Maui - Haleakala
 

If you want to arrive at the top of Haleakala before the sun is up, how many hours will it take you from Lahaina area?

I'd allow at least 2 hours from Lahaina to the top of Haleakala (but I don't know what time sunrise is).

Do sunset instead; no scary driving in the dark, no shivering in the cold, fewer people, gorgeous views on the drive up and lots of west-facing pullout lots to watch it from.
JMO

My family didn't want to get up "in the middle of the night". We were staying in Lahaina and went up after the sun was up. I would not have wanted to make that crazy drive up the mountain in the dark myself!!

I'm curious in the thinking that driving up for sunrise in the dark is crazier then driving down in the dark after sunset?

We drove up Haleakala for sunrise last week.
Yes, it takes almost 2 hours for the drive BUT if you want to be there for the sunrise and have a parking spot you must allow a minimum of 3 hours before sunrise.
That was a 4 am start for us. Luckily we'd come from the east coast and it felt like 9am to us ;)

Once the parking lot at the summit is full a park ranger directs you back down the mountain..
There is a lower parking lot which also fills up most days. Sunrise at Haleakala is very popular!

Here's a link with very detailed directions.. follow them :)

By the way, this was not our first trip to the summit we have been there twice before but like suze we had a lie in and went up in the daylight. This really helped when we did the drive in the dark last week as we knew what the road was like.
It's not really a scary road in the dark as you will likely be in a convoy of traffic going s l o w l y on the winding road.

And yes, sunrise was absolutely lovely up there. Very quiet even with so many people and quite mystical as the sky gradually lightens and starts to glow orange as the sun breaks.
http://www.govisithawaii.com/2011/04...ching-sunrise/

Somebody here must have seen a spectacular sunrise on Haleakala.
I've heard that clouds can ruin things and the idea of dragging my ass out of bed at 4am while on vacation does not sound like fun.
The drive up during the day is very nice and the views are great, watch out for those bikes!

"I'm curious in the thinking that driving up for sunrise in the dark is crazier then driving down in the dark after sunset?"

1. You drive up an unfamiliar road in the light instead of the dark, so it is more familiar when you return.
2. You are not on the road with legions of drivers who are driving an unfamiliar road for the first time in the dark, half asleep.
3. It isn't frigid cold.
4. While sunrise is iffy (and IMO underwhelming), the sunsets are spectacular from there.

sylvia,
Sunrise at Haleakala was positively balmy last week as we'd come from Alaskachusetts!
The sun rising over the dormant volcano crater was ethereal and absolutely breathtaking.
I prefer to sit on the beach or close to the ocean to watch sunsets in Maui preferably with a cocktail in hand ;)

From the Haleakala National Park website: Temperatures immediately before dawn AND immediately after dusk are regularly below freezing.

So, wrap up warmly if you go for sunrise OR sunset! I must say it very quickly warmed up as the sun came up.

Bear in mind if it's cloudy you might not see the sunset at all from the top of the mountain so check the website first!
http://www.nps.gov/hale/planyourvisi...and-sunset.htm

I been hauled up for sunrise so many times in the past few decades, and NEVER saw a sunrise worth mentioning. Never again! (I wouldn't go up there for sunset anymore either, just an option for those wanting to see Haleakala and thinking about combining the trip with sunrise. We never got cold after sunset, but weren't at the summit.

Yes, I definitely think viewing the sunset is better below the summit (there are a few pull outs with scenic overlooks of the coast).

We must have lucked out with our first sunrise attempt! :D
I probably won't make the effort again to avoid disappointment. My 17 yr old DD wasn't too impressed with the early wake up but she loved the sunrise experience too ;)

<I'm curious in the thinking that driving up for sunrise in the dark is crazier then driving down in the dark after sunset?>

I didn't say that. I wouldn't do either one.

Oh suze, I didn't suggest you said that. But I am now curious why you wouldn't do either since you've never done either?

Repeating myself from above, because I wouldn't do the winding drive in the dark. It was scary enough in daylight.