Bicycling is a fun activity that is very easy for beginners to get started in and work towards growing their skills. Once individuals get very good at bicycling, there are many types and difficulties for bicyclists to enjoy. While riding bikes can be challenging, it’s also incredibly rewarding.

Bicycling as a hobby may include biking across town to do your grocery shopping or meeting up with friends. You may even try bicycling as a form of sightseeing when visiting a new place. Bicycling can also include one of our favorite activities at Maui Sun Riders, and that activity is mountain biking! 

If you’re searching for a bike friendly destination with plenty of mountain biking trails, knowledgeable local bike shops, and a community that loves bicycling, check out Maui in Hawaii!

Hawaii Biking Trails

If you love mountain biking, Maui has some of the best biking trails around the islands. Maui also offers trails for different skill levels. Both beginner mountain bikers and intermediate mountain bikers can find scenic trails that offer the perfect challenge.

Makawao Forest Reserve

At Makawao Forest Reserve, you’ll find seven trails with difficulties ranging from beginner to enduro expert! There are also three skill levels. Makawao Forest Reserve is an experience that rewards the senses. Not only is it gorgeous, but the forest smells divine due to the towering eucalyptus trees growing throughout the reserve. Some of the trails are great for all skill levels, such as the Kahakapao trail, which can go clockwise or counterclockwise.

Some trails are far better for intermediate to advanced bicyclists, such as the Pineapple Express, aka a Downhill Flow Trail. This trail was designed by mountain bikers to provide the perfect amount of flow, hence the name.

The first mountain bike single-track trail at Makawao Park is the beautiful Renegade Trail. This trail is another one that is more suitable for intermediate to advanced bicyclists.

Kula – Polipoli Springs 

Kula Forest Reserve is home to Polipoli Springs State Recreation Area and is perfect for intermediate and advanced bicyclists who want to spend a whole day exploring a scenic forest. The top of the Skyline Trail is a great place to start. Skyline Trail starts nearly 10,000 feet in elevation on the top of the volcano. This beautiful challenging descent brings you to the verdant Polipoli forest. At Kula, you’ll also find the Mamane trail, a single-track adventure that leads you to the Upper Waiohuli Trail and Upper Waiakoa Trails, which are currently under construction.

While at Kula, we recommend checking out the Boundary Trail! However, there are some areas along the trail that require you to dismount and hike your mountain bike. 

Haleakala Downhill Mountain Biking

For an exhilarating and picturesque downhill bike ride, we recommend our Downhill Haleakala Self-Guided Tour. This fun tour takes you along the back of Haleakala through the gorgeous upcountry Maui. With this special tour, our bike operators bring you up the mountain just below the entrance of Haleakala National Park and set your bikes up for you. Then you begin your self-guided descent down Haleakala enjoying the cool breeze, warm sun, and the serene smells like eucalyptus and lavender. Towards the end of your adventure, you’ll reach Paia, the beautiful town where our bike shop is located. Here, you can check out the restaurants, go shopping, and enjoy your day exploring Maui. 

Other Biking Routes

Maui’s biking scene includes more than just mountain bikers! People also love riding road bikes and e-bikes across the island! Here are a few places bicyclists love:

Kihei to La Perouse Bay

At the southern section of Maui, there is a classic cycling route that leads from Kihei to La Perouse Bay. Along this route, you can enjoy magnificent views of the ocean and even get a glimpse of the island’s last known lava flow up close.

Kula Highway to Keokea and Ulupalakua

Bicyclists can check out the upcountry cycling route from Rice Park at Kula Highway to Keokea and beyond. From there, a few minutes of pedaling will also take you to Thompson Road, which is a serene, one-lane road that always has plenty of runners and walkers. This is a nice addition to this ride, but the main part of this route is an absolute must when you visit Maui. 

North Shore Greenway

The North Shore Greenway bike path isn’t quite as rigorous as the Haleakala Volcano Bike Tour, making it ideal for families with kids and less experienced bikers. Even so, it provides a serene outdoor adventure with plenty of gorgeous sights to be seen along the way and lots of hidden beaches.

Biking Organizations

Hawaii is home to several biking organizations, representing everyone from casual bicyclists to dedicated mountain bikers. These biking organizations advocate for more laws protecting bicyclists and trails, coordinate bicycling events and races, and even raise funds for more trails.

Hawaii Bicycling League

Hawaii Bicycling League is a 501(c)3 non-profit that strives to help more people ride bicycles. They host workshops that train children to ride bicycles and offer presentations on road safety. They also host and coordinate several large events including the Honolulu Century Ride and Haleiwa Metric Century. 

Maui Bicycling League

The Maui Bicycling League is a chapter of the Hawaii Bicycling League and believes that Maui can be one of the most incredible bicycling destinations in the world. They work around the clock to advocate for better roadways and trails and promote safe bicycling opportunities for Maui bicyclists and visiting riders.

