Looking to find an RV campground, RV park, or private campsite near Pu'u O Umi Natural Area Reserve? Find the best information on RV camping near Pu'u O Umi Natural Area Reserve, including sites, reviews, and tips for getting the most out of your RVing experience. Each spot offers quick access to one or more of Pu'u O Umi Natural Area Reserve's most popular destinations.
This area offers one drive-up campground. Campers are advised that Kīpahulu is wet, remote, and far from most amenities. Come prepared - bring water, food, and a tent. There is no water available, but shared grills, picnic tables and pit-toilets are provided. Permits are not required, but campers must pay the $20 park entry fee. Camping is limited to 3 nights in any 30-day period. The Kīpahulu campground is about 1/8 mile (.2km) south of the Kīpahulu Visitor Center. It overlooks ocean cliffs and is a short walk from ʻOheʻo Gulch. In the evenings, the sound of the ocean waves makes this a peaceful place. The campground has picnic tables, BBQ grills, and pit toilets. No water is available at Kīpahulu Campground; However, drinking water is available at the Kīpahulu Visitor Center restrooms. There are two general stores in the nearby town of Hāna (10 miles[16km] away) where you can purchase water and basic food supplies. Be prepared for rain, harsh sun, and mosquitoes.
Legend has it, Kohala (the first of the 6 volcanos on the Big Island of Hawaii) is home to King Kamehameha I & this was the stomping grounds of the Ali'i & the training grounds for their warriors. You can feel it when you walk into the forest & listen deeply & intuitively to the ancestors. It is truly an honor to be on this 'aina (land).
Modern history: Up until 1984 this property was all avocado, Kukui & Ironwood land with the Kohala ditch running on the far south end. It wasn't until my current neighbor & sweet friend & her father bought the property & cleared away 160 Ironwoods to create a property that could be farmed & lived on. Then another couple bought the property in early 2000 and built it out with farm houses and gardens. Once they moved back to the mainland, this was home to the local skydive family where the pilots and instructors were housed. Finally, in 2021, Cirque-Girl Sequoia came in with a huge vision of a conscious community, learning and teaching alongside one another by way of events, projects, concerts, talks and certifications all the while farming and creating even bigger orchards to feed not just her community, but the community of Hawi and beyond. At this time, not only is it "hip" to farm and grow your own food, but it is crucial.
Learn more about this land:
Everybody comes to Hawaii and thinks beaches, surf & jungles but why not try a different side of Hawaii? The Ironwood Forests of Hawi are here you’ll find ios (Hawaiian Hawks) and Pueos (Hawaiian owls only found on the Big Island) as the ancestor's whispers run through the massive forest of Ironwood, Kukui Nut and Avocado in an ancient river bed of sugar plantation country.
Deep in the heart of Hawaii’s only dormant volcano of Kohala, this was home to the most prestigious Ali’i (Hawaiian Royalty)and the training grounds of warriors. Here our farm sits on 10-acres with over 30 varieties of fruit trees a a view of the Big Blue (the ocean). We provide 3 platforms and 3 pine-needle-floor campsites to camp on, a center camp that has a kitchen, bathroom and shower plus a healing tent for you to meditate, do massage, practice Reiki, read or just plain have a beautiful discussion in. If you feel inclined to step out of the forest, you are welcome to use our communal eating area THE GROOVY GRINDS CAFE under the mango trees & we would love if you wanted to be a part of any of the events that we host here with our live-on conscious community. Things we do and can offer aerial, yoga and meditation classes, massage (ask hostess about booking a sesh), drum circles, inipi sweat lodges, bonfire nights, fire-dancing, community potluck dinners, mini-concerts, painting, planting & building projects and whatever we get called to do. ….and what's camping without a bonfire? We have two bonfire pits lower on the property that you can join in on if our community already has one going. (NO bonfires in the gulch please.)
One of our biggest bragging rights is that we are utilizing the Homebiogas unit which turns your toilet waste and food compost into methane gas for cooking. Also ZERO WASTE since we offer a bidet hose at the toilet for washing oneself (no toilet paper needed, or bring your own) and the gray water from the shower and kitchen sink go into a plot of banana trees. So our bathroom, shower and cooking facility is completely self-sufficient! Please pack out what you pack in and you may distribute your trash at our garbage facility down below by to the main buildings.
PLEASE DO NOT ARRIVE AFTER DARK AND PLEASE USE DIRECTIONS INCLUDED AND NOT GOOGLE MAPS! Must come up and not down Kahei Road or it will take you down a 4x4 road.
