Haleakala National Park, Maui Hawaii
Celebrate The Park’s 100th Year By Visiting This Unique Biosphere
Haleakala National Park has the largest concentration of endangered species of any National Park. highway climbs to 10,000’ from sea level, attaining this height in a shorter distance than any other road in the world. was named an International Biosphere Reserve in 1980.
Haleakala National Park contains one of two volcanoes that make up the island of Maui. The West Maui Mountains were the first volcano to rise above sea level that make up modern day Maui some 2 million years ago. Haleakala is estimated to be around 1 million years old. The summit tops at 10,023 ft, if measured from it’s base on the ocean floor the mountain is approximately 30,000 ft tall! Along with Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea volcanoes on the Big Island, these volcanoes comprise the three tallest mountains on earth!
The Historical Beginnings & Uses Of Mount Haleakala
The history of the National Park starts with its rise from the ocean approximately 1 million years ago. Successive lava flows continuously built up the land. As the height increased the mountain began to create it’s own weather from the moisture laden sea breezes and trade winds. Gulches and valleys were formed by erosion from the rains captured by the mountain slopes. By the time the first wave of polynesian settlers arrived between 100 and 600 A.D. the landscape of the park was sparse with upland forests taking hold at the highest level up the mountain and mature. The first polynesian settlers surely declared it sacred, as was common with large mountains in ancient times. In the Hawaiian language Haleakala means “House of the Sun” and legend tells of the demi-god Maui (a powerful and super-natural god known throughout polynesia) who lassoed the sun to slow its progress across the sky. This enabled his mother (and consequently the Hawaiian people) to live more comfortably on the land.
Found within Haleakala National Park boundaries;
- Numerous archaeological sites including heiau, platforms, pictographs.
- Slingstones have been found, used to hunt birds for their feathers used in art and clothing
- Sacred places in the crater where ceremonies were to be performed
- Dead were buried in remote, isolated places making the crater a favorite burial spot
- Transportation route – emergency access to east Maui
The weather along the slopes of of the mountain and within the valley vary widely, as most alpine regions of the planet do. Of the 20 recognized climate zones on earth Maui has 17 of them. Many of these “microclimates” are scattered throughout The Park at both the Crater and Kipahulu districts of the park. Experience many of them on the well-maintained hiking trails within the park.
Visitors are often surprised at how cold it can be at 10,000 ft…even though the tropical climate at beach averages around 75 to 85 degrees year round. At the summit the weather can be highly unpredictable and can change fast. Freezing wind chill temperatures can happen at any time but for the most part summers are dry and warm. Winter months can be wet, windy and cold and there is usually at least one day per year that the summit gets a dusting of snow!
The Summit Area
The summit area rises 10,023 feet above the ocean looks down into a massive crater some 7 miles across, 2 miles wide and close to 3000 ft deep. At the summit the expansive views take in four islands on a clear day making it one of the most impressive experiences in all of Hawaii. Well over half of all Maui visitors visit Haleakala Crater. They make the arduous journey up the switchback road rising from sea level to 10,000 ft in only 38 miles…one of the shortest ascending roads to this elevation in the world.
Inside The Crater
The inside of Haleakala crater is actually not a crater at all. What you’re looking at from the summit is two separate parts of the volcano that collapsed into each other creating a valley. Subsequent eruptions formed the cinder cones you see on the crater floor. Erosion over thousands of years formed the flowing colors of that seem to have been poured down the crater rim. There is camping and rustic cabins within the crater for the brave and adventurous types as well as ranger guided day hikes from the summit.
Kipahulu Area
The earliest radiocarbon dating of human activity can be found on the Hana side of Haleakala National Park (Kipahulu and the Pools of Oheo area). Early polynesians arrived here around 1100 to 1300 A.D. It is estimated that the mountain may have been active during this time (erupting 10 times in the last 1000 years) which may be why it took hundreds of years before evidence of Hawaiians venturing into the summit regions appeared. Mostly Hawaiians entered the park’s wilderness and crater for ceremonial purposes and for religious instruction and training. Today the Pools of Oheo in the Kipahulu district of the park is one of the most popular areas for visitors in this part of the park.
