Haleakala National Park is a fun and unique National Park to visit on the island of Maui in Hawaii. You can easily spend one day at Haleakala National Park hiking and exploring what the park has to offer. It should be part of any Maui or Hawaii Itinerary.
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History of Haleakala National Park
Haleakala National Park was originally part of the Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park that was created in 1916. In 1961, the parks were divided into separate parks. The main feature of the park is the Haleakala Volcano which last erupted sometime between 1480 and 1600. Haleakala means “House of the Sun” in Hawaiian. It is said that the demigod Maui imprisoned the sun here to lengthen the day.
Haleakala National Park is divided into two districts: The Summit Area and the Kipahulu District. There is no road within the park that connects the two. The Summit Area is the more popular area as it is the most accessible. The Kipahulu District is accessible from the Hana side of the island. It is at a lower elevation and contains a rainforest climate.
Best Time To Visit Haleakala National Park
Weather in the park varies by the time of day and season. When visiting for the sunrise, it is always pretty chilly, so make sure to bundle up. Winter is typically the best and most popular time to spend one day at Haleakala National Park as the weather is most consistent. However, you can still visit the park any time of the year and have a great experience.
How to Get to Haleakala National Park
Haleakala National Park is located on the eastern side of Maui. It takes about an hour and 15 minutes to reach the summit from the Maui airport. Keep in mind that the roads inside the park are very windy and have a low speed limit.
To get to Haleakala National Park follow the HI-37 for 17 miles to the entrance of the park. From there it is another 20-mile drive along State Highway 378 to get to the Summit of Haleakala.
Transportation Around Haleakala National Park
There is no public transportation around Haleakala National Park, so you will need a car to get around. There is one main road in both sections of the park, so it is easy to navigate around once inside the park.
Hours and Admission
The Summit District of Haleakala is open 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year. From 3am-7am you will need to make a reservation to get in to view the Sunrise. These cost $1.
The Kipahulu District (eastern side) is open from 9am-5pm. You will be locked inside of the park if you do not leave by 5.
It costs $30/car to get into Haleakala National Park or free with the America the Beautiful Pass. This admission is good for 3 days.
Where to Stay in Haleakala National Park
TripAdvisor is a great place to start your hotel search. Search for the best National Park hotels here!
There is no lodging within the park. The closest accommodations are 30 minutes away, so make sure to keep that in mind when planning one day at Haleakala National Park. There are a few spots at the Hosmer Grove Campground if you are interested in camping. Just make sure to get a reservation.
We opted to stay in Wailea at the AC Hotel by Marriott which is about an hour and a half drive from the park. I booked the hotel using my Marriott Credit Card points to save some money. If you choose to stay in the popular Kaanapali area, it is about a 2-hour drive to the park.
Check out this post to see how I visited Maui using points!
What to do During One Day at Haleakala National Park
You will definitely have lots of opportunities for some cool hikes and overlooks when spending one day at Haleakala National Park.
Summit Area
Sunrise at the Summit
The main attraction when spending one day at Haleakala National Park is watching the sunrise. If you want to watch the sunrise, you will need to make reservations ahead of time here. It costs $1 and they are released at 7am Hawaii time a few weeks before. The reservation is good to enter the park from 3am to 7am, and you cannot enter during that time without a reservation.
I recommend watching the sunrise from the Summit. The summit is at 10,023 feet elevation and has 360-degree views of the park and surrounding area. For the best spot, plan to get there by 4:30am/5am depending on the season. It can get pretty crowded up there, especially once the sun starts to rise. While you are waiting for the sun to rise, you can also stargaze.
Please remember this is considered a sacred Hawaiian ritual, so it is often quiet as the sun rises.
Keonehe‘ehe‘e (Sliding Sands) Trail
Distance: 0.5 miles to 7.8 miles Round Trip
After watching the sunrise, head to the Visitor’s Center parking lot to hike the Keonehe‘ehe‘e Trail. This trail takes hikers to the floor of the crater. There are several viewpoints stops along the way. Note that this hike is very strenuous coming back up due to the elevation gain as well as the elevation it is at. If you hike the complete trail to the floor, it is 7.8 miles round trip.
If looking for a mild hike, you can hike to the first overlook which is 0.5 miles round trip. We opted to hike about 2 miles down into the crater. It had some awesome views at that point. It took us about 2 hours round trip to go that distance. The Keonehe‘ehe‘e Trail is well worth a hike during one day at Haleakala National Park.
