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Makamaka'ole
(2nd) Hike
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Trip Date: 07/24/2013
Distance: 2.6 Miles
Vertical Gain:
450'
Group Size:
12
Hike Rating:
Easy
Moderate
Hard
Strenuous |
GPX for
this trip
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Start Coordinates: |
N 20 57.505 W 156
32.058 |
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End Coordinates: |
Same as starting coordinates |
Car Shuttle
Req'd: |
No |
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Parking
Directions: |
Take
Highway 340 7 1/2 miles north (Kahekili Highway) from Wailuku toward
Waihee. Park on the left side of the road as you are heading
north in a turnout area at the coordinates which will be ample enough
room for 3-4 vehicles.
The trailhead is just on the west side of the road (away from the
ocean) into a bamboo forest. You will have to walk through a
small gate to start the hike. |
Hazards of
Note: |
Be aware of the weather up the
mountain, as this area is prone to flash flooding during intense rains. |
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Crowd Factor: |
Minimal. This is not
a well known hike, and the three locals we met the second time we were
on it were very surprised we knew anything about it. |
General Notes:
To reach the Maka'maka'ole falls from this trailhead you will cross the
river 13 times. Hence the nickname of "13 Crossings" for this
hike. There is a large banyan tree at the first
crossing, where you start your count. Do not bother with any
of the trails which lead away from the river. You will follow
it the entire way. There is a very interesting bamboo forest
you will hike through about halfway to the falls. Each of the
crossings are very straightforward and everything else is pretty simple
until the last crossing. At the 13th
crossing you need to head to the right, and will possibly have to wade
through some knee deep water if you are not able to navigate away along
the rocks on the right hand side of the river at this point.
Immediately after this you will come to the lower waterfall, which is
tucked around the corner on the right side of the pool. If
you are adventurous, you can climb the right side of the waterfall,
step across it using a rope hanging on the other side and be at the
pools for the twin falls which are above this one. There may
be other falls further up, but this was the extent of our exploration.
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Our group at the beach near
the start of the hike. |
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Making our way across the
first of the 13 crossings. |
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The group at the seventh
crossing. |
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Tristan, Sierra and Skye
stopped along the way. |
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About to enter the bamboo
forest section. |
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Bright colors everywhere you
look. |
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Annie and Raya at the tenth
crossing. |
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Making our way across the last
of the 13 crossings. |
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The kids made it to the pool. |
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First view of the falls and
pool. |
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Greg and Annie at the lower
falls. |
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Steve at the double falls
above the lower pool area. |
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GPS track of the
hike. |
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