Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The only horseback riding operator on the island's northwestern side is
Ironwood Ranch
(808/669-4991,
www.ironwoodranch.com
)
, a conveniently located option for anyone stay-
ing in Kapalua or Napili. Ironwood Ranch is high on the mountainside above Napili.
Riders are picked up at a parking lot at the junction of Napilihau Street and Honoapi'ilani
Highway (mile marker 29) and shuttled up the mountain by ranch staff. Riders at Ironwood
Ranch will be treated to a different section of Napili covered in native plants and hidden
trails. The views and sunsets from the ranch are from a higher elevation than you can reach
on your own and the guides educate you on this sparsely visited area. Rides range from
$90 to $120/person and only involve a maximum of six riders. Private rides can also be
arranged for experienced riders.
In the upper reaches of Launiupoko, trail rides at
Lahaina Stables
(Punakea Lp., 808/
667-2222,
www.mauihorse.com
)
head back into the Launiupoko Valley and offer pan-
oramic views looking out over Lahaina. Rides are offered three times daily, at 8:30am,
10:30am, or two hours prior to sunset, the last option offering some of the best sunsets
on the island. All of the rides offer glimpses into Hawaiian history and information about
the surrounding terrain. It can be a hot, rocky, and dusty ride. Until you reach the upper
terminus of the trail at the mouth of the valley, the surrounding foliage won't be nearly as
lush as at Ironwood Ranch, although the upside is that this means you won't have to ride
in the rain. The weather in this valley is almost always perfect, and although there can oc-
casionally be high winds gusting through the valley, they usually won't have picked up yet
for the morning rides and will have subsided by the evening sunset ride. A decent portion
of the trail winds its way through the outer reaches of a residential community, although
the snack area by the reservoir is tucked back at the mouth of the valley and off in its own
little area. Rates for the two-hour rides are $120 for an early morning ride, $130 for a sun-
set ride, and $145 for the 10:30am ride, which is a bit longer and includes a light lunch.
