Hi,

Anyone know if the road to the 7 sacred pools past Hana is open for driving? Is it better to reach the pools via Hana or from the Upcountry road?

Any other info/experiences you have to share would be appreciated. We're planning to go there in early December.

Thanks!

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/Ma...ap_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-g2...ackground.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!

I've driven it in a compact over the past 20 years, never had a problem. (And the road's gotten steadily better and better.)
I wouldn't assume that it will be faster, though.
It's a spectacular way to go, IMO; I prefer it to the Hana road. As you go south from Pa'ia around Haleakala (you could take Baldwin Ave. to 356, then to 37, instead of backtracking 36 to 37, if you aren't in a hurry), you go through many miniclimates, then once you go around the south point (past the Tedeschi vineyard), there are "barren" lava flows, cliffs, wide open ocean vistas, etc. Totally different scenery. And if you wanted to join the traffic from Hana back on 36, at least you'll be with the flow!