Best trails in Haleakalā National Park

4.6(21,172 reviews)

Hawaii
:
#2 of 2 national parks

Haleakalā National Park is located on the island of Maui in Hawaii. The park has beautiful hiking trails and a breathtaking diversity of scenery, plants, and animals. Hiking, birdwatching, stargazing, and taking in the sunrise and sunset are all popular activities. There are 2 districts in the park, the Summit District and the Kīpahulu District, which each offer different experiences. You'll find volcanic landscapes and lush forests all in the same park!

The Summit District has more than %{30_miles} of hiking trails that center around Haleakalā, a dormant shield volcano. Trails range from short hikes that lead to scenic overlooks up in the clouds to epic day hikes across the crater floor. In the Summit District, you'll find otherworldly, multicolored volcanic landscapes that are unlike any other.

You can reach the Kīpahulu District by driving along the famous Road to Hāna on the northeast coast of Maui. The Kīpahulu District is a lush paradise with waterfalls, ocean views, and Hawaiian history and culture to explore. In this district, you'll find trails through bamboo forests that lead to picturesque waterfalls and short trails to gorgeous natural pools and the rocky ocean coast.

The weather is unpredictable and changes often, especially at high elevations in the Summit District. The summit of Haleakalā is about %{30_Fahrenheit} cooler than the coast! In the Kīpahulu District, the weather is mild and humid, with lots of rain. While hiking (especially in high elevations), dress in layers, bring lots of water, and don't forget sun protection!

Haleakalā National Park is beautiful to visit at any time of year, as the climate is fairly steady. Winter is the busiest season, so you may choose to visit in the spring or fall to encounter fewer crowds.

There is an entrance fee to visit the park, which you can pay online in advance or in person at either of the entrance stations. If you'd like to see the sunrise from the summit of Haleakalā, you need to make a reservation online in advance.

Top trails

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Visitor info

Hours & contact

Open 24 hours

Passes & fees

Starting at $1

Accessibility

General park hours

Every day • Open 24 hours

Phone

(808) 572-4400

Timed entry reservation

Park & Location

A reservation is required for each vehicle entering the park from 3:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. You may book a reservation up to 60 days in advance and 2 days in advance of the start date.

Make reservation

Entrance pass

Motorcycle

Valid for three days. Admits a private, non-commercial motorcycle to Haleakalā National Park including both the Summit and Kīpahulu Districts.

$25

Purchase pass

Per Person

Admits one individual with no car to Haleakalā National Park including both the Summit and Kīpahulu Areas. Youth 15 and under are admitted free.

$15

Purchase pass

Private Vehicle

Valid for three days. Admits private, non-commercial vehicle (14 max capacity or less) and all occupants to Haleakalā National Park including both the Summit and Kīpahulu Districts.

$30

Purchase pass

Annual pass

Park

Valid for 12 months from purchase date. Admits the pass holders and passengers in a non-commercial vehicle (14 max capacity or less) to Haleakalā National Park, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and Puʻuhonua ʻO Hōnaunau National Historical Park. All other National Park sites in the state of Hawaiʻi do not charge an entrance fee.

$55

All U.S. national parks

Join millions of people who enjoy our National Parks with the "America the Beautiful" National Park & Federal Recreational Lands Pass, otherwise known as the Interagency Annual Pass. The pass is valid for a year's worth of visits from the month of purchase at more than 2,000 federal recreation sites across the country.

$80

Purchase pass

2025 Fee-free days

No entrance pass required on these days:

Monday, January 20 — Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Saturday, April 19 — First day of National Park Week
Thursday, June 19 — Juneteenth National Independence Day
Monday, August 4 — Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
Saturday, September 27 — National Public Lands Day
Tuesday, November 11 — Veterans Day

Overview

The Interagency Access Pass is accepted here.

The Headquarters Visitor Center, Haleakalā Visitor Center, and Kīpahulu Visitor Center are accessible to visitors using mobility equipment or strollers and have wheelchair accessible restrooms and drinking fountains. A transcript is available for the orientation films.

