Haleakala National Park

Believe the hype: it looks like MARS. Yes, mars… those photos you’ve seen of mars from the rover? Probably taken here.
Conspiracy theories aside, it’s a surreal hike that isn’t exactly typical: you can drive yes DRIVE to the top of the crater, then hike down as far as you like and back up. So be sure to save enough energy for the uphill hike back.
We didn’t opt for the sunrise version (we slept in until noon and got here around 4pm) but apparently it changes some people’s lives.
Also this is random but the visitor center near the top of the crater had the best damn dried banana chips ever. «Ahuloa» it says on the receipt… and they tasted thoroughly caramelized despite having no caramel listed in the ingredients.

Haleakala («house of the sun») is a dormant volcano, over 10,000 feet above sea level. The Haleakala National Park costs $ 15 for a 3 day pass ($ 25 for an annual pass) and you can pay with credit card (they prefer it anyway). You can drive up to the Visitor Center and the summit, Puu Ulaula (Red Hill), right above the Center. Waking up early to see the sunrise at the top of Haleakala is a must do. It is one of the most spectacular and beautiful things you will ever see. I took a video of the minutes before and after the sun rises above the clouds:
. Honestly, no picture or video I took does the sunrise any justice. It is a million times more majestic with your own eyes. The event really begins 30 – 40 minutes before sunrise as the sky slowly lights up with an orange glow. As it gets closer to the sunrise, you can see the beauty of the bed of clouds below you. Of course, it climaxes with the giant yellow ball of the sun rising above the clouds.
Unfortunately, there is a chance for a major letdown too. The first time I time I went to Haleakala, the clouds completely blocked the sunrise. It was still beautiful to see the sky light up and rays of the sun reflect off the clouds. I only realized how disappointing it really was when I saw the sunrise on a clear day. During that first day, there had been a lot of rain that was being caused by a tropical storm in the nearby ocean. I went anyway because I was afraid it could be worse if the tropical storm directly hit the island in the subsequent days. I was hoping that the clouds would stay below the top of the volcano since I would technically be above the clouds. It did not work out.
A mountain or volcano has a climate of its own so it is very unpredictable. However, storms in the nearby area (Kula if you use internet weather services) will increase the chance for a disappointing sunrise. My advice is to schedule going to Haleakala on your first full day in Maui so you optimize the chances you have at a clear sunrise. It will never say sunny in the weather forecasts for Maui because it is a rainforest. If it says partly cloudy, it is the equivalent of sunny anywhere else. As a result, set your alarm for 2 – 3 AM and check the forecast first. If the forecast is not partly cloudy, you will have to use judgment and do a cost-​benefit analysis that weighs going back to sleep. In addition, wear long pants and bring a jacket. The top of the mountain is significantly colder than where you are staying. I would also not book your flight out of Maui before 9 AM so you give yourself one last opportunity to see the sunrise if you do not see a great one before then. I changed my flight on my last day just to have one more shot at it but it was well worth it. However, I definitely would have booked a later flight if I knew better. I saw the sunrise, had time to fill up gas, and get back to the rental car location by the airport before 8 AM.
The road up to the top is winding. There are a lot of switchbacks since you cannot drive straight up a mountain. You need to concentrate but it is not really dangerous unless you are reckless and speed. If you want to see the sunrise at the summit which is a little further up than the Visitor Center, you need to get there earlier than you would have to for a spot at the Visitor Center parking lot. Get to the entrance by 4:30. It will take another 30 minutes to drive to the Visitor Center and summit. There is a right turn before the Visitor Center that heads up to the summit. There will also be a parking attendant there. I did not get there early enough the first time I went but I got there in plenty of time the second time. Honestly, the biggest thing is that it is a clear sky. You will have a great experience at the Visitor Center elevation too as long as it is clear. There is also a short path up a small cliff to the right of the Visitor Center, you can walk that gets you a little higher.
There are also a lot of hiking trails at Haleakala in the crater. The Crater Trail and Sliding Sands starts by the Visitor Center parking lot. However, I would not hike too much of it unless you just want a really good workout. I hiked an hour down and an hour back up. The hike back up is a legit workout due to the elevation gain and thinner air. The views as you descend are not worth it though. There is not much to see. I would walk 15 – 20 minutes down and then go back up.
If you are planning a trip to Maui and looking for recommendations, please see

One of the most memorable experiences we had during maui. We went for sunset and didn’t think we were missing out on anything.
Come prepared, it’s damn cold! At sunset it was like 40 degrees. There was a small ledge which we climbed over to block the wind, it helped a lot.
There are two points of viewing. A lower point is right at the crater, also the beginning of the sliding sands trail. The higher point is next to he observatory. I enjoyed the higher point better because we could view the sky and clouds better.
Tip: no one warned us about the winding road. These roads dont have a guard rail and if you go off the side of the road. well you just fell off a mountain. Drive up and down gave me heart attacks. I was constantly telling my husband to slow down even though he was going 10 miles per hour. My husband said its better than the road to hana but still a bit frightening. Drive slow and you will be fine.

