Haleakala National Park trip planner

Haleakala National Park offers visitors the rare opportunity to walk down into the intact crater of a volcano. The volcano has been dormant for at least 500 years, making it safe to walk up to its 3,000 m (10,000 ft) summit and down into the 790 m (2,600 ft) deep crater. The Haleakala Crater itself is a mostly barren landscape of soft, red volcanic earth, with distinctive Haleakala silverswords--a low bush featuring long silver-hued blades--offering one of the few signs of life. A paved road heads right up to the rim and provides easy access to the crater. Most visitors make the trip for either sunrise or sunset and to take a quick hike at least partway down into the crater. The park stays open 24 hours a day, and nighttime visitors often find themselves treated to a bright and clear cosmic display in the sky. Although the park is best known for its volcanic crater, the streams, waterfalls, and lush vegetation of the tropical Kīpahulu Area along the coastline provide a stark contrast to the Mars-like landscape at the summit. Bordering the ocean, this part of the park offers hikes through bamboo forests, swimming, and the chance to view marine wildlife like dolphins, whales, and sea turtles. Our United States tour itinerary maker tool combines visitor reviews with your personal interests to make an itinerary informed by experts, but tailored to suit your style.