Maui - Haleakala
 

We are going to Maui next month and want to see Haleakala National Park. We plan to go during the daylight, either early morning or afternoon (no sunrise).
1. How long should it take to get from Kapalua to Haleakala? Is 3 hours a good guess?
2. Is it better to do it on a Sunday verses a Monday, or really no difference?
3. What activities are up there (moderately strenuous, walking, hiking, etc.)?
4. Do we still need extremely warm clothing?

Thanks for the help.

2 1/2 - 3 hours should get you there easily.

I don't think it would make any difference which day you go, especially on the road to Haeakala. But, you may get some additional "rush hour" traffic on Monday around the cities.

I've only been there for sunrise and that was in March. It was about 40 degrees and windy and it was cold. But when the sun gets higher in the sky it should warm up a lot. Plus, if you're hiking, that helps warm you up. So, my guess is to dress somewhat light, but bring some warmer clothing that you can leave in your car. When you get to the parking area, you should be able to tell what you need for hiking, etc.

http://www.nps.gov/hale/

http://www.hawaiiweb.com/maui/html/s...onal_park.html

http://www.haleakala.national-park.com/

We went mid-morning, driving in from Lahaina. It was still cold. I was able to manage by layering on a bunch of my warm weather clothing. I didn't bring anything special (next time I'd take a jacket, but I didn't realize about the temps up at that altitude).

We went for the sunrise in July, and it was mid 30's...We dressed in layers which was perfect for hiking down the Sliding Sands Trail after sunrise. It started to warm up by 8-9 a.m., at that point we did not need jackets or other layers. One thing I recommend is gloves if you are there early. My hands were very cold when trying to take pictures.

I highly recommend hiking down at least some of the Sliding Sands trail. It is more of a walk than a hike. We went about a mile down and that was far enough for us. The trip back up was more difficult, make sure to take plenty of water.

One thing to keep in mind is that as the day progresses and it warms up, the clouds tend to build around the mountain, obscuring the views from the top. The earlier you can go the better your chances of clear views.

Ken

Tasha or Suze: (or anyone else)...
About what time did you depart Haleakala after hiking? Is there time for us to have early lunch in Pai'i, then return to Maui Kai to get a nap before going to the Old Lahaina Luau?

Not sure how long it takes to do the walk, be ready to head back down the Volcano?

Belle

We left Haleakala around 9:30-10:00 a.m. and had breakfast at the Kula Lodge. We were back at our resort in Kaanapali by 2:00 p.m. I would say you will have plenty of time to nap that afternoon.

Of course, this depends on how far you decide to hike down the trail. Our timeframe included a walk of about 1 mile down the trail. We started this hike about 30 minutes after the sunrise, after taking some pictures and getting back to the car.

Belle, I believe we were down in time for lunch. But we took it easy the rest of the day. Hiking (or even walking around) at 11,000 feet in altitude really took it out of each one in our family. I know you have the Luau in the evening. I would suggest skipping everything else but the volcano in the AM, simple lunch and long nap, and the luau in the PM. Believe me, that's one FULL day.

I *loved* the Old Lahaina Luau and it would be ashame for you to be tired or falling asleep because you'd crammed in one stop too many earlier in the day.

suze: Thanks for the info! I-) Belle