Haleakala Visitor Center

Haleakala National Park is arguably the top tourist to do while vacationing here on Maui. While the sunrise and sunset is the most talked about, the trek to get to the summit is unreal and utterly awesome.
*There are two other Unilocal pages relating to Haleakala National Park I found. All of them have photos and reviews about their experiences on Haleakala summit. Search Haleakala Summit and Haleakala Visitors Center.
I have driven to the Haleakala summit a few times during my stays on Maui over the years from 2008 — 2015. The drive is long from anywhere on Maui. From Kahului and Kihei, it’s over an hour, longer from Wailea and Lahaina if you are staying in those areas. Once you get into Kula, the actual drive up Haleakala summit is similar to the Road to Hana: Uphill snaky one lane divided road that can take a good 45 minutes or so. There’s a good viewing spots along the way, but you’d most likely will see cattle grazing along the hillsides as you drive up. Nothing spectacular on the way up, but once you park the car, it’s pretty amazing when you are up there on the Haleakala summit. The overall experience is breath taking and I’d advise to do it just once on your vacation to Maui.
Many people visit Haleakala for the spectacular sunrise and sunset, although you’d need to be up on the summit beforehand, so you don’t miss it. There are many options to camp here and experience the summit that way or hike around the crater during the day to explore the rugged terrain. One of the many aspects of Haleakala that is most appealing to me, is that there is no admission fee at all. There is plenty of parking up along the summit, so best bet would be to get here as early as you can, so you can have more time exploring and admiring the views that Haleakala has to offer you and your family. The sunrise there can’t be beat and there are many photos you see online and on Unilocal,but they don’t do much justice when being there is much more therapeutic and awe inspiring to see it happen.
For the most part, being here on top of Haleakala summit was an amazing experience. Not just being there and admiring the view, but it’s just stunning to be above the clouds and 10,000 feet of elevation. The trails here are rocky, but walkable, hike-​able, and even runnable, if you aw so inclined, like me. Please allocate at least half of the day to truly experience Haleakala. The drive up and down can be time consuming, but so is Road to Hana too. Lol Bring water and food, since they don’t sell stuff at the summit. Wear covered shoes and definitely bring your camera to capture your experiences at the summit of Haleakala. It’s definitely a lifetime experience, if you are a visitor to Maui. For local kamaa’ina, it can be a nice road trip just because and it’s an alternative to hanging out at the beach. Enjoy!
Support local!
A+++
*Cross posted reviews under Haleakala Summit and Haleakala Visitors center

The road to Haleakala visitor center takes you on a beautiful journey 10,000 feet up to what feels like the top of the world. There are many viewpoints along the road to stop and enjoy, and take in a short walk to stretch your legs. It was unique to experience moving through and above clouds in a vehicle that wasn’t an airplane. The visitor center provides an amazing view into the crater itself. It is open until 3pm and has bathrooms onsite.
There are many different trails of varying length to enjoy from the center. There is one we really wanted to do, but didn’t have time, that took you on a hike right through the center of the crater itself. You can journey further up the road to the observatories to enjoy an even better view.
Be careful when you are driving as there is an endangered species of bird that lives here called the Nene. We had the pleasure of seeing many of them. Keep an eye out as they do move fast.

A beautiful place 10,000+ feet above sea level. No other perfect place to watch the sun rise. So perfect I’ve seen visitors from any origin, of all ages for any occasion, even a proposal!
Be advised it is EXTREMELY Cold.
Tip: thick jacket or layers, closed shoes with warm socks, thick jeans or stockings, scarf and beanie. I would even bring a blanket. Don’t underestimate the piercing wind.
You truly have to plan ahead and leave early to beat the traffic. I like to leave at least 2 – 2.5 hours prior to sunrise. This will secure you get their on time with food parking (not pool parking and blocked by other cars) the drive can also be scary. Windy, lack of guard rails. But, if you follow the lines with a moderate speed you will be just fine!
Weather? Cold. Cold. Cold. But, sometimes it does rain and the mountain can be cloudy. So you may get some mist but it would depend on the season.

