Maui: Road to 7 Sacred Pools Open?

Highway 31 (from Hana, otherwise it's all the way around from the other direction) is the only way to Oheo Gulch; check for drought conditions (December's probably good) before you go, and try to get there early (not the afternoon), because the parking lot might get full ($10; part of Haleakala National Park, so save your receipts from one to visit the other).

Ohe'o Gulch is about mid way on the road. So it does not make any difference which way you go.

Some people go the northern route & continue around.

But there is a section that may or may not violate a rental car agreement.

http://www.honolulupublishing.com/MauiMaps/maui_map_island.html

Lots of info:

www.mauihawaii.org

www.visitmaui.com You can order a free travel planner and/or read the online version. The online version has clickable links to restaurants, lodging, attractions, etc.

Lots of websites:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g29220-s2/Maui:Hawaii:Background.html

Order the free map from Air Maui in the map section. It is really nice.

That old myth about the rental car agreement has been around forever. The road is continually improved ("unimproved" is the contract no-no), and is fine for rentals, and has been for at least a decade. Directionally the gulch seems to be halfway; however, planning the drive to arrive before afternoon is best.

Thanks, all, for your helpful responses.

We'll be staying near Paia, so we're thinking of driving the Haleakala road to the gulch. I read that a sections of it are rough, and although we may not violate rental car agreements, we don't want to have a breakdown there.

So, is it worth driving that route instead of the one going via Hana? Google map shows it to be about 45 mins faster than the Hana road. We've driven the road to Hana before, so for this trip our main focus is to get to the gulch.

Ok to drive a compact there or we need to rent an SUV?

Please advise. Thanks!