Exploring Pilale Bay: Historical Ruins and Trail Musings

September 1, 2001 • By Mark Short

On Saturday morning I joined the Mauna Ala Hiking Club for a short hike to Pilale Bay on Maui. After signing in and being briefed by hike leader Mary Evanson, we carpooled (HTMC member and part-time Maui resident Joyce Tomlinson rode with me) to the trailhead.

Directions / Trailhead Access: Turn left just after the 16-mile marker on Hana Highway (before Kapakalua Rd), then right on Kulike, and park at the end of the road.

History of Pilale Bay

At the start of the hike, Mary explained some of the rich history of Pilale Bay:

• Ancient Settlement: The area was extensively occupied, with ruins of a heiau, village, and loʻi lying below in the gulch.
• Kamehameha's Staging Ground: The protected bay served as a stopping-off point for King Kamehameha and his forces while en route to conquer Kahului and claim sovereignty over Maui.
• Marine Resources: Historically valued as a fishing and diving spot, as well as a great vantage point for watching dolphins and turtles. Today, however, the sky and water were grey, and we were drizzled on throughout the hike.

Descending into the Gulch & King's Highway

The trail is short and steep down to the floor of the gulch, where we crossed a stinky, almost dry streambed. After a short walk along the boulder beach, we headed up into the gulch to inspect the ruins.

The book Paddling Hawaii mentions that the Bishop Museum conducted an archaeological study of the area. From what we could see, the site is unfortunately in bad shape due to neglect and damage from cattle.

We continued up a 4WD road to the pasture above and pushed along the top of the cliffs. There was discussion about the ancient King's Highway, and Mary mentioned they had found part of it from below, though it was badly overgrown. We spotted an area that looked promising as the top end of this trail remnant—an route to be explored another day.

Reflections & HTMC Traditions

The normal lunch spot is at the end of the point (with presumably awesome views), but due to wind and rain, we turned back early. Back on the beach, the rain eased up, and we stopped for a quick snack.

While talking with Mary, she recalled hiking with the Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club (HTMC) back in the 1930s. She remembered how hikers would call out across the trail:

"Pehea kou piko!?" (How's your navel?)

To which those in the rear were supposed to answer: "Maikaʻi nō piko!" (My navel is fine!)

I remembered reading about this traditional trail call in posts by Stuart Ball regarding the history of the Koolau Summit Trail (KST).

All 12 of us were back to our cars by noon—giving me plenty of time to enjoy another hike with pools and waterfalls alongside the kids!