The full Kapalua Coastal Trail is about 1.76 miles and can be divided into four sections (see map I marked : 1. Blue 2. Yellow 3. Red 4. Green). We stayed on the west side of Maui, only about a 10-minute drive to the trail's north end. Left around 11:30am but had to detour a bit due to road work. 1. Kapalua Coastal Trail - Kapalua Bay Public Beach Parking You can plug in Kapalua Bay Public Beach Parking on Google Maps, but free parking is very limited. We drove in circles around 11:50am and couldn't find a single spot! Paid parking nearby was $20, and some restaurants had valet for $10. A little pricey just for a short hike, so we kept looking for other options. 2. Free Parking - Cliff House This lot is inside the Montage Kapalua Bay resort, but only about 10 spaces are actually free. We got lucky after waiting 10+ minutes and snagged a spot. From here, heading left takes you toward the Kapalua Bay side, passing Cliff House, Namalu Bay viewpoint, and Kapalua Bay Beach. After looping back, we continued right toward the Dragon's Teeth Trail. 3. Dragon's Teeth Trail The entrance has a small free parking lot right next to the Ritz-Carlton. Again, spots are super limited, and by the time we got there around 2pm, it was completely full. The trail takes you past Ironwood Cliffs and Oneloa Beach before reaching Dragon's Teeth. 4. Makaluapuna Ridge Trail This section continues further past Dragon's Teeth, but we didn't do this part. **Tips from our walk (123): * Switch Google Maps to satellite view to spot small parking lots. * Free parking is scarce, just come earlier if you can. * Kapalua Bay Beach & Oneloa Beach sections are sandy and flat, good for swimming and easy walking. * Dragon's Teeth is rocky, sneakers are way better than sandals. * Bring water, hat, and sunglasses. Even though it was only mid-70s (F), there's zero shade, and I ended up with a sunburned scalp after 2+ hours because I skipped my hat. Overall, this trail is short and easy, but because it runs through luxury resorts and golf courses, expect crowds. Still, the coastal views are stunning and definitely worth adding to your Maui itinerary. read more

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The coastal trail was a fairly easy hike. Most of the trail was either a boardwalk or paved. Don't forget water and snacks. By the end of the trail we were both tired and hungry. As luck would have it we found a great little stand selling fresh açaí bowls and smoothies. It was perfect! Then the payoff of DT Fleming beach was worth the trek! Highly recommended! read more

Kapalua Coastal Trail - Awesome views on the trail - Hiking Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

Easy hike, magnificent views , some well maintained paths, going thru expensive resorts, spectacular snorkeling beaches, jagged rocky shores.... Love to hike every morning. Free Parking is hard to find, even $30 pay parking is limited. read more

Kapalua Coastal Trail - Magnificent view, well maintained paths - Hiking Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

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Beautiful trail. Easy and enjoyable. Parking is NOT FREE for tourists unless you make it to the DT Fleming beach front parking lot early in the morning. I mean early...we were the first car there around 6:15 am. Lot still wasn't full around 8 when we left. If you're early risers, get up and go early! Everywhere else suggested for parking requires payment. We loved watching the waves crash on the lava rock near the Ritz Carlton. Also loved the bird sanctuary and seeing all their little nests in the ground! read more

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Easy hike but so beautiful. I absolutely love it here. Wish I could wake up every morning and do this hike. read more

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Parking can be challenging and there really is no shade. If you park by the beach house and Merriman's, the trail is pretty much all up at the start. And I wish there were some benches. But this gives the average person a chance to visit the fancy real estate and spectacular views that guests at the Montage and Ritz enjoy. I think it might be easier if you start at the DT Fleming Beach side, but I haven't done that for a few years so I don't remember the difference. read more

Loved all of it. Did a short part of it from Napili to Kapalua with stops at tide pools and to observe a rare Hawaiian Monk Seal lounging on the beach. The trail is a mixture of beach, ragged rocks and paved trails in front of resorts. Easy to navigate with gorgeous views of the ocean along the way. I recommend shoes for the rocky areas and to visit tide pools. read more

Kapalua Coastal Trail - Hawaiian Monk Seal lounging on the beach. - Hiking Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

Awesome hike with family. Beautiful, not crowded and not hard. Take everyone! Lots to Look at and enjoy. read more

Kapalua Coastal Trail - Bird sanctuary along the coast - Hiking Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

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The Kapalua Coastal Trail is also a bird sanctuary for the U'a ukani Native seabirds. They build burrows, digging down to 3 feet. Please stay on the designated trails, defined by rocks or roped areas. The area is very fragile. Stepping on or near a burrow can collapse it, suffocating the birds resulting in death. No pets are allowed in this area because they are a threat to the birds - even service dogs are not allowed at Hawea Point. Drones also disrupt reproduction so no drones are allowed in the area. read more