And when it’s time to step out of the forest and out of Pueo Ridge, we are a 5-minute drive directly above the main center of town and 15 minutes to the famous Polalu Valley hike that runs deep in to the jagged switchbacks of the Northern coast. Our area also headlines in ADVENTURE with skydiving, zip-lining, hiking & forest adventures.
Mahalo for reading!
Book with The Dyrt but check out our Hipcamp listing to read reviews: https://www.hipcamp.com/en-US/hawaii/the-hippocampus/the-hippocampus-of-pueo-ridge
$35 / night
UKA – The Native Hawaiian Upland Experience
** UKA will be providing Hawaiian legends from owner Kukuna And A LEI WORKSHOP this weekend from 9 to 10 am Friday and Saturday
This is in celebration of our grand opening of UKA.**
THIS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR THE Fri and Sat night stay..
ALOHA! On slopes of the east Maui region amidst the uplands of a native Hawaiian rainforest is the UKA experience. Nestled and hosted on an eco-friendly, sustainable farm owned by a Native Hawaiian, UKA is the only campsite that is located on lands that have been in a Hawaiian family for hundreds of years.
A quick 15 min drive from the heart of Hana, takes you to the foot of UKA. With a rugged 4-wheel drive entrance, UKA is revealed as you ascend along steep ravines and the glorious mountain and ocean views.
UKA has 3 smaller tented or vehicle tent area in the PIKO (main yard), and 1 separate small tented site tucked amongst the bamboos. The Bamboo Forest site, which has a partial ocean view, and requires you to park away from the car (about 50ft), though the other sites in the main yard vehicles can be parked next to your tent. The camping spots are NOT on fully flat ground.
ONLY TWO PEOPLE PER SITE ARE ALLOWED and you will need to provide your own tent/s or a tent can be rented at arrival or order from site. IF YOU HAVE 4 PEOPLE YOU HAVE TO BOOK TWO CAMPSITES. Please understand that we have limited resources. IF YOU SHOW UP WITH MORE PEOPLE YOU WILL BE CHARGED $75.00 PER ADDITIONAL PERSON, IF THE SPACE IS AVAILABLE.
Keiki (children) under 10 is free but we would like to be informed that there will be extra people in your party. Let us know and get permission before you arrive with the extra party.
Currently we request quiet hours from 10pm – 6am in respect to our other campers.
Being in the realm of the rainforests, typically it rains during the morning and evening. There are times the consistent, heavy rains may set in and campsite will not be accessible. It’s these tropical downpours that keep our ‘aina (land) so green and lush with waterfalls around every turn.
UKA DOES HAVE MOSQUITOS, so come prepared with long garments or repellent. Here in the uplands are the area of wild pigs and cows. You can HEAR them, and might even see one.
You will be entering into a Hawaiian village of my family members, so please be respectful while in the area and as you ascend up the hill.
Being that we live on an island we would like you to know that all disposable refuse that you make or may have, we are asking that you take it with you when you leave to reduce the carbon footprint upon my ancestral land.
The Hana Highway is the most stunning natural phenomena on Maui and a candid moment everywhere you turn. We humbly request that you LET THE LOCALS PASS and PULL ON THE SIDE TO TAKE PICTURES. It will ensure a much blissful encounter.
If you have any requests or concerns just let us know.
Spots to Visit from UKA –
Haleakala National Park at Kipahulu – 4 miles Southeast on route 360
Wailua Falls – 1 ½ miles Southeast on route 360
Hana Town – 6.5 miles Northwest on route 360
Waianapanapa State Park – Home of the Famous Black Sand Beach – 8 miles Northwest on route 360
The Hana Area are filled with cultural stories, traditions and places. It’s legendary highway vistas are beyond magical, but I hope that the essence of UKA will always remain a blessing in your heart.
As We Native Hawaiians say……
A Hui Hou (AH-HOOI-HOOOOUU)
Until we meet again….
Me Kealoha,
KUKUNA
Wellness Retreats for Conscious Foodies + Travelers - enjoy a local farm to table, homesteading experience on the Big Island of Hawaii created by Chef Justine Ma.
After booking a camping or glamping experience on our farm, you can create your own personal retreat by adding on a farmers market tour, cooking class, and homemade meals; OR just enjoy the farm with on-site perks such as on-grid electricity, high speed wifi, unlimited drinking water, yoga mats, a covered picnic area to share with fellow campers, a large outdoor kitchen equipped with a propane burner, grill, air fryer, pots, pans, utensils, plates and cups! Looking forward to hosting you!
