Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
While the Waiakoa Loop Trail and Mamane Trail are fine rides, the best ride in Polipoli
(and the entire island) is the dirt road known as
Skyline Drive.
From the trailhead of the
Mamane Trail it's about six more miles up the southwestern ridge of the mountain to the
summit of Haleakala, and the switchbacking ascent is so steep in places that you'll oc-
casionally need to get off and walk your bike. If you park your car at the Polipoli camp-
ground, it's about 8.5 miles to the summit, or, if you have four-wheel drive, you can take
your car all the way up to a locked gate at area known as The Ballpark. Even if you start at
The Ballpark, however, it's a 3,000-foot climb before you reach the summit of Haleakala,
with the reward, of course, being the screamer of a descent you're awarded on the way
down.
So how do you combine all of these trails into the ultimate, hands-down, best mountain
bike ride on Maui? Begin by having someone drop you off at the summit of Haleakala
and start Skyline Drive at the top! To reach the start of Skyline Drive, when approaching
from the summit, drive as if you're going to the observation platform in the upper parking
lot, but before you get there, take a left on the service road which leads toward Science
City. On the left-hand side of this service road, you'll see a locked gate, and the dirt road
that's on the other side is the start of the Skyline Trail. Beginning from this point, you'll
switchback down Skyline Drive for six miles before linking up with the Mamane Trail,
at which point you will enjoy the two miles of single-track down to the dirt portion of
Waipoli Road. Take a right and begin riding down Waipoli Road until it turns to pavement.
If you're feeling like an extra workout, you can branch off and tackle the Waiakoa Loop
Trail on your way down. Ascend from the loop trail back to the main road, and then contin-
ue down Waipoli Road all the way to Highway 377. From here, go left, down to Highway
37, then left again, and finish your epic ride with a two-mile gradual descent on pavement
to Grandma's Coffee House in Keokea for a celebratory lunch. Along the ride you will
have dropped more than 7,000 vertical feet. Arrange to have someone pick you up here to
cap off what is the best mountain descent on the island.
If you don't have a day to devote to a downhill epic, however, and are just looking
to squeeze in a couple of hours on the trail, the
Kahakapao Loop Trail
in the Makawao
Forest Reserve offers a 5.7-mile loop that climbs its way through eucalyptus, pine, and
a handful of native plants. At 3,000 feet, the cool mountain air combined with the dense
forest gives the feeling of riding in British Columbia or the foothills of Vermont, but cer-
tainly not somewhere that's only 20 minutes from the beach. From the gravel parking lot a
0.5-mile entry trail leads to a junction where bikers can choose between the east and west
loops. In planning for the descent, note that the west loop has more jumps, but the east
