Top 10 Things to Do on Haleakala

To ensure a smooth journey, make sure to fill up your gas tank and map out your route the day before. Check the Haleakala Sunrise and Sunset times to know how far in advance you need to leave, and keep in mind that cattle often graze on Crater Road from September through March, so drive slowly and be on the lookout around blind curves. The cost for entering Haleakala National Park is $10 per vehicle, which is good for up to 3 days, making it a small price to pay to experience the Kipahulu Area of Haleakala National Park. Pack warm clothes (Haleakala Outfitters rents jackets for $20), as the summit is usually between 35 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit (~2-13°C), and don’t forget to bring water, snacks and your camera! Reservations must be made in advance!

Maui Stargazing is a small company that offers private and group stargazing experiences, perfect for every member of your family. Guests meet at Upcountry’s Kula Lodge before sunset to make the drive up the slopes of Haleakala to the 10,000-foot summit, where viewing conditions are spectacular on clear nights. Since gazing is best when the moon is smallest, check the moon phases around the time of your trip and reserve your tour when the moonlight is at a minimum. Jan, the owner of Maui Stargazing, is an excellent guide and points out amazing star clusters, nebulae and galaxies, and even allows guests a close-up view of the moon. Pack warm clothing (Jan provides free jackets, pants, and hats on tours) and get ready for a truly fantastic experience!

Beginning at the summit of Haleakala, the Sliding Sands Trail descends a staggering 2,800 feet to the valley floor, continuing to Kapalaoa cabin for a total of 5.6 miles or Paliku cabin at 10.4 miles. On the way back out, we recommend that you take Halemau’u Trail due to the steepness of Keoneheehee Trail. While this trail is not for the inexperienced, it does provide amazing views you won’t find anywhere else. Make sure to pack lots of water, snacks, and all necessary supplies.

For amateur hiking, head to the Polipoli Spring State Recreation Area & Forest Reserve, where you’ll find trails ranging from .6 miles to 1.7 miles in length at an average of 7,000 feet above sea level. These hiking trails offer some of the most magical views on the island, often encompassing hikers in cloudy mist through redwood trees, plum trees, and native flora and fauna and offering sweeping views of West, Central, and South Maui as well as neighbor islands.

Haleakala Bike Company offers excellent service and a vast assortment of tours, including a Sunrise Special Tour, where guests will be driven to the summit in time to watch the sunrise before biking down. They also offer the Summit Deluxe Tour that leaves later in the morning or the Haleakala Express Tour that does not visit the summit and allows guests to simply focus on the bike ride. Bike rentals are also available for those of you who would like to do it by yourselves, which is a great way to experience the elevation change, see the beautiful views, and have fun all at the same time.

Along the winding trails through Ulupalakua Ranch you’ll enjoy sweeping views of the last lava flow on Maui at La Perouse Bay, the ocean, and the remote hills along the back, less-traveled side of Haleakala. They also have an incredible Ranch Grill with a variety of burgers and ono plate lunches so make sure to bring your appetite!

With Thompson Ranch, guests can choose between Morning Rides, Picnic Rides, and Sunset Rides, with all tours conducted by professional guides on an active Maui ranch. To ride horses at Thompson Ranch, riders need to be in good physical condition. Horses are only meant to carry 20% of their body weight, so riders must not exceed 200 lbs or a BMI of 27.

All rides at Thompson Ranch are private and Sunset Rides are restricted during winter months.

Jungle Zipline offers two tours: a 5-Line and an 8-Line Eco Tour. What makes Jungle Zipline so unique is that prior to beginning activity operations, they spent years preparing the land below by re-planting various native Hawaiian plant species. Guests will soar above a conservation land that boasts many rare species like Pohole Ferns and Taro. Another great thing about booking with Jungle Zipline Tours is that they donate a portion of all sales to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

North Shore Zipline is another incredible choice for Maui ziplining tours. Dubbed “Maui’s Funnest Zipline,” this company offers more than meets the eye. North Shore Zipline operates its activities over a historic Maui property known as “Camp Maui.” From 1943 to 1945, Camp Maui was the home base for the Fourth Marine Division, a.k.a. Maui’s Marines. Besides offering an exhilarating Maui Zipline tour, they also have an on-site WWII Museum.

No matter on which Maui Zipline you choose to venture, make sure to book ahead of time. This popular activity books up quickly!

All instructors carry a certification by the U.S. Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association, so you can ensure you’re in the best hands possible. They fly during all seasons and most days of the year and fly out of Waipoli Flight Park on the slopes of Haleakala. The views during this experience are amazing, so make sure to pack your GoPro and your sense of adventure.

For less strenuous camping, consider one of the two drive-in campsites on Haleakala. Kipahulu Campground, located on the backside of Haleakala National Park, overlooks ocean cliffs and is only a short walk from Ohe’o Gulch (aka Seven Sacred Pools) and Pipiwai Trail. You can hike through a bamboo forest to reach Waimoku Falls, a 400-foot cascading waterfall. If driving the Road to Hana isn’t on your agenda but you’d still like to camp, take the drive through Upcountry Maui to reach Hosmer Grove Campground in the cloud belt of Haleakala, just below 7,000 feet of elevation. Enjoy much cooler (and even freezing, on occasion) temperatures and beautiful surrounding hiking trails.

With so many excellent ways to get involved on Maui, we highly recommend volunteering on Haleakala for an inside look at its unique history, needs, and maintenance to keep it functioning smoothly. Organizations like Friends of Haleakala National Park host service trips throughout the year to assist in thistle eradication, Nene Goose habitat improvement, blackberry eradication and general cleaning duties for the cabins located in the crater of Haleakala. In addition, Haleakala National Park offers drop-in volunteer opportunities for visitors interested in one to three-day projects.