiʻi gulches in the past.
Waihou Spring Loop-Waihou Spring Junction
After hiking the 0.5 miles (0.8 km) back up from the bottom of Kailua Gulch, there’s either the option to go left to return to the trailhead on the shortest route, about 0.4 miles (0.6 km) away, or to go right to continue hiking around the Waihou Spring Loop Trail.
I chose to go right and hike the remaining 0.5 miles (0.8 km) around the Waihou Spring Loop back to the initial junction.
After climbing back out of the gulch, the Waihou Spring Loop Trail continues to head uphill toward the far eastern end of the loop, gaining roughly 100 ft. (30.5 m) until it turns back toward the initial loop junction.
These are the uppermost portions of the Waihou Spring Trail where the loop turns back toward the beginning.
Waihou Spring Loop Junction
After roughly 1.9 miles (3.1 km) from the beginning of the hike, the Waihou Spring Trail returns to the start of the loop.
From here, go right, and the trailhead off Olinda Road will be reached in about 0.3 miles (0.5 km).
Native Plants on the Waihou Spring Trail
On account of the area’s deforestation history, followed by the planting of non-native species as part of the research area, the Waihou Spring Forest Reserve is filled mostly with non-native, invasive species such as Strawberry Guava and Eucalyptus trees.
However, there are a handful of native plants that hikers can find along the way, including Koa, Olopua, ʻŌhiʻa lehua, Pilo, and a few native ferns along the walls of the gulch.
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