Haleakala & Road To Hana
When you’re a tourist in Maui, these two need to be on your to do list. If you only have time to do one, I’d say go with RTH just because there’s more to see than just sunrise.
Now come to think about it, we were so crazy to squeeze both in on the same day. It is doable but I was so tired by the end of that day.
|Get Ready|
We stayed at Lahaina, and left the place at 3A.M. It’s about 1.5hr drive but I think it took us 2hrs at least. You should give yourself an extra hour before sunrise time to find parking & a good spot for photo op. The drive up there was totally something else. All the zig zag gave me motion sickness & driving in the dark was just too much for me.
|View|
So is it worth waking up at 3 for? Maybe at the time, yes. But after attending other events just as early… I don’t feel that way anymore. It was FREEZINGG up there. I wish I had my snow gears. But who would bring that to HI? Maybe it could be that day but the view was just okay to me. It didn’t seem to wow me that much like I hoped for. Will aim for sunset next time, hoping for a better view and less people!
|Parking|
It was a little bit chaos getting out the parking lot afterward. You may get stuck in the middle due to the cray cray parking people made up.

Winding roads, twists and turns, one lane, cows everywhere, a speedy race up to the top of Haleakala National Park before sunrise. We got there just in time before the sun started rising and it was a pretty magical sight to witness. It was a perfect clear day! The view is breathtaking, you are up above the clouds at 10,000 ft elevation.
Try to go earlier, the parking situation was interesting. If you went up late, you would have to do tandem parking, thus not being able to move if you were the first car parked in. And make sure to wear enough clothing. We saw people with comforters, blankets, huge jackets etc. basically anything to keep you warm.
A must see in MAUI! Wake up early, it’s worth it.

Haleakala National Park is arguably the top tourist to do while vacationing here on Maui. While the sunrise and sunset is the most talked about, the trek to get to the summit is unreal and utterly awesome.
*There are two other Unilocal pages relating to Haleakala National Park I found. All of them have photos and reviews about their experiences on Haleakala summit. Search Haleakala Summit and Haleakala Visitors Center.
I have driven to the Haleakala summit a few times during my stays on Maui over the years from 2008 — 2015. The drive is long from anywhere on Maui. From Kahului and Kihei, it’s over an hour, longer from Wailea and Lahaina if you are staying in those areas. Once you get into Kula, the actual drive up Haleakala summit is similar to the Road to Hana: Uphill snaky one lane divided road that can take a good 45 minutes or so. There’s a good viewing spots along the way, but you’d most likely will see cattle grazing along the hillsides as you drive up. Nothing spectacular on the way up, but once you park the car, it’s pretty amazing when you are up there on the Haleakala summit. The overall experience is breath taking and I’d advise to do it just once on your vacation to Maui.
Many people visit Haleakala for the spectacular sunrise and sunset, although you’d need to be up on the summit beforehand, so you don’t miss it. There are many options to camp here and experience the summit that way or hike around the crater during the day to explore the rugged terrain. One of the many aspects of Haleakala that is most appealing to me, is that there is no admission fee at all. There is plenty of parking up along the summit, so best bet would be to get here as early as you can, so you can have more time exploring and admiring the views that Haleakala has to offer you and your family. The sunrise there can’t be beat and there are many photos you see online and on Unilocal,but they don’t do much justice when being there is much more therapeutic and awe inspiring to see it happen.
For the most part, being here on top of Haleakala summit was an amazing experience. Not just being there and admiring the view, but it’s just stunning to be above the clouds and 10,000 feet of elevation. The trails here are rocky, but walkable, hike-​able, and even runnable, if you aw so inclined, like me. Please allocate at least half of the day to truly experience Haleakala. The drive up and down can be time consuming, but so is Road to Hana too. Lol Bring water and food, since they don’t sell stuff at the summit. Wear covered shoes and definitely bring your camera to capture your experiences at the summit of Haleakala. It’s definitely a lifetime experience, if you are a visitor to Maui. For local kamaa’ina, it can be a nice road trip just because and it’s an alternative to hanging out at the beach. Enjoy!
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A+++
*Cross posted reviews under Haleakala Summit and Haleakala Visitors center

