The best hike on Maui is the Pipiwai trail to Waimoku Falls in Haleakala National Park, on the coast of Hana. Maui has a lot of great hikes, but having done many of them, including hiking the Crater itself, I've decided this trail has everything, including a spot for a refreshing swim right in the middle.

The whole adventure begins with a two hour, spectacular drive along our lush and rugged Road to Hana. Outside of Hana, seven more windy miles, the road passes by the Pools at Oheo, and that is the route you will be hiking, following the stream uphill for 900 vertical feet  (two miles each way) to spectacular, 400 foot Waimoku Falls. The falls is a sight so breathtaking no photo can fully do it justice.

A spell is cast by the various micro-environments at each stage of this hike, not to mention the hyper-oxygenated air from all the greenery and the eye-popping views. I do this hike at least annually, and it's never better than in the company of my family. Perhaps our family traditions of camping and exploring have contributed to the kids' ongoing enjoyment of the outdoors. When we're all together, even when Mike and I bring up the rear due to our age and photography addiction, there's nothing more enjoyable to me.

So, if you haven't done this hike to Waimoku Falls (and to remind you if you have!) I'm going to take you along with me and my family as we do our favorite hike together: the best hike on Maui.

If you haven't used the gallery feature before, it's great! Click on the first photo and it leads you through the whole thing much bigger than these thumbnails. Enjoy!

In case you've never seen a didgeridoo, they are cool and make a huge range of sounds. This guy in the photo had made his himself and decorated it with embedded crystals and carvings. Not Hawaiian, but still super cool played over a deep canyon.