Guide to Biking Down Haleakala on Maui: Is It Worth It?
Planning a trip to Maui and trying to decide if biking down Haleakala is worth it? Read on for my recommendations and tips!
The Hawaiian island of Maui was formed by a massive volcano that today covers more than half of the island. This volcano is Haleakala and is home to Haleakala National Park.
While visiting the national park offers amazing natural experiences, one of the most exciting activities on Maui is biking down Haleakala, from just below the summit to the town of Paia. This is one of my family’s favorite activities on Maui. Every new group that comes to Maui does the volcano, and it’s always a highlight of the trip.
So, to answer the opening question, we definitely think biking down Haleakala is a great and adventurous activity and is totally worth your time. In this post, I’m going to share exactly what it’s like and why we think it’s a must-do on the island, as well as everything you need to know before you go.
Don’t have time to read the whole article? No worries! Biking down Haleakala is super fun and is definitely worth spending part of a day to experience.
The best biking down Haleakala tour is this self-guided bike tour from the top-rated company in Paia, because you get flexibility and independence to explore the volcano on your own, competitive pricing, and helpful guides before and after.
Things to Know About Biking Down Haleakala
There are multiple options to consider when planning your bike trip to Haleakala.
The first is whether to do a guided biking tour or a self-guided bike ride. The second is whether you do a sunrise ride or a morning ride. Finally, many people wonder if biking down Haleakala is safe.
Let’s discuss all of these topics in depth, then dive into what exactly it’s like and what to expect on your bike ride.
Guided or Self-Guided Biking Excursion
Biking down Haleakala can either be done as part of a guided tour or by yourself.
If you do the guided tour, you are biking together in a small group and with a tour guide. There is also a sweeper van that follows the group and warns traffic coming down behind you.
The second option is a self-guided bike ride, where you are dropped off at the starting spot, given instructions, and then are free to bike at your own pace down the volcano.
Our personal preference is most definitely to do the self-guided bike ride, because we love the freedom of going down the volcano by ourselves and at our own pace. We like the flexibility to make stops at whatever viewpoints or little towns we want, and spend as much or as little time on these stops as we desire.
Plus, if you need assistance, you can always call the bike office and they can quickly help you.
With a guided tour, you have to go at the pace of the entire group and stop when the guide wants to stop and go when the guide wants to go. The pros of this are that you do get some commentary on what you’re seeing as you bike down the volcano. Additionally, a relief van follows the group in case anyone needs help or even wants to just be done biking.
Sunrise Tour or Mid-Morning Tour?
Sunrise bike tours actually take you into Haleakala National Park and to the summit of the volcano to see the sunrise, and then go back out of the national park to the biking start point just outside the entrance.
Alternatively, morning bike tours generally skip the summit and just take you up to the biking start point.
Good to Know: No matter what company or what tour you do, all bike tours start at the same launch point on the volcano.
While sunrise tours sound like a lot of fun, we actually don’t think a sunrise bike tour is worth it, for these reasons:
To see the sunrise, you’ll need to wake up around 3am to drive to the bike office in Paia, and then it’s another hour to drive to the summit to arrive there before sunrise. That’s a crazy early wake-up time for a vacation.
The early wake-up call might be worth it if the sunrises were amazing. And sometimes they are! But often the sunrise is obscured by heavy clouds, and it’s about a 50-50 chance whether you’ll actually get to see the sunrise or not.
It’s also much more expensive to do a sunrise tour (or any bike tour that takes you to the summit before starting the bike ride) – usually tours charge at least $100 more per person to go into the park for sunrise.
Because of the high price, the middle of the night wake-up time, and the relatively low chance of actually seeing a great sunrise, we think it’s much more worth it to do a morning bike tour where you’ll meet at the office at 8:45am and go straight to the drop-off point.
Then when you’re done biking, you have the option to drive yourself back up into the national park to enjoy the sunset. You’re much more likely to have clear conditions for sunset, and you’ll be able to see in the afternoon what the cloud situation is like (and whether it’s worth it to make the trip up in).
If you do come for sunset, stay until the sky is completely dark for some incredible star-gazing!
Is Biking Down Haleakala Safe?
Yes, biking down Haleakala is very safe. To start you are outfitted with quality mountain bikes and mountain bike helmets.
Yes, you are biking on a road that has regular car traffic, and sometimes the shoulders are narrow. But we felt like there was enough space to comfortably ride down, even though all of us were just casual bikers.
Because you are almost always biking downhill, you really don’t need to be particularly fit to do this tour. However, you definitely should be comfortable on a bike, and feel okay turning and navigating a road.
This self-guided bike ride down Haleakala checks all the boxes for us: great staff and high-quality equipment, self-guided, a mid-morning start, and a very affordable price.
Check current rates and availability here!
What You’ll Experience on the Bike Ride Down Haleakala
Okay, so you’ve made your reservation and are ready to go biking. I’m going to share exactly what our Haleakala bike tours have been like (the most recent one being in spring of 2024), so you know what to expect!
(Pictures are from a few different rides my family has done, so there are some slight differences between groups, outfits, etc).
Arriving at the Bike Office
Almost all the bike companies are based in Paia, a town at the base of the volcano. You are responsible for getting to the bike office on your own.
We arrived at the bike office in Paia at 8:45am (which allowed for a leisurely wake-up time). At the office, we were outfitted with a mountain bike and mountain bike helmet that fit each person’s size and needs. All the bikes are serviced daily in-house and are in excellent condition.
