Hi,
We are planning to drive to the crater during our stay. We arent going to go up for the sunrise rather just to hike a bit. Is the drive to the top ok to do on our own or should we go with a tour company? Thanks!

It's fine to do it on your own; we went for the sunrise and it was amazing, but also freezing cold!

Try to get up there no later than 9am in order to beat the clouds that sometimes come in by 10 or so. A truly beautiful place.

MY

Been up in the daytime many many times, and never had clouds interfering with the crater view! YOu will enjoy the drive through the climate zones, eucalyptus, etc. (Stay for sunset; spectacular!)

If you are coming from the east coast, getting up early for the sunrise is really not a problem. With the time change,you wake up very early.

Driving up in the dark is not a problem either--there is a line of cars heading up.

We actually stopped at an overlook that was not quite at the top of Haleakala but it did have a wind shield of plexiglass at the viewing station. Only about 8 of us were there. The sunrise is spectacular. The whole crater fills with clouds and then the sun peaks above the crater. You are especially lucky if there are a few clouds in the sky--the colors are beautiful.

We needed to avoid the downhill traffic since we were meeting up at Rice Park to bike down the mountain. We biked with Mark Friezner and he didn't do the sunrise at the time. Fabulous day!!

The drive is fine to do on your own. Especially once the sun's up. Our family went mid-morning and we had a lovely time. It's still pretty cold up there, so dress warm.

A good (nylon) windbreaker and something to cover your ears is a very good idea.

Great thank you so much for all the info. It is our first time to Hawaii and we are very excited!

This may sound strange--but when I did sunrise at Haleakala a number of years ago on a Mountain Travel/Sobek hiking trip, I was advised to bring gloves, a warm hat, a warm jacket--and we draped ourselves in our down sleeping bags too! We were the only comfortable people among all the tourists shivering in T-shirts, bermuda shorts, huddling under hotel bedspreads. This was our Hawaiian Cult Experience. It may be a little warmer some hours later than at dawn, however, it gets chilly when you're at 14,000 feet elevation. We then hiked down into the crater itself--it's a steep entry, and you should have light hiking shoes if you're planning to do this.

Its easy to drive Haleakala yourself. No need to get a tour.

Plus you can stop anywhere on the way there or back.

"it gets chilly when you're at 14,000 feet elevation."

10,000 feet