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ʻOheʻo Gulch

10 Miles Past Hāna

Recommended

A chain of stream-fed pools that step down through a lava gorge to the ocean, in the Kīpahulu District of Haleakalā National Park, about ten miles past Hāna. It's often marketed as the "Seven Sacred Pools," but that name is a 20th-century invention — and the pools are usually closed to swimming.

⏱ 30 min – 1 hr at stop 🚗 159 min from Pāʻia

At a glance

What you'll see: Tiered pools and a coastal gorge — ʻOheʻo Stream drops through a series of pools and small falls toward the sea. The short Kuloa Point loop reaches viewpoints over the pools and along the sea cliffs.
In the water: Swimming is closed — The pools are closed to swimming because of flash-flood and rockfall danger; people have been killed by debris washing over the falls. Plan to view, not swim.
Access & fee: National Park entry fee — This is part of Haleakalā National Park — about $30 per vehicle, valid for three days and also good for the summit district. There's a ranger station, restrooms, and picnic tables.
The walk: Easy half-mile loop — The Kuloa Point Trail is a short, mostly level loop from the parking lot to the pool overlooks and coastal viewpoints.

About ʻOheʻo Gulch

About ten miles past Hāna, the highway reaches the Kīpahulu District of Haleakalā National Park, where ʻOheʻo Stream runs through a gorge and steps down a series of pools into the ocean. The short Kuloa Point loop from the parking lot leads to overlooks of the pools and out along the sea cliffs — one of the most photographed scenes on the whole drive.

You'll often hear this place called the "Seven Sacred Pools." That name was coined by a Hāna hotel in the mid-20th century to draw visitors; there are more than seven pools, and the site was not sacred in the way the marketing implied. The accurate name is simply ʻOheʻo Gulch, and it's worth using.

For years people swam in the pools, but that ended after repeated injuries and deaths. The danger is real and specific: rainfall high on the mountain can send a flash flood down the gorge with little warning, and rockslides have sent debris over the falls onto people below. The pools are now closed to swimming, and the closure is enforced for good reason.

Good to know

The entrance fee is a Haleakalā National Park fee (about $30 per vehicle, good for three days and the summit district too), so keep your receipt. If it has been raining upstream, take any closure or warning signs seriously — flash floods here arrive fast.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you swim in the pools at ʻOheʻo Gulch?
No. The pools are closed to swimming because of flash-flood and rockfall hazards that have caused injuries and deaths. You can still walk the short loop and view the pools and coastline.
Why is it called the Seven Sacred Pools?
That name was invented by a Hāna hotel in the mid-1900s as marketing. There are more than seven pools, and the site wasn't sacred in the sense the name suggests. Its accurate name is ʻOheʻo Gulch.
How much does it cost to visit ʻOheʻo Gulch?
It's inside Haleakalā National Park, so the park entry fee applies — about $30 per vehicle, valid for three days and also good for the Haleakalā summit district.
Is ʻOheʻo Gulch worth visiting if you can't swim?
Many people think so. The stepped pools, lava gorge, and ocean views make a striking scene, and the easy Kuloa Point loop reaches the best viewpoints. It also shares a parking lot with the Pīpīwai Trail.
How long should you spend at ʻOheʻo Gulch?
Around 30 minutes to an hour to walk the loop and take it in. If you're also doing the Pīpīwai Trail to Waimoku Falls, plan for several more hours.