Haleakala is one of the world’s largest dormant volcanos with breathtaking views. I’ve seen my fair share of sunrises, but WOW this place blew us away. SGDF and I did a lot of research beforehand since we heard about the crowds and the drive (also makes sense now since SGDF was planning something that day). Below is a summary of our research and lessons learned, hope you get a chance to visit and hike here soon!
- Activities you can do:
- Catch the sunrise or sunset (heard it was less crowded in the evening)
- Hike
- Bike tours
- Bike up and/or back (though we couldn’t imagine biking up, the drive itself was already exhausting)
- Vista points – we were able to see some of the other islands
- When to go: I recommend going the morning after you land to take advantage of the jet lag (pending where you are flying from). We flew from CA so waking up at 2:30am only felt like 5:30am (still early, but worth it).
- What time should I arrive by: I would check what time the sunrise would be and plan to be there an hour beforehand. I would then add on at least 30-45 minutes to the drive time to avoid traffic and stress. The drive can be pretty scary since you are driving up a mountain in the middle of the night and some parts of the mountain do not have railings. There was traffic getting inside Haleakala since every car needs to pay for a permit. We arrived about 45 minutes before sunrise and the summit parking lot was already full. We had to park at the lower lot and walk up to the summit peak.
- Plan ahead and check the weather: We were really fortunate and went when it wasn’t raining and completely clear. Check the weather beforehand, you can call the National Weather Service’s Haleakala summit forecast at (866) 944-5025.
- What to bring / wear: Wear layers and bring a jacket! You are over 10,000 feet above sea level without the sun so it gets chilly. I would also bring a flashlight or headlamp in case you have to park further away and to navigate around. If you plan to hike after, then bring plenty of water and snacks since the park doesn’t have food services.
- Which hikes should I do: I recommend asking a Park Ranger at the Visitor Center, who can suggest a hike based on the time you have and difficulty level. There are hikes (click here) ranging from 30 minutes to as long as 4 days. You can hike all the way back down to the main Park Headquarters and then wait at a “Hiker Pick up” and hope another visitor will pick you up to go back up. We ended up doing the Keonehe’ehe’e Trailhead to Kapalaoa Cabin and back, which was 11.2 miles round trip. The hike down was amazing with great views of the valley and native shrub land.
- What is the drive like: The first word that comes to mind is long. We came from Kihei, which wasn’t too bad so it will be even longer if you are coming from Wailea or Kahana. It wasn’t too bad until we entered the Park Entrance, which is where you may encounter traffic getting in since there is only one pay booth. You then drive up to the Visitor Center or to the Haleakala Summit Parking.
- Where to park: Ideally you want to park at the Haleakala Summit Parking (the very top area, see below). However, if the parking lot is full, you can park at the Visitor Center and walk 0.7 miles up (helpful to have a headlamp or flashlights).
- Other trip tips: If you plan to do Road to Hana, then you should do it within a few days / valid dates to avoid paying entrance fee again when you enter the Kipahulu region.
- What is the sunrise like: You are literally above all the clouds:
Across Oceans & Travels 