What To Expect At The Summit Of Haleakala
Weather At The Summit During Sunrise & Sunset
The weather at the summit is constantly changing and pretty tough to accurately forecast. This is because the mountain creates it’s own weather every day. Light rains and winds at sea level create scenes of rainbows and softly waving palm trees, but at 10,000 ft these become driving rain and winds that can reach 70 to 80 miles an hour! Always check the National Weather Service for the summit forecast or you can get up to the minute conditions from the observatories of the University of Hawaii’s Institute for Astronomy’s website.
By sunset (which are also spectacular from up here) the summit is cooling quickly back down to the mid 50’s to low 60’s depending on the elevation. Two or so hours after sunset you’ll be scrambling for a jacket as the 50’s turn to 40’s rather quickly. However full moons are amazing from the summit (with guided ranger hikes too!) and if you time it right you can watch the sunset and the full moonrise at the same time!
Summit Weather During The Day
At sunrise the temperature averages in the high 30’s to low 40’s but it rises quickly after sun up. By noon on a clear day the crater can be a balmy 65 to 75 degrees. The sun’s radiation is intense at this elevation so be sure to use sunscreen.. Average temperatures during the day can range wildly at the summit and are mostly influenced by the clouds. The radiation from the sun is intense up at the top of the mountain and a cool 70 degrees in bright sun can feel like 80. If it’s cloudy it can be cold and damp and that 60 or 70 degrees can feel like 40.
As the day progresses on the upper slopes and summit of Haleakala the mountain begins to create her own weather. If you’re up here during the day you can see the clouds floating into the slopes and moving up the mountains as an intermittent fog bank. It’s as if the island is actually breathing in and out. It’s an inspiring and peaceful event to witness!
The park headquarters and entrance are located at around the 7000 ft elevation. Exhibits and displays here are very informative and you may even see the resident Nene Goose (Hawaii’s state bird) roaming around the grounds. Temperatures here are around 5 to 10 degrees warmer than the summit with several day hiking trails nearby at Hosmer Grove Campground.
Seasonal Weather Impact At The Summit
Most of Maui at sea level is a steady 75 to 85 degrees year around. This is not the case at the summit or in the crater. In the winter months it can be cold enough to snow with winds reaching 50 to 80 miles per hour in which case the park can close. Keep an eye on the weather before heading up the mountain through the National Weather Services summit forecast page.
If you live in Maui or have visited at different times of the year you know it’s pretty consistently beautiful weather. In the summer months the weather is a bit warmer (upper 80’s) than the winter months (mid 70’s) at sea level. However the farther upcountry you travel the more Maui starts to show a real transition into seasons.
For instance Kula (the area you’ll pass through on the way up to Haleakala) can have misty rains every afternoon year round and winter mornings can start in the 40 degree range and be in the 70’s by noon. Summers upcountry are a favorite with the locals as the cool weather can be a nice relief from the hot humid beaches at sea level. Kula’s elevations range from about 2000 to 4000 ft so the change in weather from here to the summit at 10,000 ft can be huge! Expect wind, rain and snow in the winter months and high winds and misty clouds on the slopes and inside the crater even in the summer months.
Hawaii is full of stunning natural wonders but one of the most impressive of all in the islands is Haleakala National Park. Split into two distinct areas this Haleakala National Park covers more than 27 square miles at the summit and 19 square miles at Kipahulu Valley which runs from the top of the volcano’s eastern slope down to the ocean at the Pools of Oheo. Of this 46 square miles approximately 38 square miles of the park is wilderness area.
The earliest radiocarbon dating of human activity can be found in the Hana area of Haleakala National Park (Kipahulu and the Pools of Oheo area). Archaeologists have learned that early polynesians arrived here within the range of around 1100 to 1300 A.D. It is estimated that the mountain may have been active during this time (erupting 10 times in the last 1000 years) which may be why it took hundreds of years for Hawaiians to start venturing into the summit regions of the wilderness for ceremonial purposes, religious instruction and training.
By the late 1880’s cattle ranching and sugarcane production were in full swing in Maui. Unfortunately this also accelerated the destruction of habitats. Cattle, goats and pigs roamed the upper slopes and within the crater destroying the fragile plant life. Cattle were taken off the land by 1922, 6 years after the area became a National Park in 1916.
Thanks to the hard work of the National Park Service and non profits such as the East Maui Watershed Partnership the last nine miles of a 65 mile boundary fencing were completed in 2006. The fence surrounds 12,000 acres of rainforest keeping feral pigs, goats and axis deer from munching the rare plants of this lush alpine rainforest. Haleakala National Park plants & animals protected by this fence are seeing a noticeable rebound.
