I have to admit I’m not sure why I got so excited for a waterfall that was way off in the distance. But, Mananole Falls is different.

I guess the first reason to get excited is you’re on Maui, one of the Hawaiian Islands! It’s a spectacular place to visit. The second reason…to see the falls, you’ll be hiking on the beautiful Waihe’e Ridge Trail. It’s a consistent uphill climb to see the falls and it’s honestly worth it. Along the way, you’ll see Upper Makamaka’ole Falls from a distance. Continue along the rail and you’ll get a glimpe of Mananole Falls.

You’re not going to get close to Mananole Falls, but you’ll get a sense of how tall it is because of how distant you are. It is approaching 1000′ tall. You’ll only get a portion of the falls, but it made me realize just how tall some of the fascinating mountains are on the island and that these waterfalls collect enough water from all of the rain.

Directions:

1. I would suggest coming from the west, starting at Kahului and driving along Route 340.
2. Drive along Route 340, paying attention to the mile markers.  You really want to start paying attention after mile marker 6.
3. About 0.9 of a mile after mile marker 6, there will be a pretty sharp curve (common on Maui), and right after that, you’ll come to a sign for Mahulia Boy Scout Camp. Carefully turn left onto that road.
4. The road is pretty narrow, but keep driving down this paved road for 3/4 of a mile to the parking area. It will be relatively obvious, and you may notice the paved path leading uphill.
5. Park, and start hiking up the Waihe’e Ridge Trail.

Accessibility: 4/10 (moderate/difficult, steep at first)
Height: 1000′
Length of Hike: 5 miles round-trip on Waihe’e Ridge Trail to get a glimpse of the falls

Where in the World is Mananole Falls?