Hana Highway facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hana Highway
Hana Millennium Legacy Trail
Hana Highway highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by HDOT
Length	64.40 mi (103.64 km)
Component highways	Route 36 from Kahului to Haiku-Pauwela Route 360 from Haiku-Pauwela to Kalepa Gulch
Major junctions
West end	Route 32 in Kahului
East end	Route 31 in Haleakalā Nat'l Park
Location
Counties:	Maui
Highway system
Routes in Hawaii ← Route 32B Route 36A → ← Route 340 Route 361 →
Hana Belt Road
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district
The Hana Highway Millennium Trail Monument and the Zero Mile Marker (under the Adopt-a-Highway sign) at the Junction of Route 36/360/365.
Nearest city	Makawao, Hawaii
Area	153 acres (62 ha)
Built	1900
Architectural style	Basalt arch, et al.
NRHP reference No.	01000615
Added to NRHP	June 15, 2001

Wailua Valley State Wayside along the Road To Hana.

The Hana Highway, also known as The Road to Hana, is a famous road on the island of Maui in Hawaii. It's about 64.4 miles (103.6 kilometers) long. This road connects the town of Kahului to Hana in eastern Maui.

Even though Hana is only about 52 miles (84 kilometers) from Kahului, the drive takes around 2.5 hours. This is because the highway is very curvy and narrow. It goes over 59 bridges, and 46 of them are only wide enough for one car at a time! Along Route 360, there are about 620 curves. Most of the road passes through beautiful, green tropical rainforests.

Many of the bridges were built way back in 1910 and are still used today. One bridge, damaged by erosion, was replaced by a special portable steel bridge. In August 2000, former President Bill Clinton named the highway the Hana Millennium Legacy Trail. It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001, which means it's an important historical site.

Exploring the Hana Highway

The Hana Highway is a very popular place for tourists to visit in Maui. Many guidebooks talk a lot about traveling this road. They often point out the many amazing waterfalls and other cool spots you can find along the way.

Important Travel Tips

Some attractions are on private land. You might see "no trespassing" signs. It's important to always respect these signs and stay on public property. Remember, all beaches in Hawaii are open to everyone!

After you pass the town of Hana, the highway becomes Hawaii State Road 330. This part of the road leads to the famous ʻOheʻo Gulch. Here, you can find the Seven Sacred Pools, which are part of the Kipahulu Area of the Haleakala National Park. Sometimes, the dirt road past Route 31 might be closed because of landslides. But usually, it's safe to drive slowly, even if it's a bit bumpy.

Scenic Views and Waterfalls

There are many places to pull over and enjoy the view. One popular spot is Wailua Falls, which is close to the Seven Sacred Pools in Oheʻo.

History of the Road

The history of the Hana Highway goes back a long time, even before cars existed!

Ancient Hawaiian Paths

In the 1500s, Maui's King Pi'ilani took control of East Maui. He built a very long road called the Alaloa, or "long road." This road started in West Maui. People used to swing over rushing streams with ropes made of vines! Later, King Pi'ilani's son, Kihapiilani, made the Alaloa even longer, extending it into the Hana area. When it was finished, this ancient road was about 4 to 6 feet (1.2 to 1.8 meters) wide. It was 138 miles (222 kilometers) long and paved with carefully placed basalt (lava) rocks.

Modern Road Construction

Building the modern road to Hana started in the 1870s. An unpaved road was first built to help with the construction of the Hämäkua Ditch. This ditch was part of a big irrigation system that brought water from the rainforests of Haleakalā to drier parts of central Maui. This water was used to help grow sugarcane.

Road construction continued slowly into the early 1900s. The full road to Hana was officially opened on December 18, 1926. Even after it opened, more bridges were built in the 1930s. The entire road wasn't completely paved until the 1960s.

Gallery

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  Section of highway between Nahiku and Waianapanapa State Park

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  Waterfalls adjacent to Hana Highway

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  Aerial view of highway

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  Wailua Falls

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  Upper Waikani Falls Maui Hawaii

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  Hana Lava tube Maui, Hawaii

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  Highway between Haiku and Kaipahulu

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  Waianapanapa black sand beach next to Hana

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  Kahanu garden old house Maui, Road to Hana

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  Finally Hana, Maui

Browse numbered routes
← Route 32B		Route 36A →
← Route 340		Route 361 →