sunrise at haleakala
 

We have been to maui a couple of times before, but next year we are planning on going to the surise at Haleakala. Some questions...exactly how do you get there? Is the drive similar to the road to Hana? We are staying in Kaanapali, how long does it take to get there and what time would you try and leave? If leaving from Kaanapali, whick direction would you drive in? Do most people wait for the sunrise and then hike in the crater? How easy is the hike? Any other info on this is appreciated. We will take warm clothing...i keep reading about how people are wearing sweatsuits with blankets and are still cold...it makes me wonder what on earth i should bring.

I have only been mid-morning, and it was still darn cold. The drive is not long (like all the way to Hana) but it is very curvy. There's only one road to drive up to the crater. You get there by car or tour bus.

My post will top this message so others with the details can chime in.

There's a lot of info on here about Haleakala. Yes, there's only 1 road up there and it's not even as bad as the road to Hana. It is a lot of twists and turns, but not that bad. I forget exactly how to get there, but grab any map on Maui and it will show you. I believe it took a little over an hour to get there. I would recommend leaving early. It gets VERY crowded there! We left early just so we could get a good parking spot and so we could get a good spot on the observation deck to watch the sunrise. I think we left our hotel around 3:00 AM. The park has a website you can check out too. Bring some warm clothes!
www.haleakala.national-park.com

I believe that it took us about 2 1/2 hours from Kaanapali to get to Haleakala. We left at 3:00 a.m. You might want to plan ahead the night before and grab something for breakfast, as we could not find any places open on the way. That was a long morning without coffee!!

You can hike down Sliding Sands trail after seeing the sunrise. The day we went, there were very few people on the trail. It was fantastic, very peaceful. The hike can be as long as you would like it to be. The trail sort of loops around the crater, just stop and turn around when you feel like you have gone far enough. We went about a mile down the trail and that was sufficient for us. The return trip is more difficult due to the elevation, you may need to stop and catch your breath a few times on the way back.

As far as clothing, I think layers are the best. That way, you can remove some layers when you are ready for your hike. It does get much warmer going down to the crater.

thanks for the heads up about breakfast. That is a good idea. About how much parking is up there? We will be there over spring break, so i assume things will be pretty crowded...

Breakfast is a good idea, especially if you're not leaving right away. Parking is free. At least it was the last time we went 2 years ago.

The parking was free for us also. However, there is a $10 Haleakala Park fee (per car) to get to the summit. This pass is also valid to enter Ohe'o Gulch (7 Sacred Pools), so keep your receipt if you are planning to go there during your trip to Maui. I believe the pass is good for 7 days entrance to both.

I wasnt clear when i asked how much parking was up there. I should have said, how much space is there for parking? Is finding a parking spot a problem?

We arrived about 45 minutes before sunrise, and the upper (closer) parking area was about 2/3 full. There is an additional parking area a bit further away from the summit that has more parking. (This was during July, when everything on Maui is crowded.) I don't think you will have a problem finding a spot, it's just that you may have to walk a little further if the preferred lot is full.