Loading...

Makamaka'ole Falls (13 Crossings) Trail

Distance:
2.0 Miles
Type:
Out-and-Back
Difficulty:
Moderate
Time to Hike:
1 hour
Features:
Surface Type:
Dirt
Town:
Wailuku, Hawaii
Directions:
20.958354, -156.534458
3
Added:
August 17, 2018
Updated:
October 25, 2019
Please consider making a donation to the Maui Strong Fund to help the victims of Hawaii's recent wildfires.

The Makamaka'ole Falls Trail, aka 13 Crossings Trail, at the West Maui Forest Reserve in Wailuku, Hawaii is a moderate 2 mile out-and-back hike up to Makamaka'ole Falls. An additional neat feature along this trail is a dense bamboo forest that you get to hike through and a banyan tree waiting on the other side.

The hike is lightly-trafficked and you'll hike across Makamaka'ole Stream numerous times to finally reach the waterfall, hence the 13 Crossings name. The trail is often very narrow, so you'll brush up against plenty of wet tropical plants as you make your way through this lush jungle of a forest on your way to the falls.

This trail is rated at moderate because of the terrain and multitude of stream crossings, which are often not very easy. It's highly recommended that you wear water shoes, water boots, or plan to get your feet soaked in order to play it safe on this trail. It's best if you plan to hike through the creek instead of hopping from rock to rock to cross each crossing. Common sense says that when rocks are wet, they're also very slippery - there's no exception on this trail. I personally (Admin) got injured on this trail and had a short trip to the ER after a fall on rocks in the creek. So, with that said, trekking poles, water shoes, and patience are all recommended - plain old hiking boots may not be enough for this one.

Makamaka'ole Falls: The waterfall can be found about 0.9-miles into the hike. At mile 0.9 you'll reach a fork in the stream - take a right-hand turn here to continue to Makamaka'ole Falls. The waterfall can be found about 0.1-miles away from the fork. Alternatively, for better and less dangerous views of Makamaka'ole Falls, you can hike the Waihee Ridge Trail and get stunning views of the upper cascades - not just the lower cascade. The view point allows you to see Makamaka'ole Falls about a quarter-mile away or so, which is just close enough to enjoy it without having to hike the creek. 

Bamboo Forest: About half-way to Makamaka'ole Falls is an amazing bamboo forest with huge bamboo shoots. This is quite the sight if you've never hiked through a bamboo forest before, but this section of bamboo does not last for long - only a few hundred feet.

Banyan tree: Just after the bamboo forest, heading toward the falls, you'll pass a really cool banyan tree.

Guava trees and fruit: Throughout the hike you may find guava fruit littered along the trail. These yellow or green-rind fruit have a pink inside that resembles an orange.

Flooding & Dangers: This trail lies within an area of Maui that generally gets a decent amount of rainfall. Heavy rains upstream can trigger flash floods that sweep down this creek, so watch the weather and do not hike this trail if there are heavy rains in the weather forecast. Do not attempt to cross the creek if it's running high and the flow is strong to reduce risk of injury or drowning.

What to bring: Hikers should bring at least 1-liter of water per person. Also bring bug spray to try and ward off the mosquitoes. As stated above, proper footwear is a must-have and trekking poles should seriously be considered to help with stream crossings.

Pets: Dogs are allowed if on leash and their waste must be carried out. Please note that this trail may not be suitable for dogs regardless of the forest's regulations. This trail can be dangerous for people and thus can be dangerous for dogs too.

Respecting the Land
Hawaiian land is considered sacred to native Hawaiians and many locals, so please stay on-trail, take nothing but photos, and leave nothing but footprints. Respect the locals - don't stay for long and have a backup hike planned in case the parking lot is full.

Explore 53 trails near Wailuku, HI

Seasons

All
Loading...
Loading...
241 '

Total Change
330 '

Ascent
330 '

Descent
Makamaka'ole Falls (13 Crossings) Trail default picture

Photo Albums

2 Trip Reports

No Star-Ratings
Trail added
August 17, 2018
Updated on
October 25, 2019
2.0 miles
August 15, 2018
Hiking

Find Hiking Trails Near Me:

Map of MyHikes' trails in North America

Weather Forecast

In Wailuku, HI
Find your quest with MyHikes

Explore Hiking Trails

New Hikes

1
Sinnemahoning Canyon Vistas Hike
4.7 Miles
Hard Out-and-Back
Monadnock Sunapee & Eliza Adams Gorge Hike
4 Miles
Easy Out-and-Back
Geronimo Trail
4.8 Miles
Moderate Loop
Candlestick Tower Overlook
0.1 Miles
Easy Out-and-Back

Before you leave...

MyHikes is an indie web platform aimed to make exploring public trails easier for everyone. The site has no investors and is owned and operated by one person, Dave Miller / Admin. As the main contributor and doer-of-all-things for MyHikes, I share my experiences from hikes and backpacking trips on MyHikes for fun on a volunteer basis and I believe that public trail information should be available to everyone.

It takes a lot of time 🕦, money 💰, and effort (including espresso shots ☕) to run MyHikes, including hiking , mapping , writing , and publishing new trails with high-quality content... along with building new features, moderating, and site maintainance . I simply ask that if you find our content helpful or useful when planning your next adventure that you consider making a small donation to help keep the site running.

You can become a Supporter* (*MyHikes user account required) to unlock perks for as little as $0.83/month with a 1-time non-recurring payment 👍 Or you can simply Donate any amount without a MyHikes user account. Otherwise, telling your friends about MyHikes is the next-best thing to a donation - both quick and free 😄

Thanks for visiting MyHikes and have a great hike! ✌

Admin user profile picture

Dave Miller
MyHikes Founder & Admin