Hawaii road guide
The best motorcycle roads in Hawaii, island by island
The best motorcycle roads in Hawaii are short, slow and spectacular: the Road to Hana and the climb up Haleakala on Maui, Saddle Road and the Kohala Mountain Road on the Big Island, the Pali and the southeast coast on Oahu, and Waimea Canyon on Kauai. Here are 14 of them, with the island, why each is worth it, what to watch for and the best time to go.
- Roads listed
- 14
- Islands
- 4
- Season
- All year
- Check before you go
- Hawaii DOT and county
Before you pick
How to ride the best motorcycle roads in Hawaii
Hawaii riding works differently from the mainland. No road here is long, speed limits are low, and every island is a closed system you can't ride off. A big day might be 80 miles. What you get back is ocean and mountains in the same mile and a season that never really ends. The Hawaii state guide has the overview. This page goes road by road.
Two things shape every ride. First, side of the island: the windward coasts that face the northeast trade winds are wet and green, and the leeward coasts are drier and sunnier. Second, elevation: Haleakala, Saddle Road and the Kokee roads on Kauai climb high enough to get cold. The month-by-month picture is in when to ride in Hawaii.
Heavy rain brings rockfall, landslides and flooding, and island roads close for repairs every year. Check the Hawaii Department of Transportation and your county before a remote ride. Many riders here are visitors on a rented bike, so read your rental agreement too: some restrict the rough back roads.
Maui
Maui: the Road to Hana, Haleakala and the back side
- 1. Road to Hana (HI 36 and HI 360)Why: The famous one. From Paia the road winds east along Maui's north coast through rainforest, past waterfalls, taro patches and fruit stands, across dozens of one-lane bridges to the town of Hana. It is slow for every vehicle, and that is the point. Watch for: Rental cars stopping in the road for photos, oncoming traffic at one-lane bridges, wet leaves in the shade and flash floods after heavy rain. Waianapanapa State Park needs an advance reservation for non-residents. Best time: Early on a dry weekday, any month.
- 2. Haleakala Highway and Kula Highway (HI 37, HI 377, HI 378)Why: From Upcountry Maui the road climbs in long switchbacks through ranchland and above the clouds to the summit of Haleakala at about 10,000 feet. On the way down, follow Kula Highway south through Keokea to the ranch and winery at Ulupalakua. Watch for: Cold. It can be near freezing at the summit around sunrise. Cyclists, slow cars, the national park entrance fee, and the reservation the park requires for sunrise entry. Best time: Any month, with winter gloves and a real layer.
- 3. Piilani Highway past Kaupo (HI 31)Why: The back side of East Maui between Ulupalakua and Kipahulu: dry, empty and wide open, with lava fields and huge ocean views. It lets you loop the Road to Hana instead of riding it out and back. Watch for: One-lane stretches, rough and patched pavement, blind corners above the ocean, no services and closures after storms. Check with Maui County before you commit. Best time: Dry days, usually in the drier months.
- 4. Kahekili Highway (HI 340)Why: The wild way around the northern tip of West Maui, past sea cliffs, blowholes and the tiny village of Kahakuloa. Watch for: Stretches barely one lane wide with steep drops and no guardrail, oncoming cars that have to back up for you, and slow sightseers. Not the road for a heavy tourer in a hurry. Best time: Dry mornings.
- 5. Honoapiilani Highway (HI 30)Why: The coast road from Maalaea along the cliffs of the West Maui mountains toward Lahaina and Kapalua, with ocean the whole way. Watch for: Drivers slowing to watch humpback whales in winter, gusty wind, heavy traffic, and rebuilding work around Lahaina after the 2023 fire. Ride through with respect for the people who live there. Best time: Year-round. Whales are usually around from about December to April.
Oahu
Oahu: coast roads and the Koolau crossings
- 6. Kalanianaole Highway (HI 72)Why: The southeast coast from Hawaii Kai past Hanauma Bay, the Halona Blowhole and the Makapuu lookout to Waimanalo. Cliffs on one side, blue water on the other: Oahu's best short coast ride. Watch for: Lookout traffic, strong wind around Makapuu Point and weekend beach crowds. Best time: Weekday mornings.
- 7. Kamehameha Highway (HI 83)Why: The long way around Oahu: the windward coast past Kaneohe Bay, Kualoa and Laie, then the North Shore through Haleiwa. Beaches, mountains and surf towns all day. Watch for: Slow traffic in Haleiwa, crowds at beaches where turtles come ashore, cars pulling off without warning, and heavy traffic when a big winter swell hits the North Shore. Best time: Summer for lighter traffic, winter to see the surf if you can sit in the line.
- 8. Pali Highway (HI 61)Why: Honolulu to Kailua through tunnels in the Koolau Range, past the Nuuanu Pali Lookout near the top. Pair it with HI 72 for a half-day loop. Watch for: Rain on the windward side, strong wind at the lookout, rockfall repair work and commuter traffic. Best time: Outside rush hours.
- 9. Tantalus and Round Top DriveWhy: A tight loop climbing the ridge right above Honolulu through rainforest, with lookouts over the city, Diamond Head and the harbor. The closest thing Oahu has to a mountain road. Watch for: Narrow lanes, bumpy and patched pavement, blind hairpins, cyclists and parked cars. Ride it slow. Best time: Dry weekday mornings.
Big Island
The Big Island: volcanoes, ranchland and real distance
The Big Island has the room for a full loop. Add the Hamakua Coast on HI 19 north of Hilo, with the old Onomea scenic drive as a short side road, and the long run on HI 11 through Volcano and around the south of the island toward Kona.
