RTH: Complete the circle or come back halfway

[manasvi10]

Hi,

 

I have read lots of posts about this one. Looks like the back road through Halelkala park is open now and people are excited about it. Should we complete this round path or should we come back halfway through? which road is better to drive?

 

In case we decide to return on the same path, what should be our last stop considering safety (I am hoping we will start at 9 am and would like to come back by 6pm). We love lush green scenary than dry yellow roads.

 

Will the drive time be different if we decide to complete the circle instead of taking same route back?

 

Even after reading all the details, I am still confused...so please help

[Addictedtwo]

Hi,

 

I have read lots of posts about this one. Looks like the back road through Halelkala park is open now and people are excited about it. Should we complete this round path or should we come back halfway through? which road is better to drive?

 

In case we decide to return on the same path, what should be our last stop considering safety (I am hoping we will start at 9 am and would like to come back by 6pm). We love lush green scenary than dry yellow roads.

 

Will the drive time be different if we decide to complete the circle instead of taking same route back?

 

Even after reading all the details, I am still confused...so please help

 

I cant answer your question but I suggest you use the search engine on the right side of page putting in "road to hana" you will see a lot of posts open up you can start reading and hopefully y'll get answers.

 

You may want to do the same for your other post as well, good luck.

[shemo]

I have done it both ways. Several times to Hana and Seven Pools as far are the cemetary where Lindburgh is buried. Once all the way around.

We only drove all the way around for the novelty and I didn't think the scenery was that great. Old lava flows and not much vegetation from what I remember. The views of the ocean were fabulous though.

If I had to do it again I would go as far as Lindburgh's grave then head back the way I came.

[thamanrp]

We just got back and we did the round path. After the first half of RTH, I hated the idea of driving back the same way on such a long and tire drive. We thought the round path would be quicker but not really. It;s about the same, very long drive too. But the view were spectacular. You get to see very beautiful ocean scenery, valley. I was glad I did not go back the same way.

[sceptic]

I've done the Hana thing quite a few times. If you do go as far as O'heo gulch, you will save as much as an hour's time if you continue on around the south side of the island than go back via Hana (this is calculated to the intersection of Hwy 37 and 36, where the Hana Hwy and the Haleakala Hwy come together.) From Hana it's about the same either way - yeah, it often takes as much as a half hour to drive the stretch from Hana to O'heo gulch.

 

There isn't all that much to stop for on the southern route - maybe the kaupo store if the munchies hit you, and some folks find the Tedeschi winery interesting (I don't), but the ocean views are sometimes spectacular, the terrain utterly different, and you're driving on the "inside" of the narrowest part.

 

So if you do go as far as O'heo gulch just ask about the condition of the road beyond at the small visitor center in the National park there. They are quite honest about the road condition, and they usually say "open to all vehicles."

[smrtypnts]

I think I'm completely lost......exactly where is the "half way" mark? One poster mentions Lindberg's grave and another poster mentions O'heo gulch. At this site -- http://www.alternative-hawaii.com/byotgdxm.htm

it mentions Lindberg's grave as being the end of the 2nd half and it doesn't mention O'heo gulch at all. Please help!!:confused:

[sceptic]

It depends on what you mean by half-way!

 

In terms of miles, somewhere around O'heo Gulch is halfway.

 

In terms of time driving in the afternoon, somewhere around Hana is halfway. By the time you get to Lindbergh's grave I've found it's faster to continue all the way around. Even though there is a stretch of slow-going in the five or so miles past Kipahulu, you rarely have traffic jams and frayed nerves beyond that point. The road past Kaupo is somewhat bumpy old pavement but then it gets reasonably smooth, albeit still rather narrow, but definitely much straighter than the RTH.

 

to me the great equalizer between the length of the southern route and time it takes to retrace the RTH is the traffic. And I prefer to see new scenery in the time of day when eyes can get a bit sleepy after so many hours on the road.

[smrtypnts]

It depends on what you mean by half-way!

 

In terms of miles, somewhere around O'heo Gulch is halfway.

 

In terms of time driving in the afternoon, somewhere around Hana is halfway. By the time you get to Lindbergh's grave I've found it's faster to continue all the way around. Even though there is a stretch of slow-going in the five or so miles past Kipahulu, you rarely have traffic jams and frayed nerves beyond that point. The road past Kaupo is somewhat bumpy old pavement but then it gets reasonably smooth, albeit still rather narrow, but definitely much straighter than the RTH.

 

to me the great equalizer between the length of the southern route and time it takes to retrace the RTH is the traffic. And I prefer to see new scenery in the time of day when eyes can get a bit sleepy after so many hours on the road.

 

So does that mean O'heo Gulch is beyond Hana?

[sceptic]

O'heo gulch is about 8 or 9 miles past Hana. Check just about any map of Maui (google "Maui map" and select Images for a ton of 'em.)

 

It usually takes about a half hour (often more) to drive when busy. That seems slow, but it is for several miles a narrow, twisty, utterly gorgeous section of road where people stop quite often without the benefit of actually pulling to the side of the road. On just about every trip one encounters people who simply stop on the road, roll down the windows, take a few shots, and continue, sometimes blocking traffic in both directions. It might be a bit rude, but you almost can't blame them - pullouts aren't common and the road truly is gorgeous, and the traffic isn't moving all that fast to begin with. it's the prime place on the whole road where you should just roll down the windows and accept that it's gonna take a while to do the Point A to Point B thing.

[smrtypnts]

O'heo gulch is about 8 or 9 miles past Hana. Check just about any map of Maui (google "Maui map" and select Images for a ton of 'em.)

 

It usually takes about a half hour (often more) to drive when busy. That seems slow, but it is for several miles a narrow, twisty, utterly gorgeous section of road where people stop quite often without the benefit of actually pulling to the side of the road. On just about every trip one encounters people who simply stop on the road, roll down the windows, take a few shots, and continue, sometimes blocking traffic in both directions. It might be a bit rude, but you almost can't blame them - pullouts aren't common and the road truly is gorgeous, and the traffic isn't moving all that fast to begin with. it's the prime place on the whole road where you should just roll down the windows and accept that it's gonna take a while to do the Point A to Point B thing.

Are people going slow enough, so that in an effort to NOT be rude, that I could jump out of the car, while my driver (that would be DH:p) could continue on and I could run to catch up after I've taken the shots I want?

Thank you so much for all this very important and amazing information! I hope once I've gone, I can help people as much as you're helping me.

[manasvi10]

Hi everybody,

 

Thank you very much for details and honest opinions and many thanks for sharing your experience. That is more valuable in these type of situations..I have made up my mind to try to go to Seven sacred pools and then come back if it's going to take same time and the road /traffic conditions are similar. This is our first trip and I think this will be sufficient :)

 

As some of you have suggested, I will decide on some points before the trip and will try to cover only those instead of overwhelming myself with lots of reading on the road.

 

Once again thanks a lot and I really appreciate your quick responses on this old and widely discussed topic.

[born2cruize]

We did the RTH in December 08. Once you hit the National Park ranger station the majority of the remaining journey is very very bumpy at any speed. It took away from any pleasure you received from the view. IF I should ever do this again, it will only be to the 7 sacred pools.