Maui Mountain Bike Coalition

The Maui Mountain Bike Coalition is a chapter of the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA). Together, these organizations work to build new trails and preserve current trails for mountain bikers. The Maui Mountain Bike Coalition (IMBA) and Trail Solutions collaborated to design the Pineapple Express Flow Trail at Makawao Forest Preserve. Since it was designed by biking enthusiasts, the trail is perfect for catching a flow and racing down the mountain. The Maui Mountain Bike also hosts trail maintenance and building events. Maui Mountain Bike Coalition has a sister organization in Oahu, called the Oahu Mountain Bike Coalition.

Maui Sunriders

Maui Sunriders Bike Company was established in 2001 by professional bicyclists who travel the world hosting international bike trips competing in competitions and work hard to make bicycling accessible for both beginners and advanced bicyclists who visit Maui. At Maui Sunriders, we offer a variety of bike rentals in Maui including mountain bikes (both full suspension and hardtail), aluminum and carbon road bikes, cruisers, townie cruisers, and e-bike cruisers. We are the only tour company on Maui run by professional cyclists.

For expert knowledge about Maui’s trails and premier bike rentals, look no further than Maui Sunriders.

Biking enthusiasts love Maui for its beautiful and yet diverse scenery. Maui biking trails can vary, from peaceful rides by the beach to challenging singletracks up Maui’s majestic mountains. No matter which Maui biking trail you take, you’re sure to see some amazingly beautiful sights. So if you’re planning a visit to the island soon, schedule some time to take a ride in this biker’s paradise and test your Maui mountain bike skills on the roads and trails below.

Haleakalā Bike Tour

Of course, every cyclist should bike Haleakalā at least once. Our Haleakalā Downhill bike tour starts at 6500′ feet where all bike tours are permitted on Maui to begin their rides. Wind downhill through the beautiful Upcountry of Maui and stop at little shops and towns along the way down to the sea. Our downhill Haleakalā bike tours are self-guided and allow you to explore around at your own pace.

The most advanced cyclists may want to traverse Haleakalā uphill, or maybe just part of it. Biking all the way up Haleakalā has been called “one of the most difficult bike climbs in the world” with gradients reaching up to 18% over 36 miles. Every year the toughest of cyclists climb Haleakalā in a race known as the Cycle to the Sun on the “longest, steepest paved road on the planet.”

But for most of us, biking down Haleakalā is the best choice for a Maui bike ride. The downhill Haleakalā bike tour is unquestionably an absolute must-do bike ride for those who want to see all the unique beauty Upcountry Maui has to offer.

Kahakapao Loop

For mountain bikers who want a more rigorous Maui bike ride, Kahakapao Loop is the trail to take. This singletrack bike ride in the Makawao Forest winds through “stands of eucalyptus, cook pines, and tropical ash,” the Maui Mountain Bike Coalition noted. Starting on the east side loop and riding clockwise, this steady climb has an average grade of 7.7%. “As a climb, the trail can be easy or challenging depending on the pace at which you ride,” the Coalition said. “As a descent, this trail gives cyclists speed and flow.” This singletrack through dense forests has roots and tight corners to look out for, and it’s not recommended to ride in wet conditions as it can get very slick.

West Maui Loop

The West Maui Loop bike ride is another awesome Maui bike ride to take on your vacation. Along with the Haleakalā bike tour and Hana Highway, West Maui is one of the most scenic bike rides in Maui. This challenging ride runs along the beautiful shorelines of northwest Maui. Because it is a loop, you can start and stop almost at any point along the bike ride. If you did ride the entire West Maui Loop, it would be about 60 miles. On the northern side of the loop, the road turns from a two-lane paved road into a one-lane winding road along cliffs, so great caution is needed. Because it gets windier as the day goes on, it’s best to start out early, but be careful because the roads can also be slick from dew or rain.

Along your bike through West Maui, you’ll see beautiful Honolua Bay, which is a great surfing break where many professional surfers come to test their skills. Then stop to see the Nakalele Blowhole just outside Honokohau Bay. Further on at the Kahakuloa Village, you can stop and have a bite to eat at the local banana bread stand before you continue on the meandering path. With its picturesque stops at every turn, the West Maui Loop is definitely another can’t-miss Maui bike ride.

If you love biking and want to explore Maui a little further, we offer bike rentals in Maui in addition to our self-paced bike tours. With our daily Maui bike rentals, you can rent the bike and equipment, along with a vehicle bike rack, and then the bike is yours to enjoy for the day. Call for more details.

Experience some of the most thrilling and enjoyable mountain bike rides on earth by taking one of these amazing Maui bike rides through this gorgeous island.