A narrow road curves through dense green rainforest on the Hāna Highway, with a yield sign for oncoming traffic on the right

Road to Hāna Drive: Itinerary, Reservations, 1 or 2 Days

60 miles (96 km) of bridges and curves to Kīpahulu, one state park you must book, and a choice between one long day and two.

59.7 mi · 2 days · Moderate
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Photo: dronepicr, CC BY 2.0

Status on 2 November 2026: HDOT's Maui list for 2 to 6 November shows only lane and shoulder work on Hāna Highway, such as weed spraying and guardrail landscaping between mile marker 25 and 31, and no full closure. Floods and rockfalls on 29 October closed stretches of Hāna Highway (around mile markers 25 and 37 to 39) and the Kīpahulu end of the national park, and the mayor said that day the county was discouraging visitors from going into East Maui. The news report does not say when they reopened, and the County of Maui closure page could not be read, so treat the road as unconfirmed beyond HDOT's list and open the status link above before you leave.

The Road to Hāna is Route 36 from Kahului and then Route 360, about 60 miles (96 km) to Kīpahulu on the line this page uses, with Hāna at mile 34 of Route 360. There is no official per-day figure for this drive: the leg distances here are measured along the OpenStreetMap line, so treat them as close, not exact. An uninterrupted drive to Hāna takes about 2.5 hours because of the bridges and curves, and that is the one-way figure before a single stop. Below: which stop needs a reservation, what the park charges, where you can sleep, and what to check.

The one decision is one day or two. One day works if you want the drive, a stop or two and the turn back at Hāna: that is about 5 hours of driving before a single stop, and Kīpahulu adds another 12 miles (19 km) each way. Two days is the honest answer if you want Waiʻānapanapa on a booked slot, the walk to Waimoku Falls at Kīpahulu and a drive back that is not in the dark: sleep in Hāna or at the park campground and drive back the next day. If you only have one day, pick Waiʻānapanapa or Kīpahulu, not both. The legs below are one day each, with the return trip described rather than drawn. For the day-by-day around the island, see the 5 Days in Maui guide, which has its own Hāna day with the stops.

The Route on the Map

Each day in its own color, with the start and every night's stop numbered along the way.

Loading map...

Elevation Profile

Highest 1,290 ft (393 m) · lowest 10 ft (3 m)

1,290 ft10 ft1
0 mi59.7 mi (96.0 km)

Route line: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), simplified. Elevations: USGS 3D Elevation Program (public domain).

Day by Day

2 legs and 1 night on the way, each in a different place.

  1. Black sand and dark lava rock on the Waiʻānapanapa shore, with clear blue water and palm trees on the cliff above
    Day 1

    Day 1: Kahului to Hāna, the winding Route 360

    Kahului, start of Hana HighwaytoHāna town

    Distance
    49.7 mi 80.0 km

    The first miles are an ordinary highway through Kahului, Pāʻia and Haʻikū. The road changes character where Route 360 begins, and from there the 59 bridges and the curves set the pace. Plan on about 2.5 hours of driving to Hāna and add every stop on top of it.

    Waiʻānapanapa State Park is the one stop that needs a booking. The state lists parking and entry reservations with a time slot on its booking page, so your slot decides when you reach the black sand beach, and a late day slot can force you to choose between the park and the Kīpahulu hike. The park also has cabins and campsites if you want to sleep next to it: the state lists campsites at $20 a night for residents and $30 for non-residents, and cabins at $70 and $100. Cabins must be booked at least 7 days ahead, and camping reservations are made through the state's Explore Outdoor Hawaiʻi account.

    Hāna is where the shopping stops. The park says there are two general stores in Hāna, and there is no gas or food in Kīpahulu. Buy what you need here.

    Sleep
    Hāna, or Waiʻānapanapa State Park cabins and campsites · Town · How to book

    Photo: dronepicr, CC BY 2.0

  2. Tall green bamboo lines a stone-paved dirt path on the Pipiwai Trail, with the stalks closing in overhead
    Day 2

    Day 2: Hāna to Kīpahulu and the way back

    Hāna towntoKīpahulu visitor center area, Haleakalā National Park

    Distance
    9.9 mi 16.0 km

    The park puts the Kīpahulu district 12 miles (19 km) past Hāna; the map line is measured to the visitor center area and comes out shorter, so use the park's figure for planning. The entrance fee is $30 per vehicle for three days, and the same ticket covers the summit district, which matters if Haleakalā is on another day of your trip. Pay with a credit card.

    Two walks start here. The Kūloa Point Trail is 0.5 miles (0.8 km) round trip with an 80 foot (24 m) change in height and ends above the mouth of ʻOheʻo Gulch. The Pīpīwai Trail is 4 miles (6.4 km) round trip with 800 feet (244 m) of climb, and it passes a view of Makahiku Falls at 0.5 miles (0.8 km) and a bamboo forest at about 1 mile (1.6 km) before ending at Waimoku Falls after 2 miles (3.2 km). The park calls it moderately strenuous and asks you to follow the posted closures.