Watching the sun rise becomes a surreal experience if you go here while on Maui. My adult children and my husband and I got up at 3 AM to drive to the height of the volcano and watch the sun rise. One is above the clouds as the sun comes up, but it is damn COLD up there and so do not think twice about wearing some warm clother. Many people were wrapped in blankets and towels to stave off the chill.
We were amazed at the crowds, but had gotten there early enough to get a front row seat… and even though it was overcast and the clouds blocked the sun, we enjoyed the experience immensely!

Unfortunately we planned our latest trip to Hawaii at the worst possible time of the year for crowds-​Christmas week.
We were staying in Lahaina and had planned for a two hour drive to the summit but the night before got a tip from someone about long lines and crowds so we pushed our wake up time to 3:30 and left at 4:00 am (sunrise due at 6:55) and we were sure glad we did.
Everything was fine as we slowly made our way up the twisty turning road (about an hour going up) until we got within ¼ mile of the entrance where we hit a traffic backup at the pay booth ($ 15 per car by credit card). This extended our trip by around 20 minutes.
The helpful Rangers were triple parking the cars in the lot and we got the last two. We then hiked up to the top (TIP: bring a small flashlight) and settled in. Already there was some color in the sky and we only waited 30 min for sunrise.
This was our third time doing this. It’s well worth the early morning.

You’re driving thousands of feet up there! Above the clouds and it is a great scenic drive on the narrow two-​way road. This is the spot where we started our three day hike into the crater.
I’m sure this place has awesome sunrises from the visitors view, but we were on a different mission. We dirt started off hiking down sliding sands, and since it was a perfect day, the sites were epic.
There are many trails you can navigate through, and the rangers are very friendly and helpful. Check this place out when in Maui.

We hiked all the way to the base of the crater and views from top to end were spectacular. It was a 8 mile trail from the top to the bottom. We were so high that the clouds passed through us. It was an amazing experience BUT return to the top was difficult. Be prepared!!! Otherwise it was definitely worth the trip!

People come up here to see the sunrise… so expect there to be a line forming in the wee hours of the morning. But that’s what you gotta do to get there early and secure a spot with an unbobsructed view at the railing.
Bring warm clothes as the visitor’s center is near 10 000 feet and it is near freezing even during a mild season. Wait a bit after sunrise and go up to the see the silver swords to avoid the initial deluge of traffic going down. Sacrificing your sleep and the feeling in your extremities and you will be rewarded with a beautiful sunrise over the crater of Haleakala. House of the Sun indeed!

Absolutely recommend!!! One of the big surprises of my Maui trip. Absolutely gorgeous views that even the most hardcore scenic guys would get their fill.
Just be warned the roads get very windy going up. If you have motion sickness may need to take it slow. Another weird thing I noticed on the drive up is that if you run you car hard you may get some gas leaking. Not sure if it’s the pressure or all the turns. Once we got back down everything was normal.
Once you get to the towards the top there is a stopping point before you get past the 10k sign. Visit this spot and take the trail to the top. You will get the best views!

This was my first time in Maui and could not do a big hike due to stepping on a sea urchin while surfing at the harbor in Lahaina. (Side note for inexperienced surfers WEAR WATER SHOES)
So that being said, the Haleakala visitors center is an awesome spot to watch the sunrise without having to hike.
There’s a lot to see here as far as the interesting vegetation, the controversial observatory they’re building there, and awesome views of the island.
Had I not stepped on the urchin I would’ve hiked. If you do hike keep in mind it’s self rescue up there. Looked like it would have been lots of fun to explore!
–fee to get in $ 15 (it was my boyfriend and I in a compact car… price might be different with X people and different car)
–put in the Haleakala visitor’s center in your GPS.
–I have AT&T and I had service most of the time. I had it throughout the drive.
–you won’t get lost, there’s only two different highways you have to take from the base of the mountain and LOTS of signs.
–stayed in Kihei, took about 2 hours and 15 – 20 minutes to get to there. I would suggest to get there 1 hr before the sunrise (time changes daily, you can check online the day before to see when it’s supposed to come up), to get a good spot!
–there are group bike tours that start at the top and ride down to the bottom if you’re interested in that.
–yes there is camping. I didn’t do it but saw there were a few sites.
–bring a jacket! It’s cold up there.
Overall awesome experience! I will be back.

