Makapu’u Tide Pools
The Makapu’u Lighthouse Trail is a popular paved, 2-mile round trip trail hike. This easy to moderate summit trail has stunning views overlooking Makapu’u Beach, Koko Head, the windward coast, Maui, Molokai & Lanai neighboring islands and of course the Makapu’u lighthouse.
About halfway to the top of this trail there is a place you can go down to the tide pools. The mountainside is somewhat steep and from the top you can see the tide pools and blowholes about 500 feet down below. Once you travel down the steep, rocky trail you arrive at the beautiful Makapu’u Tide Pools and the “Dragons Nostrils Blowholes” where ocean water travels through and blasts up to 40-feet in the air depending on the surf and tide conditions.
Then we enjoy swimming in the beautiful warm waters of the various tide pools which range from 3-7 feet deep. There are many colorful fish inside the tide pools that were thrown in by the crashing waves. During whale season you can sit back and watch the Humpback Whales go by since the channel directly off this area of the coastline is where they travel through. We suggest you plan about 4-hours for the round-trip hike and time to enjoy swimming in the tide pools.
