Pools of Oheo (Pools of 'Ohe'o)

The Pools of Oheo (or the Pools of 'Ohe'o) is the name given to the series of picturesque waterfalls and swimming holes not far from the Ohe'o Gulch car park. It's really a succession of several waterfalls tumbling into one pool after another on its way to the tiger shark-infested ocean (you definitely want to stay out of the ocean). Our first visit here was under very benign conditions where lots of people were sun bathing, swimming, or just checking out the falls itself. It turns out that this is but just one section with waterfalls in the gulch as there were

Back when the Hana side of Maui was unknown to travelers, it was said that the owner of the Hotel Hana dubbed this area the "Seven Sacred Pools" to lure more tourists. Apparently the marketing scheme worked (as much as the locals hate this name) as I'm sure this is now windward Maui's most popular attraction.

It was amazing that this waterfall is as publicly accessible as it is now. For in 1960, it took Sam Pryor (former Pan Am Airlines executive) and locals who shared concerns that the falls would be forever lost as a public attraction in its natural form to convince Pryor's friend, billionaire venture capitalist Laurence Rockefeller, to buy a chunk of the area and then protect it in what eventually was to become the Kipahulu District of Haleakala National Park in 1969. If not for such foresight and generosity, this could've easily succumbed to a private resort.

From the car park (you have to pay a National Park fee), we walked a loop of about 0.5 miles where the Lower Pools of Oheo were at the opposite side (so no one direction was shorter than the other). I believe the loop is called the Kuloa Point Trail. It took us about 15 minutes to get to the falls. Later, we managed to find a spur trail providing a comprehensive look back at the falls and pools as well as the coastline.

Directions: The car park for the Lower Pools of Oheo is just before the 42-mile post, near a blind turn where motorists blow their horns to warn drivers coming from the other direction. There is a National Park fee at the car park, but the National Parks pass is good here. Parking is plentiful (at least when we were there), though it might appear crowded.

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Another look at a couple of falls

Hale Kuai

Nice coastal view from Kuloa Point

No swimming allowed on this day

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TRIP REPORTS

• September 3, 2003
• February 23, 2007

GUIDEBOOKS / OTHER RESOURCES

NEARBY WATERFALLS

• Waimoku Falls
• Makahiku Falls
• Wailua Falls
• Other Hana Highway Waterfalls
• Other Oheo Gulch Waterfalls

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