Pa Ka’oao Overlook
Distance: 0.4 miles Round Trip
Another short trail to take during one day at Haleakala National Park is the Pa Ka’oao Overlook trail. Located next to the Visitor’s Center, this 0.4 mile round trip trail takes you up a slight incline to a lookout for the crater. This is a good option if you do not want to complete all of the Keonehe‘ehe‘e Trail as it is way less strenuous.
Kalahaku Overlook
After finishing with the trails around the Visitor’s Center, head down to the Kalahaku Overlook. This quick stop offers some more views of the crater. This is a good stop if you do not want to complete any of the Keonehe‘ehe‘e Trail.
Leleiwi Overlook
Distance: 0.3 miles Round TripNext, during your one day at Haleakala National Park, stop at the Leleiwi Overlook. The Leleiwi Overlook is another viewpoint of the crater and surrounding area. It is just a short 5-minute walk to the viewpoint. On a clear day, you can see all the way to Maui’s North Shore from here.
Halemau’u Trail
Distance: 4.4 miles Round Trip to the viewpoint, 8 miles Round Trip to the crater floor
If you do not want to complete the Keonehe‘ehe‘e Trail or want another more strenuous hike, opt to take the Halemau’u Trail. It is a 2.2-mile hike one way to the first viewpoint that overlooks the crater. Just past that is a natural land bridge known as Rainbow Bridge. You can also hike the entire 4-miles one way to the crater floor. Overall, plan for this hike to take several hours to complete when spending one day at Haleakala National Park.
Hosmer Grove
Distance: 0.54 miles Round Trip
Hosmer Grove is an easy short hike through a non-native forest. A group brought various trees to Maui and planted them to see which ones would grow best. The goal was to try to produce lumber for the island so they would not have to import it, but the trees did not grow well.
Throughout this hike is also a lot of native shrubland and a ton of birds. This is the place to go if you want to go birdwatching or take some gorgeous photos. You can easily complete this trail in 15 minutes and it should be your last stop during your one day at Haleakala National Park.
Sunset
If you opt to not get up to attend sunrise during your one day at Haleakala National Park, you can instead opt to watch the sunset. This does not require a reservation like sunrise and is often less busy. It is recommended to view it from the Summit just like the sunrise.
More Than One Day at Haleakala National Park
Kipahulu District
If you have more than one day at Haleakala National Park, opt to visit the eastern side of the park, also known as the Kipahulu District. This is accessible from the Hana side of the island and offers a different experience than the Summit Area.
Pipiwai Trail
Distance: 4 miles Round Trip
The Pipiwai Trail is the most popular hike in the Kipahulu District. This hike winds through a forested area and has several cool stops along the way. The Makahiku Overlook provides a picturesque view of the area and the falls. About a mile into the trail, hikers will pass through a bamboo forest and then the trail ends at Waimoku Falls.
Kuloa Point Trail
Distance: 0.5 miles Round Trip
The Kuloa Point Trail takes hikers to an ocean overlook and past archeological sites. You can also view the “Seven Sacred Pools” along this trail. It is an easy hike to complete when spending one day at Haleakala National Park.
Tips for Spending One Day at Haleakala National Park
- Remember you are at elevation, so make sure to drink a lot of water and take things slowly.
- There is nowhere to get food within the park, so plan to pack your own.
- Wear layers, especially if you plan on watching the sunrise. The weather can be quite cold in the morning but warm up throughout the day.
If you are hungry after spending one day at Haleakala National Park, make sure to stop at Restaurant Marlow on the way back. This place has amazing and fun pizzas and salads -the perfect food to eat after hiking. Right next door is also Mahalo Aleworks which has gorgeous views of the island and some great beers. I really enjoyed the star fruit sour.
Shaka Guide
Shaka Guide is a GPS self-guided audio tour that you can download to your phone. Currently, they have one for each of the Hawaiian islands. They provide great background information about the area. The best part is you do not need the internet to use them. Click below for the Shaka Guide for each island.
If you have more time, make sure to head to the other Hawaiian Islands. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island is well worth a visit. Oahu also has a ton of cheap things to do to keep you busy. Hawaii also has a ton of road trips around the islands.
1 thought on “10+ of the Best Hikes To Take During One Day at Haleakala National Park”
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