Haleakala, whose name translates as "house of the sun," is the largest dormant volcano (10,023 feet tall) in the world. Not yet extinct, it is expected to erupt sometime in the next 200 years (it last erupted in 1790). The crater is 3,000 feet deep, 7.5 miles long and 2.5 miles wide - a total of 22 miles in circumference. Haleakala National Park offers amazing diversity including magnificent cinder cones and stark lava flows, along with communities of rare birds and plants unique to Hawaii. The drive through upcountry Maui to Haleakala is one of the most dramatic trips of a lifetime.
Though many people refer to the summit's cinder landscape as a "crater," it is actually a valley carved into the volcano by thousands of years of erosion during a period of dormancy. Renewed volcanic activity has partially filled in the valley with cinder cones and lava flows, which can be viewed from the Haleakala Visitor Center, weather permitting. Be sure to stop at one of the several overlooks on the Park road. On clear days you can see up to 115 miles out to sea, but even cloudy skies can offer incredible sights like rainbows and halos around your shadow. In addition, Haleakala is one of the best places in the world to see the sunrise and sunset. Try to get there at least a half-hour early so that you can watch the colors change from bright candy pinks and reds to more subtle hues of green, purple and coral. Warm clothes are a must! Good sunset locations include the Halemauu Trail and the Summit. Sunrise can be seen from Leleiwi or Kalahaku Overlooks, the Summit, and Haleakala Visitor Center.
Haleakala National Park also includes the rugged Kipahulu coastline. In contrast to the stark colors of Haleakala Crater, the Kipahulu area is lush with rolling grasslands and forested valleys that surround a chain of pools connected by a waterfall. The Kipahulu Coastal area offers hiking, camping, and swimming (when the streams are calm).
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