- 10. Saddle Road (HI 200)Why: Officially the Daniel K. Inouye Highway. It crosses the island between Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, from Hilo's rainforest over a high plateau of lava fields to the dry Kona side. Rebuilt and realigned, it is now a smooth, open ride. Watch for: Fog and rain on the Hilo side, cold near the top, crosswinds, the military training area along the road and few services. The summit road up Mauna Kea turns to steep gravel above the visitor station and needs four-wheel drive. Best time: Mornings, before the clouds build.
- 11. Kohala Mountain Road (HI 250) and Akoni Pule Highway (HI 270)Why: From Waimea, HI 250 climbs over the Kohala Mountains through green ranchland with ocean views on both sides, down to Hawi. Continue on HI 270 to the Pololu Valley lookout at the end of the road, then come back down the dry Kohala coast. Watch for: Strong, gusty wind, cattle guards, fog and a dead end at Pololu. Best time: Clear mornings.
- 12. Chain of Craters RoadWhy: In Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, the road drops nearly 20 miles from the Kilauea summit area across old lava flows to the sea cliffs at the coast. It feels like riding across another planet. Watch for: The park entrance fee, volcanic gas and vog, heat on the black lava near the bottom, no services, and closures when the volcano is active. It is out and back. Best time: Mornings, after checking the park's alerts.
Kauai
Kauai: canyon rim and the north shore
- 13. Waimea Canyon Drive and Kokee Road (HI 550 and HI 552)Why: Up the west side along the rim of Waimea Canyon, then on into Kokee's forest to lookouts over the Kalalau Valley at around 4,000 feet. Two roads climb from the coast and meet on the way up, so you can go up one and down the other. Watch for: Rain and fog up high, narrow sections, cars stopping at lookouts and cooler air than at the beach. Best time: Mornings, before clouds fill the canyon.
- 14. Kuhio Highway to Haena (HI 56 and HI 560)Why: Kauai's north shore: Princeville, the one-lane Hanalei Bridge, taro fields, then a string of one-lane bridges along the coast to the end of the road at Haena. Green, slow and gorgeous. Watch for: One-lane bridges, wet pavement and limited access at the end, where Haena State Park needs a reservation for non-residents. Heavy rain has closed this road for long periods before. Best time: Drier-season mornings.
Summary
Hawaii motorcycle roads at a glance
| Road | Island | Best time |
|---|---|---|
| Road to Hana | Maui | Early, dry weekdays |
| Haleakala and Kula Highway | Maui | Any month, dress warm |
| Piilani Highway past Kaupo | Maui | Dry days |
| Kahekili Highway | Maui | Dry mornings |
| Honoapiilani Highway | Maui | Year-round |
| Kalanianaole Highway | Oahu | Weekday mornings |
| Kamehameha Highway | Oahu | Summer for traffic |
| Pali Highway | Oahu | Outside rush hours |
| Tantalus and Round Top | Oahu | Dry mornings |
| Saddle Road | Big Island | Mornings |
| Kohala Mountain Road | Big Island | Clear mornings |
| Chain of Craters Road | Big Island | Mornings, check alerts |
| Waimea Canyon and Kokee | Kauai | Mornings |
| Kuhio Highway to Haena | Kauai | Drier months |
In the app
Rider-added Hawaii roads in Rippin'
Below are the Hawaii roads riders have added to Rippin' so far. If your favorite isn't there, add it. Ride it with Rippin' recording, open Segments and tap Create a Segment: set a start gate and a finish gate and trace the line. A person on our team checks it before it goes live, and your name stays on it. Here's how roads get added.
A segment board is about who owns the road and who rides it, not a race. Rippin' never rewards speed on public roads, and on roads with one-lane bridges and visitors stopping mid-corner, slow is the only pace that works.
Island loops also claim turf. Ride HI 72 out past Makapuu to Waimanalo, carry on to Kailua and come home over the Pali, and the land inside the loop becomes your turf on the live map.
Live from the app
Hawaii on Rippin' right now.
2 upcoming events and 0 rider-added roads in Hawaii on the map today. This list updates whenever the site is rebuilt; the app always has the latest.
- Sun Dec 6Street Bikers United Hawaii Toy Run Parade 2026Honolulu
- Sun Dec 13Maui Toys for Tots Toy Drive & Motorcycle ParadeKihei
No Hawaii roads are in the app yet. Add the one you love from Segments and a person on our team checks it before it goes live. How roads get added.
FAQ
Questions riders ask.
What is the best motorcycle road in Hawaii?
For most riders it's a Maui pair: the Road to Hana and the climb up Haleakala. On Oahu, ride Kalanianaole Highway and the Pali. On the Big Island, Saddle Road and the Kohala Mountain Road. On Kauai, Waimea Canyon.
Can you ride a motorcycle up Haleakala?
Yes. The road is paved to the summit at about 10,000 feet. You pay the national park entrance fee, and entry for sunrise needs an advance reservation. Dress for near-freezing air at the top.
Is the back road from Hana OK on a motorcycle?
The Piilani Highway past Kaupo is paved but narrow and rough in places, with one-lane sections and no services. Ride it on a dry day, take it slow and check Maui County conditions first.
What's the best motorcycle ride on Oahu?
A loop from Honolulu along Kalanianaole Highway past Makapuu to Waimanalo and back over the Pali Highway. For a full day, ride Kamehameha Highway around the windward coast and the North Shore.
How long does the Road to Hana take on a motorcycle?
Plan a full day for the round trip with stops. The miles are short, but the road is slow, and you'll want time at the waterfalls and in Hana.
Can I add Hawaii roads to Rippin'?
Yes. Any rider can add a road with Create a Segment. A person on the Rippin' team checks it before it goes live, and your name stays on it.
Put an island road on the map.
Download Rippin' free, ride one of these roads with it recording and add it. Your name stays on it.
Free on iPhone and Android. How Rippin' works
