Photo:
ImagePerson / CC BY-SA 4.0
Haleakalā, “house of the sun”, rises more than 10,000 feet above Maui, a dormant volcano whose vast, cinder-strewn summit basin looks more like Mars than a tropical island. From a world-famous sunrise above the clouds to the lush waterfalls and bamboo forest of the coastal Kīpahulu district, the park spans an astonishing range of climates and holds deep significance in Hawaiian culture.
The summit district is a high-altitude world of a huge erosional basin, cinder cones, lava and thin, cold air, where the endemic silversword blooms and the endangered nēnē walks the slopes. Far below and around the coast, the Kīpahulu district is its opposite, tropical rainforest, bamboo groves, and the tiered pools and waterfalls of the Pīpīwai stream flowing to the sea.
The park is open year-round, with drier weather generally from spring into fall. The summit is cold and can freeze any time, while Kīpahulu is warm, wet and prone to sudden downpours. Sunrise at the summit is the iconic experience, and requires a reservation, but sunset and the dark, clear nights for stargazing are just as rewarding and less regulated.
The two districts are not connected within the park. The Summit District is reached by the winding Haleakalā Highway from central Maui, a drive that climbs from sea level to 10,000 feet in about two hours. The coastal Kīpahulu District lies near Hāna on the far southeast coast, at the end of the long, scenic Road to Hāna. A vehicle is essential for both.
Watch the reserved sunrise or a quieter sunset from the summit, then hike into the basin on the otherworldly Sliding Sands trail. In Kīpahulu, walk the Pīpīwai Trail past waterfalls and through a bamboo forest to Waimoku Falls, and cool off at the tiered pools along the coast. Backpackers overnight at wilderness campsites and cabins in the summit crater, and the dark skies make for superb stargazing.
The summit is genuinely cold, windy and thin-aired. Dress for near-freezing temperatures even coming from the beach, and watch for altitude sickness, especially before diving. High-altitude sun is intense, so cover up. In Kīpahulu, never enter streams or pools when rain threatens, as flash floods can arrive without warning, and stay back from wet, slippery cliff edges.
A park pass is required, and summit sunrise entry needs a separate timed reservation booked in advance. Check the current system. Crater camping and cabins require permits or bookings. This page is a general overview, not a live conditions report; always confirm current conditions, reservations and permits with the National Park Service before your trip.
Set this declination on your compass, then align it to the map's north lines; it is the angle between true north and magnetic north, refreshed each year.