*** THIS SPACE WAS CREATED FOR SEASONED CAMPERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCE LIVING IN NATURE, AND APPRECIATE ADDITIONAL AMENITIES LIKE A FULL KITCHEN AND PICNIC WITH ACCESS TO WIFI + ELECTRICITY ***
*** IF YOU'RE NOT COMFORTABLE CAMPING IN A TENT, YOU CAN UPGRADE AND GLAMP IN THE TINYHOMES THAT COME WITH BEDS/LINENS ***
WHAT’S NEARBY:
Ask about excursions!
PS: Our dog Olena may be on the property. Friendly dogs who get along with dogs/chickens/ducks allowed, no cats.
PPS: We do supply garbage bins however we ask that you take your garbage with you, thank you!
Booking is per pitched tent. If you have more than 2 people per tent, please add additional guest fee up to more persons. If you have more than 1 tent, please make separate bookings. Only 1 vehicle per booking allowed, mahalo!
$39 - $55 / night
Legend
Jake from the Dyrt here! The Uka Hawaiin Native camp is new to the Dyrt and we are happy to have them and the authentic hawaiin experience they provide to campers. Check them out and leave a review about your stay on the Dyrt!
Scout
We were disappointed as the campground didn't actually come through with a couple of things promised. One is that yoga classes are NOT available for campers. Another is that you have to provide your own toilet paper plus take your trash off site: very tricky when you're a visitor from off Island. The sites for tents were well built, but on the small side, so we had to go into Mcgiver mode to make our 2 man backpacking tent secure. It's windy so that's a critical feature for this location. I think if they added tie on bars on the side of the platforms that would probably fix the issue. It's a beautiful & secluded site, but I'm not sure how much experience the host has with actual real camping.
LegendThis is a lovely piece of property on the north side of the Big Island. The land owner runs a small yoga retreat center and offers this small camping area as an alternative lodging. She is very sweet. Overall, the camping area is a good start, but needs a bit of improvement to make it workable for more than 2 people.
The approach to the camping area is through the retreat property and can be a bit slippery during the rainy season, so be careful with those rental cars, but ours made it up with a bit of luck. The campsites are down a short but steep walk from the ridgeline. There are 6 tent platforms which keep you level and off the ground, nice during any part of the year. We also saw a camper van parked up top, so that is an option if you are camping in a vehicle.
There is a very small kitchen area with running water and a biogas stove. It's big enough for 1 person at a time to cook, not at all a group kitchen. The biogas comes from the toilet digesting tank and is a pretty cool idea. When we were there the tank wasn’t producing enough so they also had some small propane canisters and a burner for our cooking. The toilet and shower were functioning, but were pretty basic with very cold water and an exposed roof. Don’t expect luxury here…as we said, it’s a good start.
The nearby town of Hawi, which is the turn around for the bike leg of the Ironman Triathlon, offers grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants and some amazing hiking areas along the north coast. It is a stunning area with lots of things to do. Since we were busy each day, we didn’t mind that our lodging was a little rough– all we needed was a flat place to pitch our tent and lay down for the night.
Traveler
Solid drive in campground with toilets and beautiful ocean views. Mostly car campers at this one. The grounds were clean but very exposed to sight and the elements. Highly recommend stay here if you're planning on taking a trip to Hana. It's a perfect place to rest your feet after being in the car for multiple hours before returning to the other side - a single day trip is doable but probably exhausting. Actually the Pipiwai Trail hike is a must do on the Hana side- cannot go wrong with bamboo forests and a good waterfall.
Note: that a National Park pass ($30) here is good for 3 days of camping including sites at Haleakala.
GuideLoved the location fantastic but we did get hit with atoms each night.
GuideThis campground was the largest by far we saw on Maui - it was a large grassy area down a road past the visitor's center for Kipahulu. The area is for both tent and car camping, and there's no separate parking lot for tent campers since it is a bit of a walk from the visitor's parking lot. There's no running water, but two small buildings with pit toilets inside and hand sanitizer. There's also a group area that I believe needs to be reserved ahead of time and is at the back of the main camping area, as well as a trail off the campground that leads to shady tent camping spots (you definitely couldn't get a car in there) under large trees. We liked the campground a lot, especially how grassy it was (rather than dirt, like at Olowalu) but unfortunately we stayed on a Friday and Saturday night - and boy did the other people there like to party. We spent the first night stuck next to a HUGE party that didn't quiet down til late at night. Even after moving our van to a spot farther away from them, we realized that there were quite a number of groups partying til late at the site. I bet this wouldn't be the same case on a weekday night, but it's good to know that this campground is popular with the locals/residents on Maui and from other islands - probably because it's so cheap and accessible ($25 for 3 nights, which is essentially your entrance fee to get into the 7 sacred pools and hike the Pipiwai Trail).
