Growing up in a remote part of East Maui, Tawney didn’t have a cable box, video game console, or Saturday morning cartoons. Instead, she spent her childhood outdoors—exploring caves, swimming in freshwater ponds, and scrambling up tree trunks. And she wouldn’t go back and change a thing. “It was the best way to grow up,” Tawney says. “Even now, as an adult, I don’t like to be cooped up inside.”
That’s why, after a more than two-decades-long career in retail management, Tawney decided it was time to return to her roots. Today, as a Hike Maui guide, she says her life has come full circle. “I love meeting people, hearing their stories, and sharing the beauty of this place with them,” she says. “My goal is to make every hike an experience of a lifetime.”
When she’s off the clock, Tawney is either at the beach, practicing yoga, or trekking through Maui’s forests with her family. And, yes, she still climbs trees.
Guest Quote: We had an amazing time on our hike with Tawney! She’s so knowledgeable, and had lots to share about the island. Tawney did a great job pacing the hike for the ability level of everyone in our group.