We again did the drive up to Haleakala’s volcanic crater. It’s a nice drive, awesome views over the island, and then amazing views down into the crater.
One issue: Don’t plan on getting a cup of coffee or anything to eat or drink up there. Nothing available. So pack food or at least water.

I came here to watch the sunrise with my family. Sadly, there were too many clouds to see anything. Once the clouds cleared, the view was incredible. We were above the clouds.
The visitor’s center was good and the staff was very helpful and willing to give information on the park.
Hopefully, I can come back to see the famous sunrise one day.

Instead of doing the drive to the summit for sunrise/​sunset, we decided the heck with it and went mid-​day. If you do no other drive during your Maui visit, this one’s a MUST DO for its majestic cool factor. In some spots, the landscape made us feel like we were on a different planet.
There are many positives to going mid-​day. Namely, less people, less stress driving (the ascend/​descend is pretty dramatic to 10,023 feet on steep and windy roads — can’t imagine having to do it in the dark), and more opps to stop at cool spots along the way.
Our favorite pit stop was called «Leleiwi» or flying bone in Hawaiian around 8,000 ft above sea level. We just pulled off to a side parking lot on the way up to the summit and took a short walk (.15 miles) to the spot. Guess this was a place where the Hawaiians believed the spirits got uplifted and could see why! The clouds and scenery were other-​worldly and the place felt sacred.
We also saw numerous lookout points with ready-​made photo opps on a clear day — feels like you’re floating above clouds and below them, you get entire shots of Maui and the ocean.
As you gain elevation, it drops about 20 degrees even during the day so make sure to bring a light hoodie or jacket to stay comfortable!

Been up there several times to watch the sunrise and check road condition so I could come back the following day or two on my bicycle. Yes, most people sign up for the bike tour down the volcano, but I want to earn my fun by riding up from Paia (36 miles to the summit) and then descent from 10k ft after having lunch above the cloud!
Got a couple of videos of my visits up there:
Sunrise up there is freezing cold, bring cameras and hotel blankets for warmth and enjoyment. For those motion sensitive folks, a vomit bag would not be bad idea since the drive up and down is winding the twisting. Light headedness should be expected when ascending too fast driving in thin air.
Driving down when clear, slow down and stop at vista points to capture and absorb the beauty of this majestic place.
My itinerary always include a visit up there each time I fly in to Maui. Mahalo!

HALEAKALA VISITOR CENTER @9740 FT/​2969M
PARK HEADQUATERS VISITOR CENTER @7000 FT/​2134M 0800 – 1545
Both has a little store with cards, books, photos and maps.
If you go up there, plan to hike as well. It is beautiful there with all the colors changing and walk through clouds. Please plan to stay up there for at least for a few hours, unless it is raining. We could not hike this time due to rain but Halemauu hike trail is our most favorite, Sliding Sand the second.
Warning: It is usually very windy and cold up there. And unexpectedly, it could rain hard.
$ 10.00 for entrance per car for 3 days.

**MUST SEE/​VISIT**
Sunrise was spectacular, but don’t blame me if there is weather. Plan ahead as you will be at ~10,000 ft (~3000m) and it will be cold and windy. It is typically busy at both the summit and visitors station even at one hour prior to sunrise. The drive is SLOW and takes about 1.5 hours from Kahului.

My 300^th review is dedicated to one of nature’s finest creations and a must-​see for Maui visitors. Being on «Cloud Nine» often refers to people being blissfully happy but when visiting Haleakala, you can forget about being on Cloud Nine because you are pretty much above the clouds. So you can keep your Cloud Nine, I’ll take Haleakala!
With the elevation over 7,000 feet and being up in and over the clouds was such a surreal experience. It almost didn’t feel real. For many, the drive towards and up the mountain is pretty long but it’s well worth it. The road up the mountain is like a sidewinder so if you get car sick, make sure not to drive too fast or maybe even pop a motion-​sickness pill before the drive. The drive up the mountain alone was amazing. We drove through the clouds and the further up we went, the more surreal it got.
The Visitor Center has cultural and natural history exhibits and sells books, maps and posters. The restrooms are clean and they even have a phone booth right outside. Sounds crazy to have a phone booth given the fact that almost everyone carries a cell phone but reception isn’t the best up there so it’s a great option to have.
It was fun being in and above the clouds, and I enjoyed the view not only from the top, but on the way up, we got a nice bird’s eye view of the town below. Overall, visiting Haleakala was the highlight of my Maui trip and if you only see one thing when visiting Maui, I recommend making that one thing Haleakala!
Etc.
There’s a $ 10 entry fee for cars at the guard shack.
Bring a sweater or jacket; it gets chilly at the top!
Make sure you have a camera; there are a ton of great photo ops!

