Origin
Waikapū, HI
Afternoon in Waikapū on Saturday
Local time
3:21 PM
HST
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Waikapū, HI to Makawao, HI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
28m
Distance
16.2 mi
26 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 26m
★
6 AM
0h 28m
8 AM
0h 33m
10 AM
0h 30m
12 PM
0h 30m
3 PM
0h 30m
5 PM
0h 33m
8 PM
0h 27m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Waikapū, HI
Studio Lichtfang
Makawao, HI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Waikapū to Makawao is 16.2 miles and takes about 28 minutes via Haleakala Highway and Kuihelani Highway, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop within Hawaii is a local drive with many turns, making it a good option for a relaxed excursion. You'll primarily navigate Haleakala Highway and Kuihelani Highway, with Makawao Avenue leading into your destination. Given the short distance and duration, this trip offers a lot of flexibility for when you choose to depart.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Haleakala Highway | 5.3 mi | 7m |
| Kuihelani Highway | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| Makawao Avenue | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Hana Highway | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Kula Highway | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| East Waiko Road | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| Kahului Airport Access Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Old Haleakala Highway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Haleakala Highway
— 5.3 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waikapū, HI and Makawao, HI.
1
Start on Kama Street
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
Kama Street
2
Turn left onto Hookawai Drive
365 ft
·
18 sec
·
Hookawai Drive
3
At end of road, turn right onto Pilikana Street
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
Pilikana Street
4
At end of road, turn right onto HI-30
0.2 mi
·
40 sec
·
Honoapiilani Highway
5
Turn left onto HI-305
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
East Waiko Road
6
At end of road, turn left onto HI 380
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Kuihelani Highway
7
Continue on HI 380
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Kahului Airport Access Road
Use the straight lane.
8
Turn right onto HI 36
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Hana Highway
Use the straight lane.
9
Turn right onto HI 37
5.3 mi
·
7 min
·
Haleakala Highway
Use the straight lane.
10
Continue on HI 37
0.4 mi
·
37 sec
·
Old Haleakala Highway
11
Continue on HI 37
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Kula Highway
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
12
Turn left onto HI-365
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Makawao Avenue
Use the straight lane.
13
Turn left onto HI 390
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Baldwin Avenue
14
Turn left onto Ukiu Road
155 ft
·
6 sec
·
Ukiu Road
15
Arrive at destination
Ukiu Road
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 14.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Hookawai Drive
Turn left onto Hookawai Drive
Navigation decision point
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Pilikana Street
At end of road, turn right onto Pilikana Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
HI-30 / Honoapiilani Highway
At end of road, turn right onto HI-30 / Honoapiilani Highway
Navigation decision point
5
5.2 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
HI 36 / Hana Highway
Turn right onto HI 36 / Hana Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
14.2 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
HI-365 / Makawao Avenue
Turn left onto HI-365 / Makawao Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.51 one way
$7.02 round trip
$5.51/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.79 | $3.69 | $7.38 |
| premium | $5.98 | $3.81 | $7.63 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.58 | $7.15 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.9 | 0 | $1.70 | $0.78 |
| Efficient EV | 4.1 | 0 | $1.42 | $0.65 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.5 | 0 | $2.27 | $1.04 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Makawao, HI
Afternoon in Makawao on Saturday
Local time
3:21 PM
HST
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
13 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
28m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll encounter frequent turns rather than long, straight stretches. There's no highway share on this particular journey, so expect a more intimate connection with local roads. The longest uninterrupted segment you'll experience is 5.3 miles on Haleakala Highway. As you transition from Kuihelani Highway to Makawao Avenue, the feel of the drive will shift, reflecting the character of a local route.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5.3 mi on Haleakala Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Hookawai Drive.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 16.2 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Hookawai Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Pilikana Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles (HI-30 / Honoapiilani Highway): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 28m. Total distance: 16.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 5.3 miles on Haleakala Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Hookawai Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Pilikana Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles (HI-30 / Honoapiilani Highway): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Haleakalā National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Makawao, HI before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Makawao, HI
More trips to Makawao, HI
Explore more options from Waikapū, HI or browse trips ending in Makawao, HI.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse HI road trips.