Haleakala National Park Travel Guide

  Headquarters of the ranch
by grandmaR
 
  • Headquarters of the ranch
      Headquarters of the ranch
    by grandmaR
  • Silversword next to the Park Headquarters
      Silversword next to the Park...
    by grandmaR
  • Horses on the horizon
      Horses on the horizon
    by grandmaR
  • Types of volcano rocks to identify
      Types of volcano rocks to identify
    by DEBBBEDB
  • At the top
      At the top
    by DEBBBEDB
 

Explore Haleakala National Park

Things to Do  

Bike down the Mountain

Bike down the Mountain, Haleakala National Park

 DSwede Says:  And you can rent (in advance of going up) a bike and do a ~22mile downhill decent from the peak to the water's edge. What a blast!Cruise down the some 10,000 ft vertical, over ~22 miles of road and some ~33 switchbacks. All of the road is down hill except for a 2 mile... 

Visitor's Center Information

Visitor's Center Information, Haleakala National Park

 DEBBBEDB Says:  Up at the top, we went to the visitor's center and there were models of the volcano so I could see the road that we just were on (and which we would have to go back down). I took pictures of the volcano models. Then outside the ranger had a clipboard with various kinds of... 

Visitor's Center Visit

Visitor's Center Visit, Haleakala National Park

 grandmaR Says:  Almost every national park has a really informative Visitor's Center. It pays to visit the center to find out about the park.Actually this park has three visitor's centers. All are open daily year round, subject to staff availability. I have only been to the two at the top... 

Stars and Sunrise

Stars and Sunrise, Haleakala National Park

 grandmaR Says:  The ship offered a sunrise visit to the volcano crater at Pu'u Ula Ula (Red Hill), the pinnacle of Haleakala, at 10,023 feet. Continental breakfast is served, prior to sunrise. The pick-up time is at 3:30 am. There is an observatory up here (not open to visitors) because the... 

Hotels  

Haleakala National Park Campgrounds / Wilderness Cabins

 2 Reviews and 1 Opinions  Hosmer Grove is on the way to the summit, high on the windy slopes of Haleakala. If you are into... 

Restaurants  

Sunrise Country Market & Protea Farm: Coffee Snack and Bathroom Stop

Sunrise Country Market & Protea Farm: Coffee Snack and Bathroom Stop, Haleakala National Park

 grandmaR Says:  This was the place where we had a bathroom and snack stop - we got here right about noon. They advertise hot coffee, breakfast, sandwiches, gifts and the Protea Flower Gardens. I understand that some of the cycle tour people also stop here.I didn't go in and buy anything,... 

Kula Lodge and Restaurant: We sped by

Kula Lodge and Restaurant: We sped by, Haleakala National Park

 grandmaR Says:  As we sped down the road toward the ship, the bus driver mentioned this place, but I was only able to get this blurry photo of it, and of course we didn't stop so I can't review the placeTheir website says:Perched high above the green hills of Kula on the Valley Island of... 

Nightlife  

the top of haleakala: clear view of the stars

the top of haleakala: clear view of the stars, Haleakala National Park

 shadowmon Says:  well there's not much activity unless you want to look at the stars. Usually greatviewing unless there are high level clouds, You are usually above the cloud line when yyou get up to the summit. Be warned, temps at the summit can get as cold as 35 degrees farenheit Warm... 

Transportation  

Bus Tour

Bus Tour, Haleakala National Park

 grandmaR Says:  The road up to the park is filled with switchbacks. My tour ticket said that I should not take this tour if I was prone to motion sickness. To illustrate: Our bus driver told this jokeA priest, a minister and a Haleakala bus driver approached the Pearly Gates. The priest was... 

Haleakala by car

Haleakala by car, Haleakala National Park

 Andraf Says:  You need some sort of motorized vehicle to go to Haleakala so I recommend getting a rental car. There are also tour operators that offer bus rides to Haleakala for those who are scared of the drive. The road climbs quickly and is twisting and narrow at times. You will see... 

Shopping  

National Park Visitor's Center: Squawking Bird

National Park Visitor's Center: Squawking Bird, Haleakala National Park

 DEBBBEDB Says:  The non-profit Hawaii Natural History Association (HNHA) operates three bookstores at Haleakala National Park. HNHA also maintains an online bookstore. Proceeds directly benefit research, educational, and environmental programs at Haleakala National Park I bought this... 

Hawai'i Natural History Assn Bookstore: National Park Gift Shop

Hawai'i Natural History Assn Bookstore: National Park Gift Shop, Haleakala National Park

 grandmaR Says:  This shop has items to purchase for gifts or for greater understanding of the Hawaiian volcanoes. Proceeds from the sales in park visitor centers and the web site are returned directly to the Park Service. There is also an on-line store. # Birds and Biology# CD-ROM & Screen... 

