Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Mile Marker 34.6:
Kaupo Store
Kaupo Store
No other store on the island will amaze you quite like
Kaupo Store
(10am-5pm Mon.-
Sat.). “How,” you ask yourself, “can anyone live out here? How is there a store out here?”
The area surrounding Kaupo Store feels like the end of the earth. It's squirreled away
inside a building constructed in 1925. The property has the appearance of an American
Plains town during the Dust Bowl; you could be excused for thinking this was a landlocked
ghost town. Inside visitors will be happy to find cold drinks and Haagen-Dazs ice-cream
bars in a freezer like the one in Grandma's basement. It won't come as a surprise that trans-
actions are cash only. Stock up on water and snacks because it's a long, winding, beautiful
drive from here to the next place that sells anything.
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Mile Marker 33.5:
St. Joseph's Church and view of Kaupo Gap
St. Joseph's Church and View of Kaupo Gap
St. Joseph's Church has stood in this solitary location a mile past Kaupo Store at mile
marker 33.5 since 1862. One of the main reasons to stop here is the sweeping view of
rugged Kaupo Gap. At the upper rim of the gap is the 6,800-foot floor of Haleakala Crater.
At one time, lava spilled down this mountainside as if poured from a massive cauldron.
•
Mile Marker 31.8:
The most amazing view of Haleakala you will ever see
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Mile Marker 31.1:
The gate which leads to Nu'u Bay
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Mile Marker 30.1:
Huakini Bay
Nu'u Bay, Huakini Bay, and the Rugged “Back Side”
If you thought the stretch of road between Kipahulu and Kaupo was desolate, you're in
for a real treat. Once you leave St. Joseph's Church, the southeastern flank of Haleakala
opens up into the most dramatic panorama you'll find on the island—a pristine expanse
of wide-open country. You can be excused for wanting to pull over every 5-10 minutes to
gawk at the desolate beauty. The road on this section of coast is exceptionally bumpy, so
give the car in front of you plenty of space. After Manawainui Gulch (with a bridge in the
middle of nowhere), the road begins its gradual climb away from the coast and up to the
3,000-foot elevation of Keokea.
•
Mile Marker 29:
You survived the worst part of the road! Smooth pavement begins.