As for Kipahulu itself, it's a beautiful place. we swam in the 7 sacred pools (which get pretty crowded in the afternoon from day tourists) and hiked the Pipiwai Trail. We LOVED Pipiwai - it's a bit grueling, and is 4 miles there and back, but the 100 foot waterfall at the end of it is incredible and a must-see. For the price, Kipahulu is a great place to camp at, and to make the most of your money, I'd suggest spending a night or two here and then heading to Hosmer Grove on your way to the summit. Note that there's no running water here, so come prepared with water jugs. While there's running water in the bathrooms at the service center, as well as a water fountain to fill up your water bottle there, there's no faucet or anything that you could use to fill up a big water jug. One of the major downsides to the site, in addition to the noise.
GuideKipahulu Campground is part of the coastal district of Haleakala National Park and although there is a fee to enter the park, camping is free and on a first come first serve basis. Camp sites are located all along the lollipop of the road that leads into the campground as well as some more spots along the shore. Road to get to the campsite runs along the right of the overflow parking lot of the park. Filtered water and nice public bathrooms are available at the visitor center, however there is no shower at the park. Make sure to get all necessary food items in Hana as this is the last big town on the Hana Highway before the park.
The campground has great spots for whatever you are looking for in your camping trip. The options include open areas to set up next for other people for large groups or along the shore under your own personal hala tree for seclusion and serenity. We were able to grab a spot under a hala tree our second night that was just a walk away from the shore and was so peaceful, and perfect to set up some hammocks. If you hope to get a site along the shore I recommend you arrive to the park early. And if you hope to explore the gems of this district such as the Pipiwai trail, bamboo forest, and seven sacred pools - get up early and do them before the tons of tourists arrive for the day.
TravelerThis is a first come first serve campground inside the National Park. There aren't any designated camping spots so pretty much you can setup camp anywhere you can pitch a tent. My family and I usually camp by the beach where you can fish or swim in the pools.
I recommend this campground due to the location, easy access to waterfall hikes and beach front camping.
LegendI discovered this campground by accident when an avid camper/ bartender in Maui pointed me in this direction with a hand-drawn map (see photos) It was easily my favorite camping spot during my week in Maui.
The campground itself is nothing to speak of- it looks mostly like a big green field with sites designated by grills and parked cars. From the parking/grill area however, you could wander off the path and find sites right on the cliffs under big trees with picnic tables. As a hammock camper, I found a tree to sleep under towards the edge of the cliff with a view of the ocean from my bed--and I was able to watch the sunrise over the Pacific without even getting out of my sleeping bag!
Amenities at the campground are basic- but you get what you pay for. There is no fee to camp here for up to 3 days as long as you've paid the Haleakala NP entrance fee --which of course everyone who makes it to the end of the Hana highway does anyway!
There's plenty of hiking around the campground in the national park- the most popular is the Waimoku falls that you reach by hiking through the bamboo forest up the Pipiwai trail. Camping at Kipahulu means that you can hit the trail early before the resort /day visitors make it to this side of the island. The campground is also very close to the Seven Sacred Pools (which were more mud than sacred looking during our visit).
For sunset, there is an unmarked trail that begins in the South East corner of the campground and will take you up over the cliffs for a good evening view. You can also hike down to some pools to swim if the tide is low.
Note that this campground is pretty far away from the closest town so you'll want to be sure you're all stocked up on fuel, water, and all the things you need when you pass through Hana. There aren't any showers, but if you're driving back north, you can always pop into Waianapapana State Park and hit their outdoor shower.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular RV campsite near Pu'u O Umi Natural Area Reserve?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular RV campground near Pu'u O Umi Natural Area Reserve is Kīpahulu Campground — Haleakalā National Park with a 4.3-star rating from 6 reviews.
What is the best site to find RV camping near Pu'u O Umi Natural Area Reserve?
TheDyrt.com has all 4 RV camping locations near Pu'u O Umi Natural Area Reserve, with real photos and reviews from campers.