My wife decided we go see the sunrise which I think comes up around 6 am. We left around 2:30 am and lucky for us, there was no traffic driving to the mountain. It does take about 2 hours to drive to the top from Ka’anapali.
As soon as we make it to the top, I parked in the first visitor center. We stayed there for a while, kicked back int he car and rested. After like 30 mins, I see cars leaving and leaving and soon I followed which lead me to the top. I parked there and we took a nap till it was time to see the sunrise. As soon as we got up from our nap, we walked out of the car and it was so cold and windy. We walked up the hill and waited for the sun to rise. As soon as the sun was rising, you can hear millions of people taking pictures.
We walked along the path, took some amazing pictures. It was so beautiful and amazing. We were above the clouds. We were above 10,000 ft elevation. The sun was bright due to the elevation. We had a wonderful experience since it was something we can not so when we are back home.

So heads up, there’s not much hiking involved. Just a lot of driving. This was one of those things everybody said you HAVE to do. So we said, alright. It must be amazing. It was.
Since you have to wake up at the crack of dawn, we decided to use the jet lag to our advantage. We decide to do it the 2^nd day we were in town. Since Zippy’s is 24 hours and was on the way there, we woke up at 2AM, got ready and head out there. Picked up our food and mapped it to the Haleakala Visitor Center. We were told its a scary drive, but if you’ve driven to the mountains to go snowboarding in CA, this is nothing. There was only one spot where you have to yield for the oncoming traffic, but that was about it. There was a $ 10 fee you have to pay at the gate to the park, this is valid for 3 days. Just in case you’d like to come back. After you pass that, you’ll have to go up further. As soon as you see a parking lot for the Visitor Center, turn right and keep going up! That’s not where you want to be. To see the sun rise, you have to go even higher. That’s where some people got confused. As soon as you get to the very top, there’s another parking lot. If you’re lucky or you’re there early enough like we were, we didn’t have a problem getting a spot. But they filled up quickly and people started to double park or made their own spaces.
Since we had a lot of time to kill, we were chillin in the car, eating our Zippy’s. We made sure not to drink or eat too much, we’re not about that port-​a-​potty life! Haha. After we stuffed our faces silly, we walked up the stairs to the very top. We used the flashlight on our phones to make sure we didn’t stumble and fall to our untimely deaths. Okay, that was a little dramatic, but, seriously, who wants to be hurt on their vacation? Not I! When you get to the top, you’ll see everyone bundled up and huddling around towards the front. There’s also a little room you can stand in with plexi glass, but your view could be obstructed by everyone else standing outside in front of you. Well, depending on how tall you are. You came all that way, you should brave the cold for a little bit to enjoy the spectacular views that’s about to unfold right before your eyes.
I had a blanket to wrap myself in. Almost everyone there had one too. It’s pretty crazy to be 10,000+ feet above sea level. You literally were above the clouds. If you are in Maui and rented a car, do yourself a favor and make the trip out here! You won’t regret it!

Let’s drive up to the top of a volcanic mountain that I can’t pronounce and check out the island below.
Don’t be in a hurry to enjoy this national park. I lost count of the number of switchbacks and hairpin curves. It’s a great paved two lane road but you have to share it with many many bicycles. The fastest speed is 35. It took a little over an hour from the base to get to the outlook.
$ 10 per car for entrance fee that is good for three days. There are three areas at the top– the observatory, visitors center and outlook point. The clouds that day were well below the summit and looked like snow and ice over the Pacific Ocean. At the top, 10,023 feet, it felt like it could snow. Dress in layers if you start before noon. And it can be a little windy.
Wear good hiking shoes if you plan to walk any of the paths. The volcanic rock can be quite sharp.