Hawaii Est. 1961

Haleakala National Park

Volcanic Ocean Island

Plan a visit Check conditions

Established

1961

Size

33,265 acres

Visitors / yr

791K

Entrance

$30

Best season

Year-round (summit reservations required for sunrise)

Nearest airport

OGG Kahului Airport

Information: No Water at Hosmer Campground +3 more Wildfire Tracker

Why Haleakala is worth the trip

Hawaii · Established 1961

Haleakala is the park where folks set a 3 a.m. alarm on vacation and call it the highlight of the trip. The payoff is sunrise from a 10,000-foot volcano summit above a sea of clouds, an event so popular the park requires reservations just to drive up for it. Sunset, for the record, needs no reservation and concedes very little.

Stay past the photo. The summit crater stretches seven miles across, a painted volcanic bowl you can hike into on the Keonehe'ehe'e, or Sliding Sands, trail, past cinder cones and silverswords, spiky silver plants that grow nowhere else on Earth and bloom once in their lives. Then remember the park's other half. The Kipahulu District out past Hana trades cinders for waterfalls, bamboo forest, and the pools of Ohe'o. One volcano, summit to sea.

Start with our full Haleakala guide, then use the planning below.

Conditions today Good day to go

WeatherHigh 76°F · Mostly Sunny then Isolated Rain Showers

Air qualityAQI 2 Good

WildfireNo active fires nearby Clear

NPS alerts4 routine alerts 4 active

Air quality map Wildfire tracker

See live Haleakala conditions in the all-parks tracker

Open, clean air, no fire nearby, and no severe weather; the Park Service has 4 routine alerts worth a look.

Top things to do in Haleakala

Where we would start, and what we would plan a day around. Read the full guide.

Start here

20 Things to Do in Haleakala National Park (2026 Guide)

Read the guide

Junior Ranger Program · nps.gov Become a Haleakalā Junior Ranger Complete activities featuring the plants, animals, and history of Haleakalā to earn your Junior Ranger badge! 02

Hiking · nps.gov Moderate Hike into Haleakalā's Crater Enter the park's Wilderness on the Keoneheʻeheʻe (Sliding Sands) Trail and take a moderate out-and-back hike partway down the windswept cinder slope. This is... 03

Cultural Demonstrations · nps.gov Enjoy the Sunrise Start your day at the top of Haleakalā. With an advance sunrise reservation, visitors can await the dawn from any of four lookouts leading... 04

Hiking · nps.gov Strenuous Hike Across the Crater Floor Experienced hikers can "thru" hike the crater from Keoneheʻeheʻe (Sliding Sands) Trailhead, across the crater floor, and out to Halemauʻu Trailhead. This hike is...

Best hikes in Haleakala

The trails that define the park, with the distance and elevation numbers that decide your day.

The trail guide The Haleakala Crater Hike on Maui: A Complete Guide 13 min read

Before you go

Get the Haleakala heads-up

Permit windows, closures and seasonal alerts, plus our best Haleakala guides, in your inbox before you go. Free, no spam.

Plan your trip

Our guides for the big decisions, plus the gear, maps and lodging we would actually use for Haleakala.

Things to Do Best Hikes When to Visit Fun Facts

Where to stay

Gateway towns with lodging, food and outfitters.

Kula, HIGateway town
Paia, HIGateway town
Kahului, HIGateway town
Hosmer Grove Campground 6 sites · Reserve
Kīpahulu Campground 9 sites · Reserve

Compare stays near Haleakala

Maps & guides

Carry paper. Cell service dies fast inside most parks.

Haleakala Trails Illustrated map

Waterproof National Geographic topo of the park.

View on Amazon

Haleakala field guide

Trail-by-trail detail and planning help in print.

View on Amazon

America the Beautiful pass

$80 a year. Covers entrance fees at more than 2,000 federal recreation sites.

Get the pass

What to bring

Field-tested picks we bring on park trips.

Sun Hat

Full-brim coverage for exposed trails with zero shade. View on REI
Water Shoes

Quick-drying grip for shorelines, slot canyons, and river crossings. View on REI
Sun-Protective Shirt

UPF 50+ fabric keeps you cool and blocks UV all day. View on REI
Water Bottles

Carry at least 2 liters. More in desert heat. View on REI

Getting there

OGG Kahului Airport 28 mi

NPS Official Page Reservations Google Maps

Some links in this section are affiliate links. If you book or buy through them we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend what we would use ourselves.

Haleakala map

VC Visitor Center CG Campground Nearby Park

When to go

Read our seasonal guide

Loading weather...

Month-by-Month Conditions

Tap any month for details

Month

High

Low

Crowds

Roads

Jan

72°

58°

Moderate

Open

Feb

72°

57°

Moderate

Open

Mar

73°

58°

Moderate

Open

Apr

74°

59°

Moderate

Open

May Best

76°

61°

Heavy

Open

Jun Best

79°

63°

Heavy

Open

Jul Best

82°

65°

Heavy

Open

Aug Best

82°

66°

Moderate

Open

Sep Best

82°

66°

Moderate

Open

Oct Best

80°

64°

Moderate

Open

Nov

77°

62°

Moderate

Open

Dec

74°

59°

Moderate

Open

Best months to visit Crowd level (low to peak)

Watch our film