Kapalua Coastal Trail - If you find a sea bird not in its local habitat, please call! - Hiking Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

Stunning, magical and relaxing easy hike on a well maintained path in the Kapalua. We loved this hike between 6:00pm and 8:00pm nightly during our Maui trip. read more

Review for the Tidepool area, we were deciding between these and Olivine pools and ultimately came to Kapalua tidepools because it was closer to our rental and we already had a crazy day. The coastal trail is super interesting and you'll feel like you are on another planet, one covered in crazy sharp rocks and boulders balanced and shaped in odd ways. Tafoni cellular latticed rocks are littered everywhere like graffiti, it made me laugh at all the times we made special trips or hikes to check out similar rock formations in the Bay Area. Tidepools themselves are not easily accessible for small children. You have to make your way down some boulders and instead of smaller tidepools you can walk to it was like 1 giant pond. We still enjoyed the hike itself and made our way pretty far down the peninsula looking at the ocean and rocks. read more

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This was a very beautiful and easy hike. Parking is kinda of a pain, but once you figure that out, it's a short and breathtaking walk to some awesome views of the coast. read more

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This Kapalua Coastal Trail is always magical and relaxing. No matter the time or weather, it keeps showing its unique beauty. Every time that we are in Maui (and we are here a lot), we always make a point to visit this beautiful natural wonder. I just felt so relaxed and just let the sea breeze guide me to whatever interested me at that moment. Just be careful and watch your steps. There are lots of razor-sharp rocks hidden in this easy and amazing trail. read more

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Such a wonderful and scenic coastal trail in West Maui to walk and hike on! Nice and breezy along with relaxing! You'll pass a few beaches and several resorts, including Montage Kapalua Bay, Ritz-Carlton Kapalua, and Kapalua Villas. It can get rocky and uneven at the mid-way point and loop looking out to the ocean. It is 1.76 miles one way, and best point to start is at the Kapalua Bay parking lot (or nearby street parking) or D.T. Fleming Beach parking lot! read more

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The costal trail is very breathtaking and it has few routes, short one way or longer round trip, paved parts connecting resorts and unpacked muddy road down to the ocean front. The chill ocean breeze is a bless for the hot and humid days. read more

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Beautiful and amazing. The water was crystal clear and warm. Snorkeling was incredible. Got to see beautiful sea turtles and the most colorful fish read more

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It's an easy hike. Not much elevation and its beautiful views. I highly recommend it. I definitely would do it again.

Beautiful well maintained trail along the ocean . Lots of plants and birds. Not too crowded

We were looking for a hike that had some nice views, so after discovering Kapaula Coastal Trail we knew that we had to walk it. To be fair, it's more of a stroll than a hike. If you're looking for something that's even moderately difficult, go somewhere else. But if you want something that's easy to walk with nice views of the ocean, this trail is for you! The trail is about 3 miles long if you took the route we took, which was to walk all the way to the Ritz-Carlton. Amazing views of the Pacific Ocean and a lot of great photo opportunities were had. It was the perfect combination of scenery and difficulty for us. If you really wanted to, you could walk this trail to a pretty secluded Mokuleia Beach on the north side of the trail. Beats all the people we saw at Kapalua Bay Beach. Parking is easy, just looked up Sea House and Kapalua Coastal Trail Free Public Parking on Google as this is where the trail starts. It is a small parking lot though, so it will fill up. I saw people park on the street too, so there's that. read more

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Beautiful walk. We went on a Sunday afternoon in March around 3pm. It was very windy (hold on to your hats) but luckily not very busy at all. We brought a small backpack with towels and water. Plenty of great spots to go to the beach off the trail and ends at a small park. We even saw a few whales while we walked. Definitely recommend for almost anybody. It's not fully paved and there is a slight incline but anyone in moderate health can easily do it. read more

Kapalua Coastal Trail - Look for maps like this through out the trail - Hiking Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

We take this walk every morning when staying in Maui. The views are beautiful, the people walking around are so friendly, and the walk itself is nice. It is a bit rocky at many points and uneven so be prepared for that. Highly recommend read more

We loved this trail! Perfect on an overcast day. Beautiful coastline and volcanic section. A don't miss! read more

Kapalua Coastal Trail - Hiking Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

