Maui Volcano HaleakalaEast Maui volcano - commonly called Haleakala - has not erupted for over 200 years, but it is an active shield volcano that may erupt again.If you never made it to the moon, this is your chance to have the same experience for the cost of a tank of gas and the $10 per car entrance fee to Haleakala National Park.
• Going up the volcano - Drive Time, Drive Map, Tours Maui Volcano Haleakala Drive TimeNot knowing the drive time to the Haleakala volcano summit is the most common reason for a wasted day.
Make this an early morning trip because the clouds usually flow through the crater late morning. Drive time to the Haleakala volcano summit has two parts:
Some examples: • Kaanapali / Lahaina to Kahului - 45 minutes2. Drive time from Kahului to the volcano summit is about 90 minutes. Remember, you want to beat the clouds to the summit. So make your stop at the Haleakala National Park Visitor Center a quick one. In addition to a free park pamphlet and the last bathroom available before you reach the summit, their store has a good selection of books that you can purchase.
After the Visitor Center, drive straight up to the summit and admire the beautiful unobstructed crater view. Then visit the various visitor centers and stops on your way back down. If the clouds do roll in, you will have already seen the best views at the top.
Haleakala Crater Road Drive MapThe map route highlighted in blue follows Crater Road from State Highway 377, also called Haleakala Highway, to the Sliding Sands Trail at the summit of Haleakala. Drive time for this blue map route along Crater Road (in clear weather, excluding stops) is about an hour of the 90 minute time listed above for the drive from Kahului to the volcano summit. The driver must concentrate on the road and oncoming traffic during the ascent and descent. There are a few vistas with limited parking that allow you to pull off the road and admire the view.
Maui Volcano Haleakala Tours
If you prefer to take a Haleakala tour instead of driving, several Haleakala tour companies will pick you up at your hotel early in the morning and bring you up Haleakala in a tour van or bus.
This lets you watch the scenery rather than the road and you go up and down the winding Crater Road. The large tour operator Roberts Hawaii runs some big buses up the winding road to the summit of Haleakala. Many cruise ship passengers that stopover in Maui for a day are picked up by Roberts Hawaii at Lahaina Harbor. Many companies offer standard and sunrise tours to the Maui volcano Haleakala - including Akina Aloha Tours, Ekahi Tours, Polynesian Adventure Tours, Star Gazers Maui, and Temptation Tours. Get exact pricing and scheduling details for a Haleakala tour at the Barefoot Tours website. Click on Maui, then select Sightseeing Tours.
Volcano Summit and Crater
When you reach the summit of Haleakala, the landscape looks like you just landed on the moon.
Because of the high elevation, you get to look DOWN at the clouds, rather than up. At the volcano summit there are two observation buildings and lots of parking for your car. Several outside observation areas give you different perspectives of the beauty of this sea of lava.
Haleakala Observatories - Science CitySee the white round alien looking buildings in the upper right hand area of the horse riding picture? That's the Haleakala Observatories - Science City is the common name for these white buildings.
Haleakala's remote location in the Pacific Ocean and lack of artificial light in the surrounding area make for ideal viewing conditions. This is one of the top five sites in the world for astronomy and probably the best site for solar astronomy. You can observe these facilities from a distance, but signs warn you to not approach or enter the area. For very detailed information about Science City, visit the Haleakala Observatories website.
Maui Volcano Haleakala HikingOnce at the summit, we put on our jackets and took several hikes.
You can go for just a few minutes or several hours, depending on how long you want to hike. The further down you hike, the more you are surrounded by nothing but lava rocks on all sides. The summit area is loaded with over 30 miles of hiking trails - Hosmer Grove Trail, The Supply Trail, Halemauu Trail, Leleiwi Overlook, Pa Kaoao Trail, Keoneheehee Trail (Sliding Sands Trail), Kaupo Gap Trail (see video below), and an All Day Hike - Keoneheehee to Halemauu.
Haleakala Horseback Riding
Haleakala horseback riding lets you descend from the volcano summit down into the crater. Sliding Sands Trail is steep with lots of switchbacks. This tough trip is not recommended for first time riders. |
The problem? Getting to the summit after the crater has become obscured by clouds.
The most unique is Sliding Sands Trail, which starts from the parking area near the summit and goes down to the crater.
The silversword plant is a rare endangered species that only grows on the slopes of Haleakala, and blooms only once (usually in June or July) for about two months and then dies.
We also like the inexpensive prices for their unique flower protea arrangements.
It also has a restaurant whose decor makes us feel like we are in a wooden hunting lodge.
