How Many Miles is the Haleakala Downhill Bike Tour?

 

One of the most popular things to do in Maui is the Haleakala downhill bike tour. It’s thrilling and relaxing all at the same time and provides a unique view of Maui. But many wonder how far the bike tour is. And will the bike ride be too strenuous?

From where you begin the Haleakala downhill bike ride at the staging area to our Maui Sunriders shop in Paia, the entire bike ride is about 27 miles. If you take the Haleakala sunrise or summit bike tours, you will first be driven to the Summit of Haleakala to explore the Summit area and Haleakala Crater. If you choose for the express tour, you’ll be taken directly to the staging area outside of the park at an elevation of 6,500 feet.

Is the Haleakala downhill bike tour an intense 27-mile ride? Because the bike ride is all downhill, it is a fairly easy bike ride. Although this Maui volcano has an average grade of 5 percent, there are many switchbacks on the first portion of the Haleakala downhill bike tour that eliminate any extreme steepness.

Our Haleakala downhill bike tours are self-paced offering bikers the opportunity to take their time and stop as they want along the way. Without stopping, the bike tour takes about an hour and a half. However, many bikers prefer to stop to eat at the various restaurants along the route or sightsee and shop at the many shops and art galleries in the quaint towns on the tour.

For those who take the sunrise tour, the average return time for bikers with a stop for breakfast is around 10 a.m. or 11 a.m. On the summit tour, the average return time including stopping for lunch and sightseeing around town on the way down is around 2 p.m. or 3 p.m. On the express tour, the average return time for bikers is around 1 p.m. or 2 p.m. including stopping for lunch and to see the town on the bike down.

Whichever option you choose, you have until 4:30 p.m. to make your way back to our shop in Paia.

Liability insurance requires that bike riders only ride on the official Haleakala downhill bike tour route, which ends at our shop in Paia. Biking around Paia after returning to our shop is not allowed.  However, Paia and its beautiful beaches are really better experienced on foot anyway.

The self-paced feature of our Haleakala downhill bike tour really makes it easy to ride, more enjoyable, and more family-friendly, we feel. Although a 27-mile bike ride down a dormant volcano may seem daunting, the fact that it’s a downhill bike ride and that our bike tours are self-paced provide a fun and relaxing way to see the incredibly beauty of Upcountry Maui.

Hiking Trails in Maui to Explore After Your Haleakala Volcano Tour

The island of Maui has so much to offer! Along with the memorable experience of a Haleakala sunrise volcano tour, which of course, we highly recommend, Maui boasts some absolutely picturesque hiking trails. So if you’re looking for some great hiking trails to explore after your bike tour of Haleakala, perhaps we can give you some helpful recommendations.

Hiking in Maui

Before talking about some the trails on the wonderful Valley Isle of Maui, it would be good to first mention a few basics on how to safely get the most out of any hiking adventure.

• Wear light clothing to keep cool, but layered clothing at the Haleakala Summit
• Wear sturdy hiking shoes with good tread
• Use insect repellent
• Use sunscreen
• Bring a backpack with enough water and food
• Also bring a First Aid kit, flashlight, map (preferably a paper map in case you lose cell phone service), and a compass

Haleakala National Park

This national park, which you will see some of on your Haleakala sunrise volcano tour, covers a diverse and engaging  landscape with over 30 miles of hiking trails just in the summit area. On your Maui volcano bike tour, you will first be taken to the Summit of Haleakala, Maui’s highest point, and spend about an hour there exploring the unique cinder landscape and the amazing crater before you start your bike down the volcano.

There are several trails in the Summit Area such as the Sliding Sands Trail or the Halemau’u Trail. On these hiking trails you can see amazing views of this volcanic landscape as well as the unique wildlife found only on Haleakala. Because of the terrain and elevation, some of these trails are not for beginners, so check with the National Park Service for more details. Weather can be extreme at the summit, so be sure to wear layers of clothing.

On the other side of the park 12 miles past Hana, you can see a totally different ecosystem by hiking through a lush tropical rainforest in the Kīpahulu Area. Here the weather is usually warm and humid. Make sure to bring rain protection, sturdy close-toed shoes, and insect repellent on this gorgeously green hike. In this area of the park, you can hike to Oheo Gulch (Seven Sacred Pools) on the half-mile round-trip Kuloa Point Trail, take the 4-mile round-trip Pīpīwai Trail through a freshwater stream to see gorgeous waterfalls and bamboo forests, or take the half-mile Kahakai Trail from Kuloa Pount to the Kīpahulu campground where you’ll pass by some interesting archaeological sites along with great ocean views.

‘Iao Valley State Park

Located in central Maui, the ‘Iao Valley State Park offers another beautiful hiking adventure and is home to the famous 1,200-foot Iao Needle, the “iconic green-mantled rock” towering above Iao stream. This tropical area is also an important historical area for the island.

“It was here in 1790 at the Battle of Kepaniwai that King Kamehameha I clashed with Maui’s army in his quest to unite the islands. Even with Iao Needle serving as a lookout point, Kamehameha defeated Maui’s forces in a ferocious battle that ultimately changed the course of Hawaiian history,” the Hawaii Tourism Authority noted.

This famously lush park offers a great hiking location for the whole family with a ridge-top lookout point and interactive exhibits at the Hawaii Nature Center in the park.

These are just a few of the hiking trails and day hiking trips you may want to plan after your Haleakala volcano tour adventure. Maui has so much to see and do, even beyond the beaches and ocean activities. Explore all that this island has to offer, starting with an exciting Haleakala sunrise volcano bike tour!

(First photo by Anna Hirsch)

(Second crater photo by Frank Kovalchek)

(Pīpīwai Trail photo by daveynin)

(Iao Needle photo by Curt Smith)