    The way back is the same road, so the day ends with another 2.5 hours or more of driving. That is the argument for sleeping at the park: Kīpahulu Campground has 20 sites at $20 a night with a three-night maximum, reserved on a 30-day rolling window, and no water, showers or electricity. Past Kīpahulu the road continues as the Piʻilani Highway. This page does not route it, and the way back is the Hāna Highway; if you consider the other way round, ask your rental company what its contract allows and check the road status first.

    Sleep
    Hāna or Kīpahulu Campground · Town · How to book

    Photo: dronepicr, CC BY 2.0

Permits

A permit is required

The drive needs no permit, but Waiʻānapanapa State Park does: parking and entry are reserved in advance with a time slot at gostateparks.hawaii.gov. For non-residents the state lists $5 per person plus $10 per vehicle (children 3 and under free, Hawaii residents free with ID). Haleakalā National Park charges $30 per private vehicle, valid three days and good for both the summit and Kīpahulu districts, and the park asks you to pay with a credit card.

The official permit page

Getting There and Back

How to reach the start of the Road to Hāna Drive, and how to get home from the end.

The start

Kahului, where Route 36 begins as Hana Highway, a few minutes from the airport. The highway runs through Pāʻia and Haʻikū, and at the end of Route 36 the narrow Route 360 begins. The mile markers on the winding part count from there.

The end

The line ends at the Kīpahulu district of Haleakalā National Park, 12 miles (19 km) past Hāna, as the park gives it; the line on the map, measured to the visitor center area, is about 10 miles (16 km) from Hāna town. The way back is the same road, so plan the return as a second drive of about the same length.

Parking

Waiʻānapanapa parking is part of the reservation. Kīpahulu has no overnight parking outside the campground: the park does not allow sleeping in a vehicle outside a campground. Pull-outs along Route 360 are small; leave driveways and the road clear.

Safety

  • The road. Route 360 has 59 bridges, 46 of them one lane, and about 620 curves. Give way to oncoming drivers at one-lane bridges as the signs say, and pull in to let local traffic behind you pass. Fallen trees, rocks and flooding are what HDOT warns about, so look at its Maui lane closure page the evening before and again in the morning.

  • Flash floods and rockfalls. At Kīpahulu the park says they can occur at any time and asks you to stay out of closed areas. On 29 October 2026 heavy rain closed stretches of the highway and the Kīpahulu end of the park. After heavy rain, change the day rather than drive it.

  • The pools. The ʻOheʻo pools are closed to entry for safety and wading in the streams is not recommended. The park points you to the Kūloa Point Trail (0.5 miles (0.8 km) round trip) to see them from above.

  • Help is far. The park says emergency medical help in Kīpahulu is at least an hour away, and that neither gas nor food is sold in the park. Fill the tank and buy food before you pass Hāna.

  • Sleeping. The park allows overnight stays only in a designated campground and prohibits sleeping in a vehicle outside one. Waiʻānapanapa allows camper vehicles only with a campervan permit. Book a bed rather than plan to park somewhere.

  • People live here. The 29 October 2026 floods left East Maui residents cut off from town, and the mayor asked visitors to stay away that day. The state limits Waiʻānapanapa visitation to reduce the impact on its neighbors. Stay off driveways and anything signed private, keep to marked trails (the park says off-trail travel is dangerous and illegal), and if the road is closed, do not try to get through.

Road to Hāna Drive: FAQ

Do you need a reservation for the Road to Hāna?

Not for the road. Waiʻānapanapa State Park requires a reservation for parking and entry, with a time slot, through gostateparks.hawaii.gov. Haleakalā National Park charges $30 per vehicle at Kīpahulu, valid three days.

Is the Road to Hāna a one-day or two-day trip?

Either. An uninterrupted drive to Hāna is about 2.5 hours one way, and Kīpahulu is another 12 miles (19 km) by the park's figure. One day works with a short list of stops; two days gives you the booked state park slot, the walk to Waimoku Falls and a daylight drive back.

How long is the Pīpīwai Trail?

The park lists 4 miles (6.4 km) round trip with 800 feet (244 m) of climb, ending at Waimoku Falls after 2 miles (3.2 km). It calls the trail moderately strenuous.

Can you swim in the pools at ʻOheʻo?

No. The park says the pools are not accessible for entry because of safety concerns and recommends the Kūloa Point Trail to see them. Wading in the streams is not recommended.

Is there gas or food in Kīpahulu?

Neither is sold in the national park, so fill the tank and buy food before you reach it. The park names two general stores in Hāna.

How do you check if the road is open?

Start with HDOT's Maui lane closure list for Route 36 and 360, then the national park's conditions page for Kīpahulu. Heavy rain can close the road at short notice, so check again on the morning you drive.

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