A Braille park brochure is available at the Headquarters Visitor Center.

Additional information about accessibility at Haleakalā National Park can be found on their website: https://www.nps.gov/hale/planyourvisit/accessibility.htm.

Facilities

The Hosmer Grove Picnic Area is wheelchair accessible with packed, level paths and surfaces and accessible restrooms.

There are accessible restrooms at the following trailhead: Kalahaku Overlook.

Service animals

Service animals must be on-leash throughout the park.

Guides

Top Picks in Haleakalā National Park

7 trails

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Trail reviews for Haleakalā National Park

28,764 trailgoers Busiest in May

Elliot Green

Oct 2, 2025·Hiking

On October 2, 2025, Rachel and I hiked the Sliding Sands Trail in Haleakalā National Park. It was day two of the federal government shutdown, which meant entrance to the park was free, although services were limited. This hike is a point-to-point route, so we parked our car at the finish lot and hitchhiked our way to the top. It was the first time either of us had ever hitchhiked, which made it exciting. To our surprise, the very first car that passed pulled over. A friendly couple from Georgia named Kevin and Sybil offered us a ride for the ten-minute drive to the summit, and we had great conversation along the way. Thank you, Kevin and Sybil, for the generosity and good company. At the top of the mountain, or more accurately the dormant volcano, we began our descent into what many call a crater. In reality, it is not a true crater but rather a massive valley formed by erosion over thousands of years. Rain carved deep channels into the ancient shield volcano, creating the dramatic landscape we hiked through that day. From the very start, the views were incredible. You could look down into the vast valley and see nearly the entire trail stretching for miles, unobstructed by trees. The openness gave an immense sense of scale. Scattered across the landscape were colorful cinder cones in shades of red and orange, adding to the surreal beauty. As we descended, clouds began to roll through the valley, creating an otherworldly atmosphere. It felt as if we were walking through the sky. The terrain was stark and barren, with very little vegetation, and the few plants we did see were endemic to the area, found nowhere else on Earth. The entire setting felt like another planet. The trail alternated between compact lava rock and loose, sandy stretches, which is likely where it gets its name, “Sliding Sands.” Earlier that morning, we had stopped at Pukolani Superette, where we picked up a noodle dish and some fried rice. We enjoyed our meal overlooking the incredible valley views as we continued our descent. Throughout the day, we encountered only a handful of other hikers. Between the off-season timing and the ongoing shutdown, we were lucky to have most of the trail to ourselves. The solitude made the experience even more special. The hike ended up being about 13 miles long with roughly 1,800 feet of elevation gain. It felt remote and unique, unlike any other hike I’ve done, both because of the volcanic landscape and the peaceful emptiness of the trail. Rachel was a true champ for pushing through such a challenging hike. One thing that helped keep her going was the anticipation of Taylor Swift’s new album, Life of a Showgirl, dropping that night. She was excited to get back to the car so we could play it on our drive home. I would highly recommend this hike to anyone visiting Haleakalā. Just be prepared for a long day, as it takes up most of your day to complete, but it is absolutely worth it.

Keonehe'ehe'e Trail to Halemauu Trail

Jodi Busche

Nov 6, 2025·Backpacking

Easy to parkNot crowdedBathrooms availableGreat conditionsGreat views

Beautiful clear day at the top of Haleakalā. A sweater or coat is needed for the top. It gets warmer as you go down. We went down 3.5 miles and then climbed back out on same trail. Being in the crater was pretty spectacular. I would rate this trail hard because of the elevation and 3.5 miles steady climb up. Clear blue sky on top with clouds below you is a an awesome site.

