Thompson Road

Nice single lane road for a hike, with some really pretty views on the ocean and island!

With the hustle & bustle of our daily lives, there comes a time where we begin seeking refuge in other pursuits -- the quiet country life, travel to foreign countries, social interaction, etc. Ah yes, I'm talking that sweet work/life balance.

Thompson Road offered the perfect little escape to help maintain that mental equilibrium that we so often forget in pursuit of our daily bread. With its volcanic rock walls guiding the walker's way and views from coast to coast to inspire a multitude of praises, I imagine this is the quintessential Maui view that dreams are made of. Breathtaking. Awe-inspiring. I thought to myself, "Damn, how lucky am I to have grown up on such a beautiful island? And why is it my first time here?" A sense of guilt suddenly struck for not appreciating my island home enough.

Making our way down the paved path, the calling of the birds echoed through the trees, the cows mooed in the distance, cherry blossoms made surprise appearances, & clouds loomed in the distance. It was peaceful, it was relaxing, it was everything.

We came across a few other souls with the same idea. I secretly hoped we'd cross paths with Oprah who lives nearby. We captured the attention of the ranch cows, finding them all lined up at the fence with eyes fixated on us. "A traffic jam!" my toddler so poetically exclaimed. & lastly we found ourselves caught in a rainstorm and retreated under our umbrella. Best to be prepared!

In sum, we all need our time of repose. I found it here on Thompson Road.

Want a great walk and cool upcountry air? Must enjoy a jaunt on Thompson Road. Not many folks if you go early and you can take a pup or 2 on a leash with you! Then grab coffee afterwards at Grandma's! Love this place for bacon and eggs or a pastry!

We had a great walk this morning..
The weather was beautiful and with a awesome view.. :)

I'd really cord walking not hiking Thompson road is about a 60-minute walk back and forth if you park your car near the Kula hospital entrance you get a magnificent view of both sides of the island and if you woke up towards Haleakala you might think you're an England with the green lush countryside which way back and forth. What's a great photo opportunities parking can be a bit tricky but I usually find a spot without a problem

Great easy hike with wonderful views and very lush vegetation. It can get chilly up there so might want to bring a light jacket or rain coat.
At the end of Thompson road, you can turn left and lengthen the hike and make it more challenging by going uphill.

If you're looking for an absolutely stunning, easy walk on Maui, look no further. If you eat too much at Grandma's and need to burn some calories, this is the hike for you. If you need a new walking or running path, this is the ticket. Get the gist? Whatever you're looking for, you will NOT be disappointed if you take the time to drive over to this remote road right next to the Kula Hospital.

You can park on the highway or right on the road on any of several cutouts. The entire length of this walk is not even a couple of miles end to end and easy for most walkers, with gentle hills easy enough for our daughter's scooter to manage. It's a public road but rarely travelled so just keep an ear out for cars coming (mostly) slowly down the road. They are used to seeing people on the road and usually slow way down when skirting by you.

Be sure to make it past the first .5 mile or so, that's when the views of West Maui open up on the right. Breathtaking....

Oh and bring an umbrella - at least in the car with you. For people traveling from the resorts where the weather is usually warm and sunny, there are often showers along the road and they can creep up fast. Take it from someone who has been through it, you don't want to have to schlep back to your car in the rain. It sucks.

Great 3 mile walk with the family and breakfast at Grandmas Cafe. The views were awesome and the food was to die for!

This is a storybook walk on a paved, undulating road lined with volcanic rock walls with pastoral views in all directions. About 3/4 of the way to the end, there is a panoramic view clear across the island from ocean to ocean. Near the end, Thompson Road takes a 90 degree turn left up a very steep hill. It's probably less than 1/2 a mile but felt like a mile. At the top, the road forks and at each fork is a no trespassing sign. A local told us that Oprah owns the house and a lot of the land at the top. If you want an extra pump, go to the top but the view isn't much better than the one at the 3/4 way mark.
There were old people walking the road, a young mom was jogging with a baby stroller and there were several runners. I'm 68 and felt like I got a good workout, especially doing the hill.