Explore Haleakala's Summit
Kula, Hawaii
Description
Added by Lucas Moore
Reach the summit for both a sense of amazing accomplishment and unreal views of the Haleakala Crater. The summit offers stunning sunrise and sunset views. There is easy parking, restrooms and visitor center at the summit.
Head to Haleakala's summit for amazing views of the island and your choice of a stunning sunrise or sunset. Keep in mind that you are 10,000 feet up once you're at the summit, so be prepared with warmer layers. If you're planning to get there early for the sunrise, make sure to bring a little food with you as there's nowhere to pick supplies up inside the park.
For those looking for a real challenge, you can choose the round-trip trek to the summit ~38 miles, elevation gain 10,000 feet.
Haleakala Summit has some of the best stargazing conditions in the world, hence the observatory there. There is also free camping at Hosmer Grove.
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Reviews
The besttt sunrise was here. Super cold but warms up when the sun comes out. Worth the 5am wake up call! Now you will have to make reservations to get up there but if you know a local, you can get in no problem :)
5.0
Absolutely incredible sunrise above the clouds! Give yourself an hour or more to watch the sunrise and see the clouds lift to reveal more and more of the incredible view! Dress warmly, it can be very very cold, especially in the early morning. We booked a tour through Maui Riders for the Maui Sunrise Volcano Bike Tour, where we rode a bus to the top for the volcano for sunrise, then biked down the mountain (really coasted, I think I maybe pedaled twice!) Definitely would recommend this! Can't go at sunrise? The views are amazing anytime of day and you'll see some the endangered Hawaiian Silversword plant and maybe even a Chukar Partridge or a NeNe goose!
5.0
Unbelievable view, this is worth getting up early for. I'd recommend trying to get there before 5:30 if possible because the two summit lots can fill up regardless of reservation.
5.0
If you are debating whether to watch the sunrise from the summit, do it! The views are one of a kind and absolutely breathtaking.
5.0
This is an absolute must-do if you find yourself on Maui. Out of all of the sights I saw when I was on the island, the memory of seeing the sunrise at the summit sticks out the most to me. Just an amazing sight. As Lucas mentioned in the adventure post, bring some layers. It was incredibly cold and windy at the summit. I didn’t plan ahead because, well because you are in Hawaii, a tropical paradise, and the last thing on my mind was packing warm clothes. I was lucky enough to have packed a hoodie but I still ended up freezing. As of February 2017, the NPS has implemented a reservation system in order to view the sunrise in the Summit District of the park. The reservation fee is only $1.50 per car but you will need to secure a reservation to enter and park in the Summit District between 3:00 am and 7:00 am. Reservations can be made up to 60 days in advance but I’m not sure how quickly they sell out. This system wasn’t in place when I visited Haleakala…so plan ahead.
5.0
Go during sunrise, you won't regret it. One of the coolest things we saw on the whole island. Make sure you show up early cause it gets crowded and the sunrise is best about an hour before sunrise I thought.
5.0
Leave No Trace
Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!
Nearby
Catch a Sunrise from Pa Ka'oao (White Hill) on Haleakala
Hike the Sliding Sands Trail
Backpack the Haleakala Wilderness: Halemau'u to Sliding Sands Trail
Camp at Hosmer Grove
Hike the Lau'ulu Trail to the Kalapawili Ridge
Hike & Swim Twin Falls, Maui
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