When you hear Maui Sunrise, it means the Huleakala Summit Sunrise! But with ski clothing needed, that didn’t sound like something we could pack for a family of 5 – or want to get up for at 3 am. Read on for tips of how to miss the crowds, and to find out how a day trip to see the Huleakala summit and crater will be different from most sunrise tours you read about. It’s totally worth it!
Be sure to check out all 23 posts in my Maui Hawaii – First Trip Travelers Guide!
Haleakala Summit Drive, Maui
Have you heard about the famous Haleakala summit sunrise? Yea, that wasn’t going to happen in a family full of teens. And with ski clothing needed, that didn’t sound like something we could pack – or want to get up for at 3 am. So we opted to go in the middle of the day. Bonus! That way we were able to enjoy the drive both up to the summit and down.
I know it doesn’t look much like the tropical paradise you had in mind when you think “Hawaii,” but the Haleakala crater and summit on Maui is a site unlike anywhere else in the world and not to be missed! Compared to the Road to Hana, the drive up to the summit is super easy; you just have some switchbacks and have to watch for cattle crossing. (No, I’m not kidding about the cattle!)
The drive has some really unusual scenery. It’s kind of like a cross between what I imagine Scotland or Ireland to look like and a tropical island, with an ocean in the distance. We saw everything from tropical flowers to some really unusual pine trees.
Leleiwi Lookout, Haleakala Summit drive Maui
On the way up, don’t miss the Leleiwi Lookout. I wouldn’t exactly call it a five minute walk, like I read in my favorite Maui guidebook. It’s more like a very short, easy hike.
But it’s worth it!
Apparently if there aren’t any clouds you get a great view of the crater.
But I don’t know that the view with clouds might be better.
Lava fields, Haleakala Summit drive Maui
And then you drive through what looks like old, barren lava fields. It’s surreal.
Kalahaku Overlook of the crater, Haleakala Summit drive Maui
Kalahaku Overlook and upper visitor center is where you’ll get the best view of the crater.
And you’ll start to see a few of the silverswords, both up close and in the distance in the crater. These are a really unique plant; the silver hairs direct solar energy to the growing tip to keep it warm.
If you have extra time, there are several hiking trails. And if you’re there at sunset, the view can be spectacular.
Silversword Garden Haleakala Summit Maui
You can see a “garden” of the silverswords up at the summit.
Tips for a daytime trip to Haleakala Summit and Crater on Maui
- Everyone warns you it can be cold up at the summit, and it sounds miserably cold if you go for the sunrise. But, in the middle of the day in June, I really didn’t even need the jacket I had. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to have a jacket on hand.
- Take some snacks and a lot of water with you; the upper visitor center was closed in the middle of the day when we were there.
- Keep an eye out for NeNe! Want to know where to see the NeNe, the state bird of Hawaii? The NeNe is the Hawaiian goose. (pronounced “nay-nay”) We saw these near the visitors center on our drive up to the Haleakala Summit and Crater.
FEES for a trip to Haleakala Summit and Crater, Maui
Per car entrance fee. If you visit the Seven Sacred Pools and the Bamboo Forrest at Kipahulu [link] within three days, you can see both parks for one fee. Our fee had gone up from what was reported in the Maui guidebook we read, $20 per car.
Famous sunrise bike rides down from the Haleakala Summit and Crater, Maui
The bike rides down from Haleakala summit are also famous. But the description in Maui Revealed sounded exactly like I thought it would be. Probably the most fun (and safest) only for people we are already experienced road and mountain bikers.
Be sure to check out all 23 posts in my Maui Hawaii – First Trip Travelers Guide!
Read more about the uniquely weird silversword plants you’ll see on the Haleakala Summit, Maui
Eleven Amazing Things About The Haleakala Silversword
Amazing Hawaiian Plant Loved by Tourists but Endangered by Climate Change