Mahaulepu Heritage Trail

The official start of the Mahaulepu Heritage Trail starts at the end of Shipwrecks beach.

Mahaulepu heritage trail. This hike was a great experience. The Mahaulepu Heritage Trail is 4 miles long one way but it can be split into two hikes. This trail follows the coastline to the Makauwahi Cave.

I recently hiked the Mahaulepu Heritage Trail along Kauais southern coastline from Keoneloa Bay to Kawailoa Bay. It is not marked very well and has many parallel social trails. From a shoreline perch we spot Mahaulepu Beach our hiking destination and turnaround point some distance away.

The trail finishes at another beach but the tides kept us from crossing the stream to get to it. Landslides have caused path erosion which requires the trail for about 1000 feet to move onto the course. We shared trail.

This portion of the trail is in a dune area and parallels the coastline but there are many parallel social trails that can be confusing. The Mahaulepu Heritage site magnifies the history related to ancient settlements migrants wars and local wildlife. It also includes the Makawehi and Paa Dunes which are part of the Mahaulepu Heritage Trail.

This is an easy walk and there are some spectacular views along the trail. Koloa Heritage Trail. Many trail maps do not show the Mahaulepu Heritage Trail connecting to Makauwahi Cave and we wouldnt have been aware of the caves existence if we hadnt bumped into a group of friendly German hikers heading in the opposite direction.

Mahaulepu Beach is better suited for the experienced swimmer. The Mahaulepu Heritage trail highlights spectacular wild coast revealing rare oceanfront region of Poipu that remains undeveloped. Mahaulepu Beach is located along an isolated and windswept coast this magical stretch of coastline is so deserving of preservation.