The Hana Scenic Highway

Overview

The Hāna Highway (also known as the Hana Road or Road To Hana) is the name given to Hawaii State Highways 31, 36 and 360, especially the 68-mile long stretch encompassing highways 36 and 360 which in turn connects the population center of Kahului with the town of Hāna in east Maui. 

Although Hāna is only about 52 miles from Kahului, a typical trip to Hāna takes about three hours, as the road is very winding, very narrow and passes over 59 bridges, 46 of which are only one-lane bridges, requiring oncoming traffic to yield and occasionally causing brief traffic jams if two vehicles meet head-on. There are approximately 620 curves along Highway 360 from just east of Kahului to Hana, virtually all of it through lush, tropical rainforest.

Many of the concrete and steel bridges date back to 1910 and all but one are still in use. That one bridge, badly damaged by erosion, has been paralleled by a portable steel Bailey bridge erected by the Army Corps of Engineers. Signs on the old bridge warn pedestrians to stay off due to imminent collapse.

In August 2000 it was designated by President Bill Clinton as the "Hana Millennium Legacy Trail", with the trail start designated in the surf commune of Paia. The Hāna Highway is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Hana Highway is a popular tourist attraction in Maui. Guidebooks often devote large sections to traveling the highway leading to the eastern side of Maui and document the many waterfalls and attractions that can be found along the way. Some of these attractions lie within or through private property and will often have "no trespassing" signs posted or even signs claiming that the attraction does not exist. 

All beach property in Hawaii, public or private, must allow public access. Some guidebooks document the "keep out" areas and ways past barbed wire fences and locked gates to reach attractions.

At the end of the Hana Highway (actually past Hana in a clockwise direction around eastern Maui) is the famous "Seven Sacred Pools", originally known as Oheo Gulch. This series of waterfalls and pools is located inside the Haleakala National Park. Presently, Highway 31 is closed a short distance past Hana due to earthquake damage. 

It is not known when the road will reopen. As a result, motor tours generally begin in Kahului and head east on highways 36 and 360 toward Hana, then return the same way since it is not possible to circumnavigate eastern Maui via this route at this time .

Scenic turnouts abound, including one for South Waimea Falls near the aforementioned Seven Sacred Pools in Oheo. It is common to find rented cars and tour buses at these turnouts photographing the falls and buying souvenirs from roadside vendors.

On side of the road, throughout the highway, there are many burnout out and deserted cars as to the dangerous route and relative difficulty of towing a car out of the Hana area. When renting a car, most companies will not allow you to drive in the area due to these difficulties.

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