Haleakala National Park is the only National Park completely surrounded by a boundary fence. The invasive animals have been eradicated within the park boundary but they do sometimes breach the fences. The Parks Service is consistently monitoring the miles of remote fenceline with drones and helicoptering into remote areas for repairs. Their hard work has payed off as many endangered ecosystems are making a comeback. Plants and animals have been reintroduced and the efforts continues today.
1164 - 1384
Between 1164 and 1384 is the current earliest calibrated radiocarbon date range for Hawaiian use of Park lands in Kīpahulu area near Hana.
1841
Charles Wilkes in 1841 explored and mapped the area as part of the United States Exploring Expedition.
1890
In 1890 sunrise viewing at the summit of Haleakala was a prime attraction. Horseback rides to summit began at 2:00am.
1900
Organized tours to the summit began in 1900 including horseback expeditions from Olinda.
1916
In 1916 Hawai’i National Parks is established as a combination of three locations; Kilauea and Mauna Loa on the Big Island of Hawai’i and Haleakala on Maui.
1925
Support for a road to the mountain top is given in the US Congress in 1925.
1936
Haleakala Visitor Center near the park entrance is completed in 1936.
1941 - 1943
Haleakala park and crater is closed to the public and occupied by the U.S. Army for training between 1941 and 1943. Buildings and road built to Red Hill.
1951
In 1951 the upper slopes of Kipahulu Valley is included in the park.
1958
The Park headquarters is completed in 1958.
1962
Hawai’i State bird, the Nene Goose, is reintroduced to Haleakala in 1962. The geese have not been seen on the island since the 1890’s due to predation by introduced cats, rats, and mongoose, as well as habitat destruction from grazing cattle.
1969
Lower Kipahulu Valley and its coastal area are added to the park which includes the Pools of Oheo in 1969.
1980
In 1980 the park was designated an International Biosphere Reserve.
1999
Ka’apahu lands in the Kipahulu area are added in 1999.
2015
Commercial-free days are added for Native Hawaiians to conduct cultural practices starting in 2015. About 5 of these occur each year.
1828
In 1828 saw the first written record of an ascent to the summit of Haleakala is made by three missionaries. (Richard Green, Lorrin Andrews & William Richards)
1888
Haleakala Ranch is established in 1888. Grazing of cattle begins on the slopes of Haleakala. Cattle are pastured in Haleakala Crater until 1922. Ranching is established in Kīpahulu after sugar production ends in the mid-1920’s.
1894
Crater Rest House was built in 1894 at crater’s edge near current location of Kalahaku Overlook
1915
Considered essential for the growth of tourism on Maui, locals begin considering routes for a road to the summit as early as 1915.
1924-1925
Sleeping quarters, a concrete water tank and a lookout room was added during the years of 1924-25 to the Crater Rest House.
1933 - 1935
The road to Haleakala summit is built between 1933 and 1935.
1937
Backcountry cabins are built and trails to them completed in 1937.
1950
Red Hill road is open to public to view the eruption of Mauna Loa when it erupted in 1950.
1954
Road and facilities begin construction for what is to become Haleakala Observatories or Science City as far back as 1954.
1961
Hawai’i National Park is divided into two separate parks; Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park and Haleakala National Park in 1961.
1963
Pu’u ‘Ua’ula (Red Hill) observatory and summit parking lot is built in 1963.
1967
Expedition into Kipahulu in 1967 discovers many new species and rare birds thought to be extinct.
1974
Haleakala Crater is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
1976
Fencing of park boundary begins in 1976. The fencing is designed to exclude feral animals such as goats and deer in order to protect park resources. This work continues today.
2008
Former Nu’u Ranchlands in the Kaupo area are added in 2008.
2016
In 2016 over 300 silverswords planted to strengthen at-risk populations in the summit area of the park.
Wrong Spellings Of Haleakalā
All over the internet we see all sorts of ways that the name of this National Park is spelt. It’s interesting to read through…
| haleakalala halehakelai halekalaka haiacala holikolakala haakalea halacala haleakak halekala kaleakala |
halia kala halkawen haleakaia haulaklana haleakala halealkula halakila halaekala haleakali |
haliakala haklena halealka haliakila haleaksla haleakula halekala halekola haleakela |
466 East Ahuli'u Way
Wailuku, HI 96793
(808) 661-8687
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