Haleakala National Park has two distinctly different areas to visit. There is the Haleakala crater area, and the park at Kipahulu along the Hana Highway. Both areas I highly recommend as something one must do during a visit to Maui. Both are in remote areas, and each take a day to enjoy. If you are exploring and taking some time to hike, you would need two separate days to take in these two great places.
The vehicle pass to enter the park is $ 15 and is valid for 3 days including the date of purchase. You can purchase the pass either at the crater or Kipahulu and the price is good for both if seen within 3 days of each other. So be sure not to loose the pass.
The Haleakala National Park has more endangered species than any other site in the NPS. The crater has a visitor center open at the top till 3pm. The visitor center at Kipahulu is open till 4:30pm. Both have great views and ranger led events. If you have a National Park passport, be sure to get your unique stamp at each center.
Each has different hiking experiences to enjoy. I highly recommend the easy 4 mile hike at Kipahulu as it will take you through a bamboo forest to the base of a cascading waterfall. One of the best experiences along the Hana Highway. The crater is also a must to experience during the day. The crater is beautiful to peer into, and the views along the journey up to the crater are beautiful. The road will take you to a place above the clouds. Be sure to bring your coat as it can get cold up at 10,000 feet.

Hello, fellow tourist. You’re dreading the idea of getting up at 4am to watch the sunrise, aren’t you?
Don’t despair. First off, you’re still 3 to 6 hours ahead in your sleep time, so 4am isn’t that early. (If you’ve been smart you’ve been going to bed early and getting up at 6 to go snorkeling in the morning while the fish are out.)
But even if you have been staying up watching Netflix in your hotel, GET UP EARLY AND GO TO HALEAKALA!
It’s more than a sunrise, it’s watching nature in full glory, from cold dark night to bright, life-​filled day in a few minutes.
Don’t do one of those stupid bike tours where you ride bikes down. You have to wear nasty old safety gear, you’re constantly on your brakes, it’s just not fun. Just drive up and drive down.
LAYERS LAYERS LAYERS. It’s REALLY cold before the sunrise. In the 40’s (4 – 6 Celsius) before the sunrise. Pants and shoes, and a jacket. Then the sun comes up, you say oh ma gawd a bunch of times, take a ton of pics, and then it’s normal Hawaii temperature (shorts and flip flops) within 10 minutes. Don’t forget your sunglasses.
Bring snacky food and water. You’ll be on the mountain for a few hours.
GET UP THERE AT LEAST 30 MINUTES BEFORE SUNRISE so you aren’t stressing about good parking, a good place to stand (the viewing area gets crowded), and most importantly, so you can relax and take in the moment, take in the calm night. Once you do that, you’ll appreciate the sunrise even more.

The Haleakala National Park is a beautiful unique place and one that is best spent by taking the whole day to explore. Parking is plentiful during the middle of the day because most people visit the park to see the sunrise and sunset so this is the best time.
There are plenty of bathrooms by the visitors center and this is also where the trailhead starts go hike down inside the giant crater. The trail is mostly dirt/​gravel and make sure to take your time (because of the higher elevation) as to not get altitude sickness because you can wear yourself out easier.
Pack water and food for the hike, and plan to stop for pictures or to check out the cool plants often. I loved looking at the Silversword Cactus which ONLY grows here at the summit on Haleakala! I also found many other succulents and cacti on the crater which were thriving in the harsh conditions. Weather and temperatures are not the same as down at the base!
I wish I would have allowed all day to hike down into the crater and explore. We got to the crater later in the day (a little before 4pm) so we were only able to hike down a little ways before the sun started to set. There sights are still beautiful at the top though and you don’t even have to go anywhere!
Definitely a must see while in Maui.

Definitely worth the ride and time! but Plan for the ride and be there for the sunrise for sure. it gets REALLY cold there and one must come fully covered :).
if that is the last day of your trip I wo

This place is absolutely gorgeous and totally worth waking up at 4 a.m. to get there to see the sunrise! It is a very slow and windy road to get up to the summit, so be prepared. There are very sharp turns but you can navigate them if you go slow. (It probably took about an hour) There is a small entry fee per vehicle to get into the park. Tons of people will probably be going up there at the same time, so try and be early so parking will be easy.
2 VERY important tips: 1. Wear layers! It will be very cold in the morning (low 40s when I went) but will begin to warm up as the day goes on. I went bundled up for the sunrise, and by the time I was done with my hike after, I was down to a t-​shirt and workout pants. 2. Bring snacks and water. The visitor center has a gift shop, but does not sell food. There is one small water fountain outside the visitor center, but my bottle was too tall to fit under it.
Be mindful of the signs that tell you where you can walk (protects the habitat). The folks in the visitor center were helpful and even provide maps of the hiking trails. Be prepared to see some spectacular views at 10,000 feet!

