Haleakala — Attraction in Maui

I am a tourist, wanted to go hiking.

I left home at around 445am to go hike Haleamau to the Summit and come back to the Haleamau parking.I knew that there is a reservation needed to go to the summit for the sunrise. I did not know, need reservation to go hiking as well. I was by the gate at 530am. When the ranger asked me for the online reservation, I told her I am sorry I don't have one but I wanted to go hiking from the Haleamau to the summit and come back before it gets too hot. Only sentence that came out of her mouth is" Turn around, drive two miles down the road, park there. Don't stay anywhere in the national park, to do so you need online reservation from 3-7. Will see you at 7". I said, oh, I am sorry about that and left. I followed her instructions, got off at the national park gate and waited until 655am.

Only Un-professional National Park Ranger in the booth.

I came back to the same gate at 655am. I wanted to use the restroom before I go hiking. I greeted her as usual (I do to all the professional rangers). She doesn't know how to greet people. Only stuff that came out of her mouth was “ you are 4 minutes early. " Turn around, drive two miles down the road, park there. Don't stay anywhere in the national park, to do so you need online reservation from 3-7. Will see you at 7". I politely asked her “ are you sure, I have to drive 2 miles down the hill and drive back 2 miles to make it 4 miles? She repeated the same sentence she said twice already that I need to have an online reservation to enter the park before 7am. This time I told her” it’s 6: 56 am! I am 4 minutes early! Just 4 minutes to go? Ranger said “ You have to go back and see you at 7. Don’t park by the gate to make it 4 minutes. Jesus, she doesn’t know anything other than repeating those sentences.This time, I did not follow her instructions. I just went down the road and turned around by the gate where there was a lot of parking space and came back to the booth. It was 7:05am. I said hello again for the 3rd time today. She said” oh it’s you came back again. I showed her my national park annual pass and my id. Without asking whether I need some brochure or not she handed me the stuff she is trained to do so like a robot. I took everything and left the gate thanking her. Before I left, she said “ it’s 7 our nene’s are out and follow the speed limit and don’t kill them.” I thanked her and left.

First encounter and that conversation looked ok to me. I was there without a reservation and waited until 7 butttt made someone drive 4 miles for coming 4 minutes earlier than 7am! This is very unprofessional. Every ranger I met and interacted with all over the USA are passionate about what they do and how they achieve it. They are so EARTH friendly, they walk or use sleds or hike to the places to reduce the pollution. This lady in the shell made me burn 4 miles of gas and waste my time because I was 4 minutes early. I have no idea who trained her or if she likes what she does. Only unprofessional, grumpy robotic rangers ever interacted with. Simply they should move this booth to after the Haleamau tail head, so people who want to hike early in the morning can do so. Looking at her fitness, I don’t see her going anywhere hiking or doing any walks in the park. Hope they make her go hiking other than doing her shell job, and feel what a hiker can experience in the...

Wonderful views. You can drive all the way to top visitors center. Sunrise is popular but requires reservation which is almost impossible to get. The reservation sells out in fraction of seconds. I recommend going for sunsets as no reservation is needed outside...

That place is unreal you have to see the place i have never seen a beauty like that

It is cold out there maybe it was between 4-8 Celsius wear...