Additionally, we received a wind/rain jacket (highly recommend). Biking gloves and wind pants are also available if you want to use them.
Heading Up the Volcano
When everyone was ready to go, we loaded up in a comfortable, large van and drove the 45 minutes up to the biking start point. The start point is at 6500 feet in elevation and just outside the national park.
The drivers are always really pleasant and chatty and share interesting information about the volcano and fields that you pass, the history of the island, points of interest, and just general Hawaiian fun facts. The time passes quickly!
Starting the Bike Ride
When we arrived at the start point the bikes were quickly unloaded from the van. The driver checked to make sure everything looked good and that we all felt comfortable on our bikes and with our gear, and then away we went!
The first part of the bike ride is honestly my favorite part – you’re high up and doing switchbacks down the mountain, and every turn has incredible views out over the valley and to the ocean.
You’re going to be excited to start biking and want to just get going, but don’t fly through the first portion of the bike ride! Make sure you take the time to enjoy the view and take some stops for pictures, because soon you’ll enter my forested sections and won’t have the same panoramic vistas.
Be on the lookout for the unmarked pull-out spots along the road – they make great photo-op locations.
The switchbacks are about 30 minutes long without stops, so depending how often and how long you stop will increase your time in this section.
Kula
After the end of the panoramic switchbacks, you’ll come to Kula, a tiny town with just a few houses and buildings. While it’s basically just a small village where celebrities and wealthy people have houses, if you are a WW2 buff, you might be interested to know that Admiral Nimitz’s house is in Kula. (Admiral Nimitz was a major player in the Pacific Theater during World War II).
There are a few shops and markets here, including the Maui Sunrise Market, a cute little coffee shop where you can get breakfast or a quick snack or take a bathroom break.
Kula should be a brief stop – I’d get going fairly quickly to make it to other stops along the ride.
After Kula, you get into a more densely vegetated area around the road, thick with lush tropical plants and trees. While you don’t get the same constant panoramic views as you did at the start of the ride, sometimes there will be a break through the trees where you can see out to the ocean.
Soon, you’ll transition to biking through more open fields. The views become less about the ocean and more about the view across the fields with the Haleakala volcano rising up in the background.
Ready to Book? Reserve your spot here!
Makawao
About 45 minutes before you arrive in Paia, you’ll bike through the town of Makawao. Makawao has a “Hawaii meets the Wild West” feel, and there are a lot of nice local shops and restaurants here. There is even a huge rodeo in Makawao that happens every July!
We really liked these spots in Makawao:
- The artisan shop where they were doing glass-blowing right in front of you
- The Maui Cookie Lady
- The Tree Plaza
Make sure you go off the main street and explore the back streets and areas in the town. This is a fun spot to explore so save at least 30 minutes to spend in Makawao.
Right after Makawao, you’ll pass by Rainbow Park, which is a cute little inland park with a little stream, a small waterfall, and some pretty vegetation. If you have time, you could also make a short stop here.
After the park, you’re biking through old plantations and fields and cruising into Paia!
Biking Stats and Tips
- Total Distance: 24 miles
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Average Gradient: 5-6%
While the distance is fairly long, this is an easy, downhill bike ride, where you’re mostly free coasting and braking. There is only one small uphill section (about 100 yards) in the whole ride, and only a few spots where you need to pedal on flat ground.
This makes the bike ride very accessible to people of many different fitness levels.
Tip: Make sure you establish some kind of contact rule with everyone in your group. It’s hard to look back when you’re pedaling downhill. You don’t want the leaders to get so far ahead that if the person trailing has some trouble or needs to stop, they get out of sight or even have to go back uphill to find them (Going uphill on the volcano is not fun).
The leader needs to stop every so often to make sure everyone is together or be able to keep the group in the corner of their eyes.
Note #1: You must be at least 15 years and 4’11” to do the bike ride. You must wear closed-toe shoes to do the bike ride. Pregnant riders are not allowed.
Note #2: Currently, because of the aftermath of the Maui wildfires of 2023, local regulations are requiring all bike tours to pick up riders and drive them through the middle third of the bike route (to avoid the worst of the affected areas by fire). This rule is anticipated to end sometime in early summer 2024.
What to Do After You’re Done Biking
There are a few good options for things to do in or near Paia after you finish biking.
✔️First off, you must stop at the Paia Fish Market and get the blackened mahi mahi, snapper, or opakapaka. The blackened opakapaka with rice that I had from the Paia Fish Market is probably the best fish I’ve ever eaten – I still dream about it sometimes.
We also have enjoyed the shaved ice shop in Paia.
✔️As discussed above, you can also drive up to Haleakala National Park for sunset if the sky is clear. You’ll want to start driving up about 3:30-4pm.
✔️Beaches near Paia, along Maui’s north shore, can have huge waves and are popular surfing spots during the winter. Go to Honolua Bay, Hookipa Beach, or Peahi Beach to watch the pros, especially during January-February.
✔️Paia is also the start of the Road to Hana and you can continue on the road after biking.
The Wrap Up – Is Haleakala Worth It?
Absolutely! I think biking Haleakala is a fantastic activity, for the views, the chance to explore, and just the fun of the experience. And if you follow the tips given above you are sure to have an amazing time.
Reserve your spot to bike down Haleakala here
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