Great trail! You get a lot of variety from the manicured resort lawns and sand of Kapalua Beach, to extremely rocky and rough coastline, to tall grasses, wooden boardwalks, etc. I recommend looking up the route in the All Trails app because it shows some trail spurs that aren't as obvious when you're just following the trail. We went on a cloudy morning that seemed to threaten rain so the trail was relatively empty. The trail goes from pavement to rock to dirt (mud, in our case) to a boardwalk and back again. So many cool things to see! Easy trail. You can be as adventurous (taking detours and exploring rocky edges) or as simple as you like. read more

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This is a fun little trail. It's mainly along the beach with beautiful views of colorful ocean waters. There isn't much shade, but there was a nice breeze the day we walked. There is a fun place to jump off the rocks. The trail there is on the south side of the bird sanctuary. The north side of the trail has the Dragons teeth lava formation. Fascinating to see how they are formed. I do recommend water and it is better to go earlier to get a parking space, cooler temp and less people. read more

This is a gem. A very easy walk (did this just fine in sandals), mostly flat and hugs the coast. Multiple opportunities to meander off into proper beaches or go snorkeling / cliff jumping (if that's your thing), has a good variety of views (some rockier areas, horizon views, sandy spots, small boardwalks), and is a great spot to find yourself for sunset. You can go as far as you'd like, since it's an in-and-out trail. There is a small parking lot, but no more than maybe 10 spots, so you'll likely have to snag street parking nearby, which is free and doesn't add much additional mileage. Good signage at multiple points throughout the trail, hard to get lost on it. Not super crowded. There's a bathroom near the start of the trail (not the cleanest, but does the job) and an outdoor shower to rinse off feet prior to getting back in the car. Agreed with another reviewer that I wouldn't go out of my way to do this trail since there's gorgeous coastline along the majority of Maui, but most people do find themselves in the Lahaina/Kapalua area at some point on their trip, so this is a great free activity to tack onto the itinerary for that day. read more

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Hidden gem! I've been coming to Maui since I was 5, I'm now 30 and I've never known about this trail until just this year. Wow, I feel like I've missed out on so many walks! Wear comfortable shoes, parts of this walk are paved, rocks, and decking. Make sure to take your phone as their are so many photo op spots! read more

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This is probably one of the trails you can go on north maui. Lots to see and a great path in general. On the west end, it ends at one of my favorite beaches in Maui, Kapalua Bay Beach. read more

I guess it depends on what you're looking for. You'll get some coastline views, hit a few beaches, and mostly walk through resorts. The coastline views are pretty sweet. The trail itself is relatively easy, no inclines, unless you choose to go off the beaten trail, which I recommend you do to get a glimpse of some of the tide pools. You'll see the common critters, including small fish, sea anemones, and crabs. Yay wildlife :P The trail itself starts on Kapalua Bay. You'll find a free parking lot here. Plenty of street parking as well. Trail is easy to follow, starts and ends at a beach. Took us about 45 min each way, while taking stops to take photos and explore. Will be disappointing if you're looking for something more rigorous and rugged. Great if you've got some young kids in tow. read more

Kapalua Coastal Trail - Coastline view while on the trail - Hiking Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

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My family and I were on vacation in Maui (in the Lahaina area) and were looking for a spot to take our girls (5 & 7) out for an easy hike/walk where we could also take in some of the natural beauty of the coastline. The Kapalua Coastal Trail was exactly what we were looking for. It's a mostly flat walking trail that offers views of the beach, rock formations, flowers, plants and birds. There is beach access and a spot to go cliff diving. It takes 1.5-2 hours to explore the entire trial if you take your time and take it all in. Parking is free. read more

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This is a beautiful trail along the coast. The trail is a bit uneven, rough, and rocky, so be advised. Also it is in d direct sunlight so wear sun screen or go early out later in the day. Great view points! read more

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O For sight seeing, it is a 10. It captures the beauty of Maui. The trail is rocky in places. read more

If you want to hike this trail please do not park in the parking lot at ironwoods beach. That parking lot is designated for beach goers only. Everyone from Maui would greatly appreciate it. Thank you! read more

Pretty coastal trail. Most of it was pretty easy but not all. Best to enter in Kapupalo resort not in Napoli.

