The bulk of Maui's forests stretch across the rainy northern sections of the West Maui Mountains and Mount Haleakala. This rain feeds a tropical rainforest filled with colorful trees, noisy birds, fragrant flowers and hundreds of streams. The terrain is quite steep and water rushes down the mountain creating incredible waterfalls up to 400 feet in height.

The Maui rainforest covers a good portion of Haleakala from about sea-level to the tree-line which is at about 6000 feet. The rainforest structure on Maui are typical of forests around the world with their many layers of plant and animal zones. Trees such as the Koa make up the canopy and shelter the many smaller trees, ferns and shrubs growing closer to the ground. Over the past few hundred years many species of non-native plants and weeds have been introduced into the ecosystem. Guava, coffee, bamboo and ginger have flourished in the tropical environment forcing many of the native species out. A rainforest hike into the huge bamboo stands of Maui will be something you will never forget.