Local Customs  

Nene Goose

Nene Goose, Haleakala National Park

 shadowmon Says:  There are wild nene geese which are a part of a repopulation effore to help get this endangered species back in the wild. they look a lot like a canadian goose. The park service doesnt like people who feed or bother them. 

Warnings Or Dangers  

Altitude Sickness

Altitude Sickness, Haleakala National Park

 DEBBBEDB Says:  Mt. Haleakala is the largest mountain in the Pacific. Of course they count from the sea floor and the usual mountain height is calculated from sea level. Even so it is tall.The ticket for this tour said not to take it if you had heart or lung problems (because of the... 

Park Rules and Recommendations

Park Rules and Recommendations, Haleakala National Park

 grandmaR Says:  Stay on designated trails. (photo 4) Off-trail hiking can kill plants such as the silversword which has wide shallow rootsNo feeding of the Nene. Feeding them makes them tame and tame ones often get hit by cars (photo 5)Enter on foot - no bikes allowed on trails. Other... 

What to Pack  

Dress Warmly for Haleakala!

Dress Warmly for Haleakala!, Haleakala National Park

 baileyniko Says:   I suggest bringing long pants and a sweatshirt or jacket for the top of Haleakala. You can always layer them over your shorts and t-shirt and take them off when you return to the base. It is very chilly and windy! If you don't want to pack bulky clothing for just this one... 

Off The Beaten Path  

Hosmer Grove

Hosmer Grove, Haleakala National Park

 Andraf Says:  Hosmer Grove is a half mile long trail through a small forest of introduced trees. At the beginning of the 20th century, Hosmer planted different kinds of trees like pine, spruce, cedar and eucalyptus, as an experiment to see if they would survive in Hawaii's climate. He was... 

Sports & Outdoors  

Trails on Horseback

Trails on Horseback, Haleakala National Park

 grandmaR Says:  We saw these horses up at the summit. Apparently a company called Pony Express Tours does rides both at the Crater and lower. They also have a ranch (photo 2) down lower on the volcano that offers ziplines.These horses were probably for the Ka Moa O Pele Junction RideThis... 

Ride down the Switchbacks

Ride down the Switchbacks, Haleakala National Park

 grandmaR Says:  Our bus driver pointed several biking possibilities. (It goes without saying that I have not done either of them). He said that the motorcyclists loved to come up on Sunday because there were no police up on the crater to catch them speeding.We also followed people who... 

Favorites  

Silversword

Silversword, Haleakala National Park

 grandmaR Says:  Because the island arose as a volcano from the sea, all of the plants and animals arrived after traversing two thousand miles through the air or sea. Once theses organisms got there, they adapted to the harsh environment to make the species unique. More endangered species... 

Endemic and Endangered

Endemic and Endangered, Haleakala National Park

 grandmaR Says:  The endemic species that are special to the Hawaiian islands are endangered by the mammals that people have brought to the islands. They tell us that the only mammals native to Hawaii are a species of bat and marine mammals. Rats, cows, pigs and the like eat the plants and... 

The Place

Plan a Haleakala National Park vacation with reviews, tips and photos posted by real travelers and Haleakala National Park locals

Experience Haleakala National Park
  •   54 Tips and Reviews
  •  152 Photos
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Map of Haleakala National Park
 

The People

 
Our Members Say
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 The food is Pan Pacific asian fusion food. The Menu changes daily. Lots of local fish and a wonderful cozy atmosphere. This place also has 6 actual lodges in... 

 

Questions and Answers

annk profile photo

Q:  I've heard the majority of visitors ascend the mountain in the pre-dawn hours to view the spectacular sunrise and if skies are... 

BlueCollar profile photo

A: It's always a roll of the dice for this. On a previous trip, we had to leave Lahaina at 3:30AM to make it to the top before sunrise. But once at the top we were met with... 

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Top Haleakala National Park Writers

1

On Top of Maui

Andraf profile photo

 Maui is best known for its beaches but like all the Hawaiian islands is able to offer a lot more than sand and the ocean. Another exciting aspect of Maui is Haleakala National Park, a place full of...... 

2

Cruise Ship Visit

grandmaR profile photo

 I've got some interesting experiences in Haleakala National Park. I'd love to share with you the 12 tips I've written, the 65 photos uploaded, and 1 travelogue I've created. 

3

Like the Moon

DEBBBEDB profile photo

 I've got some interesting experiences in Haleakala National Park. I'd love to share with you the 7 tips I've written, the 31 photos uploaded, and 0 travelogues I've created. 

4

Haleakala National Park

derats profile photo

 From the cold barren heights of a 10,000 ft volcanic peak to the warm Pacific water… This is Haleakala The park encompasses more than 27,000 acres of the mountain with terrain that includes the... 

5

On top of the 2nd largest mountian in the world

DSwede profile photo

 OK, the tallest mountain would be Hawaii, while the second tallest is Maui. That is if you count elevation change from the surrounding terrain. From the ocean floor, both rise farther than... 

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