Sunrise at Haleakala National Park Summit.
So my wife had this bright idea that she wanted to see this sunrise on the top of the mountain of Haleakala Park. I wasn’t at all really happy about that because I had to drive and we had leave at 3:30am to drive through the mountain on these narrow roads with no guardrails. It was really scary and people like to drive really fast. We did it I got my A$$ up at in the middle of the night and drove us to this Mountain. It cost $ 15 bucks for parking. Once you reach the top they have a parking lot and a visitor center but seriously it’s 10,000 feet up and its above the clouds. It was so F-​ing cold up there i was a frozen block.
*-* Good tips for this trip. *-*
Don’t wear Sandals, Shorts, T-​shirt,
Wearing warm clothes because the temperature was way below 0. Wear Gloves and a beanie.
I wore shorts and uh hoodie that was the worst idea ever. I was so cold i was shaking so bad and my hands felt like i had frostbite. My wife was shaking even worse then me. I was thinking why the hell am i awake and on top of a mountain in the pitch dark waiting for this sunrise? For me I really didn’t give a shit i just wanted to go back to sleep but course we had to do it.
Happy wife happy life.
What really sucked was this was the day we had to fly back to LA so I woke up at 3am to drive 2 hours to get to this mountain to wait for an hour for the sun to rise in 0 degree weather to drive back another 2 hours then check out of my hotel drive my rental car back 40 min to get on a plane for 5 hours back to LA to arrive home at 12 midnight to drive home 1 hour. The things I agree too. I must be nuts. Well that was an EXHAUSTING DAY.
Here are some photos of the sunrise. Check it out!

The long winding drive. The impatient drivers passing some up. 10,000 feet elevation. A lady popping a squat by the sign where you pay. Someone having a seizure in the visitors center. A total cluster eff of a parking lot. $ 10 admission per car, but it’s good for three days.
Him (who drove): Anything to make you smile!
Was it worth it to see the sunrise here? Yes! Look at the pics.
Only reason for 4 stars is that you pretty much only go to see the sunrise or set, nothing much to do other than that. Be careful because though a bunch of people hiked to the top part, Rangers told them to get down because as a national park with an endangered species of bird, visitors are not allowed to climb up there.

We knew there was no way we were going to wake up and brave the sunrise, especially since went to Oahu first and were time-​adjusted before we got to Maui. We decided to spend the afternoon in Upcountry, hitting Ocean Vodka and Ali’i Lavender, but by 4pm the clouds were already rolling down at 4,000 feet. Sure enough, from the start of our ascent until pretty much near the top, it was only clouds and road, clouds and road. Not super close like some of the worst fog I’ve been in, but enough spatial deprivation to make it a pretty tough drive. You just keep asking yourself what you’re driving up into exactly, and hoping you don’t veer off into a cloud.
We were so happy to get to Leleiwi, even though it was misting hard enough to drench us, we trekked up to the outlook. We could see about as much as we’d seen going up, but here we could actually feel the movement of the clouds passing through us. Wonderful.
Just as we pulled up the last stretch before the Visitor Center, we were above the clouds. I couldn’t believe it! It really was like we were in the heavens, the clouds blanketing the earth below. Before I knew it, I was out of the car at the Summit, walking the Martian landscape everyone talks about, as if I fell asleep below the clouds and was dreaming the rising and falling red slopes, each new sight displayed in hyperreal color and a limitless horizon extending all around. It may have been the altitude adjustment, but I truly remember each step as if it was all playing out more slowly than real life.
After I got my bearings at the Summit, we drove to the Visitor Center to look into the crater, where, since it was nearly sundown, I was able to see my shadow on the misty clouds (Brocken specter). Totally surreal, as it all was. To catch sunset, we hiked up the nearby path, and stayed at the top for the last thirty minutes of the day. Thirty minutes is a long time, but we got to see the sky change colors, the clouds move, the light give way to darkness. Forget the club — nature puts on the best light shows.
Descending Haleakala past sunset was fine, especially since all the clouds had cleared and we got to see the city lights come on through lower Maui. Think of your car as an airplane coming down for a very, very, very slow landing. I understand how the morning could be even more magical, since the sun rises over the far side of the crater while you look on, but I’ll never forget this experience. Dress warmly — winter clothes! — so you’re comfortable enough to remember it too.