Maui locals need help: Driving to Oheo Pools

[discdogs]

Aloha Maui locals! Can anyone tell me if the road from Makawao/Waiakoa/Kula around the south end is open to get to Oheo pools & Waimoku Falls? Talking about Hwy 37 & 31. Just trying to avoid the drive to and thru Hana. Lastly, is this road paved or gravel/puka rock?

Last time I tried to go there was 4 months after the earthquake and couldn't get there.

Thanks!

 

[Charlie99]

The road was closed a couple of times in the last month due to landslides from heavy rains, but as of today it is open. Last nite in the hottub I was chatting with some visitors that drove the route Wednesday and they said the road was in reasonable condition.

Most is paved. Several miles are "kind of paved", but with lots of huge potholes. I'm not sure but it looks like a dirt road that has been oiled so many times that it kind of hardens into semi-pavement when dry.

My Honda Civic handles it easily although I wouldn't want to drive it at night because of the size of potholes.

Note that there is no longer a connection between Hwy 31 in Kihei/Wailea and Hwy 31 in upcountry. Some maps still show them connected, although its been 20 years since they closed the connector.

 

[adjuster-jd]

How long is the drive from Kihei using that route instead of around the long way through Hana? Yeah, probably against my rental car contract though... Never tried that route.

 

[kidspot]

depends on where in Kihei you are coming from - at the worst it's 20 minutes from Kihei/Wailea to Puunene, then another 15 minutes on Omaopio road to the Kula Hwy. then 2 hrs to Hana.

The distance is close to the same either way - it's more a matter of if you want a road that gets you carsick by going left and right, or up and down.

btw - my main concern at night is all the cattle on the road that you can't see till you are on them - I no longer drive that road at night due to some very close calls with cows... in time the twitch in my right eye may go away every time I see a picture of a cow too lol

Aloha, Tim

 

[Charlie99]

It's worth going around the backside at least once. Even if you just drive 15 or 20 minutes past the Tedeschi winery, staying on the good pavement section and then turn back, you'll get some awesome vistas.

Very different area. Dry, desert like, with just low vegetation. You can see for miles.

And yes, as Kidspot mentions it's open range country with cows wandering around at random.

 

[skypierce]

I live in Hana and can tell you that the "back way" (through ulupalakua) is open now, after over two years of being closed. I also go to Kihei often and nearly always go the "front way" on the hana highway through Paia. The back way is really only faster if you are starting upcountry. Even then, there is a section of a few miles which are not paved and can sometimes make for slow going. Unless there have been heavy rains it's usually completely passable even in a rental car, but might be a little bumpy.
If you haven't been that way before it's definitely worth the change of scenery, as the lansdscape is totally different than the north shore "front side". Beautiful. But if your goal is to get to Hana town or even Oheo and you are not already upcountry, it's faster to go front side and enjoy the waterfalls along the way. Just PLEASE remember, whichever way you go, to let locals pass.
Aloha!

 

[skypierce]

I live in Hana and can tell you that the "back way" (through ulupalakua) is open now, after over two years of being closed. I also go to Kihei often and nearly always go the "front way" on the hana highway through Paia. The back way is really only faster if you are starting upcountry. Even then, there is a section of a few miles which are not paved and can sometimes make for slow going. Unless there have been heavy rains it's usually completely passable even in a rental car, but might be a little bumpy.
If you haven't been that way before it's definitely worth the change of scenery, as the lansdscape is totally different than the north shore "front side". Beautiful. But if your goal is to get to Hana town or even Oheo and you are not already upcountry, it's faster to go front side and enjoy the waterfalls along the way. Just PLEASE remember, whichever way you go, to let locals pass.
Aloha!

 

[kidspot]

Thanks for the update skypierce - and good reminder to let folks pass when doing that drive - I used to commute to Hana for work once each week, and cars refusing to let you pass could easily add an extra hour to the drive :S

 

[discdogs]

Mahalo for the info. We'll yield to da kine and help keep the aloha!