Perched on the crater rim at 9745ft, the visitor center is the park’s main viewing spot. Sun, shadow and clouds reflecting on the crater floor create a mesmerizing dance of light and color. The parking lot gets packed ahead of sunrise and sunset, and it stays pretty full in between. Leave the crowds behind by doing the 10-minute hike up Pa Kaʻoao (White Hill), which begins at the eastern side of the visitor center and provides stunning views.
Haleakalā Summit Area
Haleakalā National Park
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Piʻilanihale Heiau & Kahanu Garden
15.02 MILES
Probably the most significant stop on the entire Road to Hana, this site combines a 294-acre ethnobotanical garden with the magnificent Piʻilanihale Heiau…
22.27 MILES
If you’ve seen just one photograph of Maui's lush interior, odds are it was of the magnificently phallic 2250ft ʻIao Needle, the green pinnacle that…
15.17 MILES
Who's afraid of the dark? Test yourself at the end of this underground walk by switching off your flashlight. Eerie! One of the odder sights on the Road…
12.74 MILES
From break of day to twilight, this sparkling stretch of sand is a showstopper. Extending from south Kihei to Wailea’s Mokapu Beach, Keawakapu is set back…
29.72 MILES
Tucked in the shadows of the iconic banyan tree, Lahaina’s 1859 courthouse is a repository of history and art. Its location beside the harbor is no…
16.77 MILES
Wai'anapanapa means 'glistening waters', and the clear mineral waters in the cave pools here will leave you feeling squeaky clean. There's a natural lava…
18.97 MILES
This longstanding tourist attraction is a cross between a farm, a dining destination and a botanical garden. The large gift shop stocks art, aloha wear,…
29.7 MILES
A leafy landmark (the largest tree in Hawaii) stands in the center of Lahaina. Remarkably, it sprawls across the entire square. Planted as a seedling on…
Nearby Haleakalā National Park attractions
1. Puʻuʻulaʻula (Red Hill) Overlook
0.41 MILES
You may find yourself standing above the clouds while exploring Puʻuʻulaʻula (10,023ft), Maui’s highest point. The summit building provides a top-of-the…
0.44 MILES
The iron-rich cinders in this flat-top hill, which lies immediately southeast of the summit building (in the direction of Hawaiʻi, the Big Island), pack…
0.68 MILES
As the sun rises, this collection of domed observatories shimmers just beyond the summit. Nicknamed Science City, this area is, unfortunately, off-limits…
1.8 MILES
Don’t miss this one. Kalahaku Overlook (9324ft), 0.8 miles beyond Leleiwi Overlook, offers a bird’s-eye view of the crater floor and the ant-size hikers…
2.36 MILES
For your first jaw-dropping look into the crater and its cinder cones, stop at Leleiwi Overlook (8840ft), midway between the Park Headquarters Visitor…
2.36 MILES
No trip to Maui is complete without visiting this national park containing the mighty volcano that gave rise to East Maui. The volcano's floor measures a…
3.4 MILES
Along the loop trail south of Kawilinau, and accessible via Halemauʻu Trail and Keoneheʻeheʻe (Sliding Sands) Trail, this is the crater’s most brilliant…
3.48 MILES
Legend says that the pit leads down to the sea, though the National Park Service says it’s just 65ft deep.
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