Dang, am I about to get a first review in Maui?!
This church is in the absolute middle of nowhere. Well, as much as you can be in Maui. It's far from everything, but especially far from the main population centers on the island.
If you want to hike to the summit of Haleakala from the sea...this is the most logical place to start, that's what brought me here.
You have to hike a short distance (0.3 mile) down a "4X4" road (it's not really...any car could do this, but you really shouldn't) to access the site. There are great views of the ocean and an insanely well-manicured lawn as well as some "ruins" of...something.
This church also provides restrooms and showers but...none of the water was working when I was here.
My timid Uber driver refused to drop me off at the gate to the 4X4 road, adding another 2 miles to my already long hike to the summit. It was a hot day, and I was pretty parched by the time I got to the church. I was looking forward to cooling off with the shower but...there was no running water when I was here and the bathrooms were locked. I'd suggest you don't count on them either.
This place is easy to miss if you aren't paying attention. And most tourists won't drive this section of road (they'll turn around at Hana, or at the The Pools at 'Ohe'o). This section of road has a nasty reputation but it is really not that bad now. High clearance isn't necessary, let alone 4WD. The road gets a bad reputation from people that haven't driven in it the last 5 years. It reminds me of the road to McCarthy up here in Alaska, so much negative hype then you drive it and think "When is the hard part?" and before you know it, it's over.
But I digress. If you're driving through, this is a place to get out, stretch your legs, and take in the views. read more