Parking: Entry fee, Free, Large lot

Kapalaoa Cabin via Sliding Sands Trail

John Ortiz

Oct 21, 2025·Hiking

Great views

Great hike from summit through Haleakalā crater and exiting at Halemau’u Trailhead. We parked at the exit trailhead in the morning during a “cloud” with light rain and poor visibility. About 7:45 am, we hitchhiked a ride to the summit after waiting 25 min at pickup zone and getting a ride from the 2nd car to pass going uphill (thanks to the Nebraska couple). Conditions were worse with poor visibility as we started at 8:25 am. With steady light rain and very poor visibility (20-50’) although fortunately no wind. During our descent, we met 6 unprepared and wet hikers coming back up to the summit without a raincoat etc after starting their hike in beautiful conditions after sunrise. To quote one: I made a bad decision (not being prepared). About the time we reached the bottom, the skies cleared and the next 3 hrs were great as we crossed the crater seeing some crater birds and many strange vegetation (Silver Sword!) and curious topography. Only met 1 person in the crater. Winds picked but diminished as we got to the craters edge for our ascent. About 30 minutes into our climb out of the crater to the Halmau’u Trailhead, a cloud enveloped us, and the cloud mist returned. Back to raincoats for he final of our 11.5 mile hike. The steep and steady ascent was on a cleverly constructed trail with great buttressing and stone work and about 25 switchbacks over the final -1300’. Strenuous but not too bad.

Difficulty: Hard

Keonehe'ehe'e Trail to Halemauu Trail

Laura Malec

Jun 30, 2025·Hiking

Easy to parkGreat conditionsGreat views

Need to purchase a national park pass (for Haleakala) to get in. Can pay by car at the entrance or before you go (national park site can lead you to where to purchase) I had a tri park pass for volcanoes NP & Haleakalā for 55$ unlimited or a car load was 33$

Parking: Entry fee, Paid, Large lot

Seven Sacred Pools Trail ('Ohe'o Gulch)

Andrew Winely

May 30, 2025

Not crowdedGreat conditionsGreat views

We didn’t do the full thing, just until the first fork, which was about 4 miles in. The trail takes you into the heart of the Haleakalā crater… it feels as if you’re walking on the moon!

Sliding Sands (Keonehe‘ehe‘e)

k hikes

Jan 15, 2025·Hiking

Easy to parkNot crowdedGreat conditionsGreat views

I do a lot of ridge hiking on oahu and this was pretty easy for me. Lots of switchbacks and mild elevation gain. Honestly I was hoping for more of a challenge but the views of haleakalā can’t be beat! started at 8 and was down by 11:30, no clouds until I was over halfway back!

Parking: Entry fee, Free, Paid

Halemau'u Haleakala Overlook Trail

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Frequently asked questions

Where is the best place to hike in Haleakalā National Park?

According to users from AllTrails.com, the best place to hike in Haleakalā National Park is Waimoku Falls via Pipiwai Trail, which has a 4.8 star rating from 9,597 reviews. This trail is 3.4 mi long with an elevation gain of 853 ft.

What is the longest trail in Haleakalā National Park?

According to AllTrails.com, the longest trail in Haleakalā National Park is Holua to Palikū. This trail is estimated to be 20.2 mi long.

How many trails are in Haleakalā National Park?

There are 19 trails in Haleakalā National Park. These trails have an average 4.6-star rating from 21,172 AllTrails community reviews.

Which trail has the most elevation gain in Haleakalā National Park?

If you're looking for elevation gain, Haleakalā National Park has you covered. Paia to Haleakala (Cycle to the Sun) boasts the most elevation gain with 14,314 ft of total ascent. The park's runner-up is Kaupo Trail, which will get you 5,764 ft of elevation gain.

Are there camping trails available in Haleakalā National Park?

According to AllTrails.com, there are 9 camping trails in Haleakalā National Park and the most popular is Halemau'u Haleakala Overlook Trail with an average 4.7 star rating from 1,643 community reviews.

Are there biking trails available in Haleakalā National Park?

According to AllTrails.com, there is 1 biking trail in Haleakalā National Park which is Paia to Haleakala (Cycle to the Sun) with an average 4.8 star rating from 25 community reviews.