Robert Stone’s “Maui Day Trips” – Book Review

Robert Stone’s “Day Hikes on Maui” is one of a small collection of books that accompany me to Maui every time I visit the island. Due to the diversity of Maui’s geography and geology, a book like this is needed to expose yourself to the island’s extensive experience. The book provides a detailed description of the 55-day treks. The walks cover a wide range of distance, difficulty, elevation, ease of access, and time required.

The book is organized on a geographically logical basis. The walk n. 1 is up to the Nakalele Blowhole at the north end of West Maui. The hikes continue along the west coast of Maui through Lahaina with Hike # 16, Waihee Ridge completing the loop to the north shore of the western lobe. The walk n. 17 takes us to the Kamaole Beaches in Kihei and then we continue to hike n. 24, Le Perouse Bay to Cape Hanamanioa, at the southern tip of Maui’s eastern lobe. Hike # 25 takes us to the Kahana Pond Wildlife Sanctuary and then we follow the winding road to Hana along the north shore of the eastern lobe. After passing through Hana, we finished with Hike # 55, Pipiwai Trail to Makahiku and Waimoku Falls.

Each trail has two description pages:

Hiking distance: round-trip distance in miles

Walking time: a conservative estimate of the time required

Elevation gain: either level or elevation gain in feet

Maps: List of appropriate USGS map and other available maps

Hike Summary – A narrative description of the hike that includes the trail type, destination, and various features found along the way.

Driving Instructions – Detailed instructions on how to get to the trailhead. These start with the numbered roads and then the names of streets and highways with specific distances in tenths of a mile for each section. The reference points at the inflection points are also clearly identified. Each section ends with a note about available parking.

Hiking directions: detailed description of each hike. The best example of the thoroughness of these sections is to cite the book in a walking example. From the book description of Hike # 1, the Nakalele Blowhole, one of the shortest hikes of just a mile round trip.

Follow the old jeep road / trail as you head into the forest of ironwood trees. Continue the gradual descent east past the Coast Guard mark and into the ocean. The path ends beyond the lighthouse. Walk on the lava platform past tidal pools to the farthest point. The blowhole is in a cove to the east of Nakalele Point. If you have any difficulty locating the nostril, listen to the frequent rashes. Explore the amazing jagged landscape along your own route.

As you can see, a very detailed description. The description is also one of the shortest in the book. Longer walks get proportionally longer descriptions.

I highly recommend that you get a copy of Robert Stone’s “Maui Day Hikes” as you explore the island’s beauty.

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