This is great coastal hike and one of the place we re-visted on this Maui trip. The tiny parking lot with about 10 spots is gone if you are not there early morning. Hence we parked at Merriman's for $10 (download app) til 3pm. Give yourself at least a couple hours to hike and enjoy the view here. You will pass a couple big resorts and then you are rewarded with the beautiful coast view. We end up spending most of our time at Oneloa beach, there were only few people out there even during the week of Christmas. So it's like you have the beach all to yourself. Bring a blanket and enjoy yourself with some snacks and drinks here! read more

Kapalua Coastal Trail - Map - Hiking Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

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Beautiful walk/hike from the Ritz Carlton to Kapalua bay. The views are absolutely breathtaking, incredible cliffs, waves crashing and awesome wildlife. I cannot recommend this enough If you are brave enough to cliff dive bring a bathing suit and towel because there are opportunities to cliff dive. Take advantage and bring a device to take pictures. read more

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The best part about staying at the Ritz was being right next to the Kapalua Coastal Trail. What an amazing daily walk! This is a wonderful, breezy and relaxing ocean walk. Definitely not a hike (I did it the first time in a dress and flip flops) but great for the whole family. Not sure I'd drive far out of my way just to come do this, but if in the area it's absolutely a must do. read more

Great hiking, amazing views. Bring the snorkel gear and good shoes. Parking stinks, prepare to park on the street and walk. And dont forget the sunblock. Its quite windy. read more

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What 1.76 mile public trail has views of five beaches, grasslands, volcanic rock, sand dunes, golf courses, and grounds of the Ritz Carleton? I managed to get the wife and my sister out early , depriving them of their beauty rest, arriving at the Kapalua Beach parking lot at 8:45am on a cloudy windy day, with storm clouds on the horizon. This is one of 4 parking lots serving the Kapalua Coast Trail, and it's also the parking lot for Kapalua Beach. With less than 40 spots, this parking lot fills up fast, often by 730am on weekends. The other time we were here, we parked at the golf and tennis center across the street, as on street parking prohibited. We were dressed in shorts, and running shoes, loose clothing, and wearing hats, except for my sister, who didn't want to mess up her recent perm! Restrooms at Kapalua Beach parking lot, along with outdoor showers for washing off sand. Concrete paved curved trail with slight up hill through the immaculately landscaped grounds of the Montage hotel. View of the curved half moon shaped Kapalua Bay through the palm trees, with waves crashing on shore. Trail leaves the hotel, with we walking on an asphalt service road. Hawaiian geese on the ground, squawking at me, just like my sister! We enter the grassland, with nesting birds. Sign says no dogs allowed in this area. Ocean in the background, with another mountain island rising just across the narrow ocean strait. Past the grassland is the area of black volcanic rock. Smooth trail. Areas of jagged wedges being hammered by the ocean waves. And of course teenagers in flip flops going out to the very edge of the cliffs, daring to get soaked by the water waves. Once the volcanic rock recedes, we walk on a long boardwalk at least a quarter mile with Bay Villas on one side, and Oneloa Bay on the other side. Protected sand dune area. Crashing waves with surf boarders doing their thing on the 10 foot waves. No snorkeling this morning. Coastal part of the trail ends here, with a long concrete stairwell leading to the Oneloa Beach parking lot. This part of the trail leaves the coastal beaches, and meanders for 200 yards next to the golf course. Straight roadway, with concrete sidewalks. Villas on one side, and green grasses of the golf course on the other side. At the edge of the golf course is the third parking lot, at the end of Office road. It's 10am, and cars are circling the parking lot like vultures, waiting for someone to leave. Ritz Carleton grounds, with hotel on one side, and the ocean in a distance on the other side. Half mile walk on the concrete trail. 4th and final parking lot on the north side of Ritz Carleton, at DT Fleming beach. Lots of available parking here, with beach nearby, picnic tables, restrooms and BBQ grills for the public. Across the road is the 17 mile Mahana ridge trail, with a steep ascent. For serious hikers only. We walk back the same way we came, getting back at 11:15am -a 2.5 hour journey to walk 4 miles, with tons of pictures. Even in January, under cloudy skies, it's hot and humid. Meet some of the same tourists coming in the opposite direction, asking whether it's worth going the distance past the golf course and Ritz Carleton. I can say that I went to the Ritz, even if it's through the landscaping maintenance entrance! read more

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This is a great little "hike" even though it sort of winds through a couple of the resorts in Kapalua. The views are just amazing. If you're trying to get away from people this isn't the place. It's quick and it's convenient. We walked about half of the trail today which was just under 2.5 miles up and back. About 1/3rd was paved and the rest was hard clay or rock. You can explore some of the off trail rocky areas, but you better do it with shoes and not flip flops. We got lucky with parking. The lot is not big and was crowded for sure. It's definitely worth doing it once if you're in the area. Merrimans is right near the parking lot and their Happy Hour starts at 3pm. Go do the quick hike and hit the HH!!! read more

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Incredible trail along oneola bay. Great views of beach, rock formations and beautiful coastline. Not too difficult hike. read more

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