It’s one of the most enchanting stretches of road on the island of Kaua‘i, where towering eucalyptus trees arch overhead like a living cathedral, and shifting patterns of light and shadow create a strobe effect as you drive through the mile-long verdant tunnel.
Breaking off Kaumuali‘i Highway, the Tunnel of Trees begins at the mauka end of Maluhia Road. It extends nearly a mile long on the way to Kōloa Town, offering a breathtaking trip through a serene passageway.
No one seems to know the exact history of the Tree Tunnel. One story claims that in 1911, Walter Duncan McBryde, co-founder of McBryde Sugar Co., had more than 500 eucalyptus trees left over from a landscaping project at his estate in Kalaheo, so he planted them along the roadside. McBryde was known as a champion for the beautification of local highways through the use of trees and plants. Another tale claims that the Knudsen family planted the trees to stabilize the marshy lane and act as a windbreak for the nearby sugarcane fields.
No matter the story, the hardy trees have weathered the elements for more than a century, including several hurricanes, such as the two most destructive on Kaua‘i: ‘Iwa in 1982 and ‘Iniki in 1992. While I remember the damage of ‘Iwa, I didn’t see its effect on the Tunnel of Trees, but we were in Oma‘o during ‘Iniki.
After the storm passed, we woke the next day and tried to make our way to Līhu‘e. As expected, the going was slow as cars moved cautiously to avoid debris in the road. There was a significant slowdown in front of the Tree Tunnel, as many people stopped to take in the destruction they saw. The trunks of the trees on either side of the road were still standing, but the canopy had all come crashing down. Maluhia Road was unpassable and littered with huge fallen branches. The once green and shady thoroughfare now looked like a pile of brown sticks.
Long-time residents all said the same thing, “No worry. Going come back.”
And it did. Today, the tall eucalyptus trees are green and full, their branches reaching across the road, creating what feels like a magical portal to Kōloa and Po‘ipū.
But not everything about the Tree Tunnel is serene. For all its beauty, there’s something about that shaded stretch of Maluhia Road that unsettles some travelers—especially after dark. Maybe it’s the way the trees seem to hide the sky and block out the moon. Perhaps it’s because there are no street lights.
Over the years, locals have described chilling incidents of strange sights and eerie encounters beneath the eucalyptus canopy. Some even say the Tree Tunnel is more than just a scenic route; it’s a place where the veil between worlds feels just a little thinner.
We often share the story about four brothers who were passing through the Tree Tunnel on their way to Līhu‘e.
After rounding out the S-curves and entering the tunnel, the vehicle began to sputter. Despite the oldest brother’s efforts, the engine died, leaving them in the tunnel in the dark. The truck was barely a year old with no sign of trouble before this trip, so they were confused, but things grew stranger.
Maluhia Road has a slight incline at just about the center of the tunnel, so you can’t see oncoming cars until they crest the hill. Sitting in the dark, the brothers noticed a soft, yellow glow on the tree canopy ahead, which meant headlights were approaching. As seconds passed, the light grew brighter, but just as a vehicle should have appeared over the rise, the light vanished. No car appeared.
Spooked, the eldest brother turned the key. The truck started instantly, as if nothing had ever gone wrong. He floored it out of the tunnel. Later, mechanics found no issues.
Those four men are our sons, and to this day, they still have no explanation for what happened in the Tunnel of Trees. What surprised us most, though, was learning how many others have reported similar experiences along that long, shadowed road. Not everyone’s car stalls, but time and again, people describe the same chilling detail: the soft glow of headlights approaching, growing brighter against the canopy overhead, and then, suddenly, the light disappears, with no vehicle ever appearing.
Many people attribute these experiences to the presence of the huaka‘i pō, the night marchers, passing through the Tunnel of Trees in their silent procession.
Other people claim to have heard disembodied voices next to them in their car or to have seen a mysterious fog suddenly appear in the tunnel. There are even tales of a mysterious woman in white, walking by herself in the tunnel. She appears in a car’s headlights, and as the driver gets closer, the woman vanishes.
For most, Maluhia Road is simply a beautiful drive framed by history and nature. But for a few, that mile-long stretch becomes a place where the familiar turns strange. For some, engines fall silent without cause, and headlights vanish into nothing. The next time you drive through that shaded road on the way to Kōloa and Po‘ipū, keep an eye on the lights ahead. You never know what you might—or might not—see.
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