Sunrise at Haleakala Crater

The sunrise at Haleakala Crater isn't for the faint of heart--or the heavy sleeper.

Be sure to set your alarm early, about three hours before sunrise, to make it up there in time. Some must haves for the trip are: blankets, coats (we're not kidding--it's freezing!), shoes and socks. Passengers can catch some "zzzzzz's" on the way.

But for those of you who don't sleep well in a vehicle, if you're lucky, you might see something few have ever seen. On my first trip to Haleakala Crater, about halfway up the drive to the top, I saw a full rainbow in the middle of the night! It was caused by the light of the full moon during one of Maui's frequent but brief misting rains. It was truly one of my most memorable Maui experiences. Paradise has so many faces!

When you finally get to the top and park your car you have only a short walk to the Visitor's Center. There you wait, freezing, standing above never ending clouds, for the sun to rise.

Don't be fooled by the enclosed Visitor's Center. Although it's heated, there's never enough room inside. Besides, you'd hate to make the journey and miss the moment!

Then at last, the sun breaks the daylight on the horizon. And if you're like me, you'll hold your breath while you take a million pictures to try to capture this incredible memory.


There are 27 miles of hiking trails in the Haleakala wilderness area, so if you want to get a closer view of the crater, for starter's there's a trail head at the visitor's center that winds down into the crater. If you decide to go, don't forget to take plenty of water with you and something to eat. There are no vending machines at the visitor center.

On the way back, you'll notice a lot of people biking back down the mountain instead of taking a vehicle. And while you might think they're crazy - it's a fairly steep grade, a lot of curves, and the road is fairly narrow in places - most of them are really enjoying themselves. We haven't done this yet, but it sure looks like fun. (We have placed this activity on our Maui Activities Wish List of things to do on our next Maui trip. It is all downhill biking (can't get much easier than that), allowing you to enjoy the scenery that you might otherwise miss in a vehicle. Several companies offer various biking packages depending on your preferences.


Had to add this photo (see below). This is my brother-in-law playing "Haleakala Crater Superhero." (Not sure what this means or where he's going .... :-)


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