The state Department of Land and Natural Resources will open Boundary Trail and Redwood Trail in the Kula state forest reserve to bicycle traffic on a trial basis on April 1. Previously bicycles were not allowed on these trails.

DLNR's Division of Forestry and Wildlife Maui district will conduct a trial opening, then evaluate impacts on the trail and review user comments in October 2008 and again in April 2009.

The opening will increase to six the total number of forest trails that are open to hikers and bicycles in the Kula state forest reserve. Other trails include: Skyline and Waiakoa Loop, and Mamane and upper Waiohuli trails, (the latter two are currently closed for hazardous tree removal). Bicycles are also allowed on the entire length of Waipoli Road. The total miles of bicycle trails in Kula forest reserve will now increase from 18.3 miles to 24 miles.

Mamane Trail and upper Waiohuli Trail will be opened as soon as these areas have been made safe for public access.

The Boundary Trail is approximately 4 miles long and begins at approximately 6,400-feet elevation, just past the Kula state forest reserve boundary cattle guard on Waipoli Road. It descends via switch backs to the lower reserve boundary and proceeds southward above the fence line to the ranger's cabin at the junction of the Redwood Trail. At the 2.6 mile marker, it passes the lower Waiohuli Trail junction. Lower Waiohuli will not be opened to bicycles and remains closed to all traffic at this time due to hazardous tree conditions.

Boundary Trail continues southward and crosses many gulches through native scrub, remnant native forest and planted strands of eucalyptus, pines, cedars and other species. It offers excellent views of Kula and central Maui.

The trail also passes through areas of the forest reserve that were heavily impacted by fire in January 2007. At the 4.0 mile marker, Boundary Trail meets a three-way junction of Redwood Trail and Plum Trail at approximately the 5,200-feet elevation. The Plum Trail will not be opened to bicycles.

Bicyclists may proceed up the Redwood Trail approximately 1.7 miles to Polipoli Spring state recreation area at approximately the 6,200-feet elevation. Redwood Trail winds through stands of redwoods and conifers past an old ranger's cabin and then past the Tie Trail junction. Tie Trail will not be opened to bicycles. Signs will be placed at all junctions indicating which trails are available for bicycle traffic.