Haleakalā Summit — Attraction in Maui

Ethereal experience! Seeing the sun rise above the clouds, at 10k feet above sea level, at the Haleakalā Summit is unforgettable.

Details: Getting the sunrise reservation ticket isn’t easy and not always guaranteed, but if you do manage to get one, it’s absolutely worth it.

The drive up in the middle of the night can feel a little scary, especially the first time, but Maui is safe and you’ll soon find other cars heading up with you.

The drive is full of twists and turns, and there are no lights, so I recommend an experienced driver only. Also, there are many endangered and protected species in the park, such as the Nēnē — Hawaiian Goose, the state bird of Hawai’i and the world's rarest goose, so please drive very carefully. You’d find them roaming around the parking lot or crossing the road, so again, please drive carefully — video attached for reference. If in case you spot it, please wait, let it pass, and don’t go near it.

Once you get to the park entrance you’d meet an officer who will check you in. Please note that the sunrise vehicle pass fee of $1 is different from the one time National Park entrance fee of $30 (or one could get the America The Beautiful Pass for $80).

My biggest tip: get there early, probably by 4 am, if you want to park close to the summit. Though there is a secondary parking slightly below the summit parking, so don’t panic if you don’t get there by 4 am.

If you do get there early, if you wish you can nap in the car until around 5:30 am when it’s still pitch dark or step out for stargazing. Either use your phone’s flashlight or carry a flashlight to navigate the area in those dark hours, but please be mindful that it is a sacred place with natural flora and fauna, and cliffs so walk carefully.

Around 5:30 am one can either head to the observation deck then, or stay in the car if you’re with elders, etc. Both inside the glass deck or outside, the view is amazing — but it’s freezing cold and very windy, so dress in layers! Without warm clothes, it won’t be enjoyable. This is the most important thing to prepare after securing the entry pass!

Around 6 am a Forest Officer leads a short talk about the area and then does a Hawaiian sunrise prayer called “E Ala E”. Those moments, as the sun breaks through the horizon, feel sacred and wholesome. After the sunrise, it’s easier to take photos down by the parking area without the crowd and with the improved visibility.

One practical note: restrooms are about a mile from the entrance and 8–10 miles away from the summit, so plan ahead. The park officer at the entrance will also hand you a pamphlet with more info.

This is one of those rare experiences that feels both humbling and magical. If you are well prepared and lucky enough to get a ticket, you will carry it with...

Coming up here was a really amazing experience. I will try to give you some tips so that you can plan to come up here and enjoy it. This is everything I learned while planning. We had an amazing time because we PLANNED. Please read:

If you are planning on coming here for sunrise, it is reservation only. You must reserve these tickets well in advance. Like at least 30 days in advance. They release additional tickets two days before the date you wanna go, but those are impossible to buy. People are using scripts and multiple computers. You will NOT be able to get a ticket two days in advance.

In my opinion, Sunset is much better of an experience to come. don’t follow the masses, they are just doing what everybody else is doing. The sunset is the most incredible thing we saw. There are no lines, it’s much less busy, and you get to stay and watch the stars afterwards. The sunrise is not worth it, comparatively to what you can experience during the sunset.

If planning on coming up for sunset, take note of a couple things. it is extremely cold, so bring warm clothes and blankets. Bring chairs so that you can sit and watch it. I would recommend bringing a small cooler and some drinks and food. There is no food at the summit so make sure you bring lots of water and food. Also, if you park at the very top of the summit, there are no restrooms. You either need to park at the lower parking, or walk down about a mile to use the restroom.

Ideally, you should get here about an hour before the sunset. You can then sit and watch the sun go down and take lots of pictures. Then, head back to your car, which is about a two minute walk from the viewpoint. You guys can open up your food and enjoy dinner in your car in the warmth. If you wait about an hour to an hour and a half after the sun goes down, you will be treated to the most amazing star show you have ever seen. It was truly incredible.

Bring, bring warmth, go for sunset, and...

Five stars ALL THE WAY for me!

It’s quite a drive starting from Kaanapali/Lahaina, but worth it. We went for sunset.

You drive up a windy road for the last part and it’s $30 per car entry. This line took about 10 minutes. Then more driving but only a few miles.

There are several lookout points. The most popular is all the way to the summit top. Small circular parking lot for about 40 cars or so. Lookout tower. Being above the clouds is sick! They looked like a sheet of cotton balls. And at first I did have a little labored breathing but it went away after 10 minutes. We’re talking 10,000 ft up Y’know. It looks kind of like another planet up there with a “space station”. Took some cool pics.

Once the parking is filled, the ranger blocks it off and points you to another parking area which means you walk about 10 minutes to get to that summit.

And then there’s another lot a couple hundred yards down from there. There’s a visitor center and restrooms. But the center closes at noon. Saw some native birds up there. Another 60 cars can park here. We watched the sunset from this one.

Then if you go down another two miles or so, there are 2 additional small turnouts and lookout points. Problem is from up top you don’t know how busy those are. I heard they are better but the ranger said all the lookout points are amazing.

By the way, it’s a little chilly up here at the sunset. Bring a jacket or sweatshirt.

Took a million pics and videos of the sunset then headed down before the mass exodus of cars. Which I think was smart cuz it only takes one slow car to make a looong drive down.

Couldn’t decide which pics to post so I tried to put a good...