General information about the National Park
The national park protects the area of the dormant volcano Haleakala on Maui. The last eruption occurred in 1790, and the area has been managed as an independent national park since 1961. In 1980, the park was designated an international biosphere reserve.
Number of visitors
In 2023 Haleakala NP ranked 29th in the visitor statistics of the most visited national parks.
Best time to visit: Spring and fall.
Our visits:
So far 1 visit: August 2000
Entrance fees and opening hours
- 30$/car and all passengers valid for 7 days
- Covered by the Anual Pass*
- Open 24h all year round.
*The Anual Pass is so to speak the "flat rate" for all Parks managed by the National Park Service. The pass costs a one-time fee of $80 and can be purchased at the entrance to each National Park, National Monument, etc. The pass is valid for 13 months.
Sunrise
Description: One of the biggest attractions in the park was the sunrise, which you can experience here at 10023ft above sea level. However, in 2000 it was an attraction, but you could enjoy the sunrise in some peace and quiet. Obviously, this has changed in the last few years so that now everyone who drives into the national park from 3am to 7am needs a permit - even if you don't drive all the way to the top for sunrise. Everything you need to know about these permits can be found at the official webpage. Permits can be reserved up to 60 days before your visit. There are also a few last-minute Tickets you can get two days before.
Note: Even if you drive into the park before 3am, you are not allowed to watch the sunrise without a permit!!! For the sunrise you need a permit in any case!!!
Tip for the sunrise: Even though it's hard to imagine down by the ocean, it can get very cold up at the top of Haleakala. That's why we recommend everyone to take a warm jacket and maybe a hat and gloves. You will be standing in the cold for a while.
For the sunset you don't need any permits at the moment.
Another very popular activity is to ride a bicycle down the mountain, which is over 3000m high. The bicycles are driven up by the organizers and the tourists then rush down the mountain again.
Our rating: Seeing the sunrise on Haleakala was definitely one of our coolest experiences ever. It was cold and took what felt like an eternity until the sun finally appeared, but it was also a real highlight of our vacation in Hawaii. The colors on the photos are unchanged and come from scanned slides. They are not edited and even if it looks totally unreal, the scenery was exactly as you can see it on the photos. Even though we can't say much about the permit procedure, we can only recommend everyone to drive up here if you are on Maui.
At the summit
Description: The peak of Haleakala rises more than 9843ft above sea level. You can see it from almost everywhere on the island. You can drive on a well-built, tarred road to the very top. There are numerous viewpoints along the way to enjoy the surroundings. The drive from Kahului to the top takes about 1.5 hours.
On the summit there are a few hiking trails on which you can enter the crater world. But beware, you are at an altitude of over 9843ft and since you overcome this height very quickly and come from sea level, not everyone can tolerate it.
Our rating: The drive up to the top of Haleakala was a real experience. When do you have the opportunity to be above the clouds. It was really great and offered beautiful views of the volcano, its craters and the surroundings around it.
Hosmer Grove Trail
Description: The trail leads through the landscape in the subalpine area of the volcano. Here you can observe numerous endemic plants that only exist here on Maui.
Trail length: 0.55mi
Altitude difference: 49ft
Time needed: 1 hour
Difficulty level: easy
Our rating: The trail was now not necessarily super spectacular, but those who enjoy plants and nature will certainly discover something interesting here.
