Haleakala National Park
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Description of Haleakala National Park
Location: Maui island Map
Area: 30,183 acres (122.15 km2)
The park is open year-round, 24
hours a day, except for severe weather closures. The park preserves
a stunning volcanic crater and surrounding mountain.
Visitor
Centers Three visitor centers are open daily and year round subject
to staff availability (with the exception of Haleakala Visitor
Center on 25 December and 1 January).
Park Headquarters
Visitor Center, ☎ +1 808 572-4400. 8AM-4PM. 7,000 ft/2,134 m
Haleakala Visitor Center (9,740 ft/2,969 m), 6:30AM–3:30PM.
Kipahulu Visitor Center (sea level), 9AM-5PM.
Haleakala National Park is situated on Maui island in Hawaii, United States. Haleakala National Park is dominated by endless moon landscape covers an area of 30,183 acres (122.15 km2). Haleakalā is a dormant volcano that last erupted around 1790. The national park was founded in 1916 as part of the Hawai'i National Park. In 1961, the area was separated from the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and managed independently. Since 1980, Haleakala National Park has been an international biosphere reserve.
Crater
The huge crater of the 3,055 meter high
Haleakalā volcano has an extension of 49 km². The crater is actually
a large basin washed out by heavy rains over millennia, with several
volcanic cones and thick layers of ash and pumice. Many visitors
come to the summit in the morning to watch the spectacular sunrise.
Even more visitors enjoy the equally fascinating sunsets. A very
well-developed road leads to the summit. There are many attractive
views on the way. There are several trails through the crater that
lead to the three simple lodgings (wilderness cabins: Holua,
Kapalaoa, Paliku) and the two campsites.
Kipahulu
The second, coastal section of the
national park is called Kipahulu. Since it is not possible to get
there from the top of Haleakalā, the visitor must use a winding
coastal road. The drive on the Road to Hāna called road from Kahului
to Kipahulu is an attraction in itself and takes about 4 hours.
Starting from the Kipahulu Visitor Center, after about an hour's
walk you will reach the Waimoku Falls, a 100-meter waterfall.
Another attraction is the more than two dozen ponds along the
Palikea Stream, which are used by many visitors as a welcome
refreshment.
Fees and permits
All park visitors are required to purchase a
recreational use pass upon entering Haleakala National Park. The
funds collected from the pass have helped the park to refurbish
restrooms, upgrade roads, create park exhibits, and enhance your
experience as a park visitor.
General Car Pass: $25. Valid
for 3 days. Admits private, non-commercial vehicle and all occupants
to Haleakala National Park.
Tri-Parks Annual Pass: $30. Valid for
12 months from issue. Admits private, non-commercial vehicle and all
occupants to Haleakala NP and two National Parks on the Big Island,
Hawaii Volcanoes NP and Pu`uhonua o Honaunau NHP.
Individual
Entry: $12. Valid for 3 days. Admits one individual with no car -
usually used for bicyclists, hikers, and motorcycles.
There are
several passes for groups traveling together in a private vehicle or
individuals on foot or on bike. These passes provide free entry at
national parks and national wildlife refuges, and also cover
standard amenity fees at national forests and grasslands, and at
lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of
Reclamation. These passes are valid at all national parks including
Haleakala National Park:
The $80 Annual Pass (valid for
twelve months from date of issue) can be purchased by anyone.
Military personnel can obtain a free annual pass in person at a
federal recreation site by showing a Common Access Card (CAC) or
Military ID.
U.S. citizens or permanent residents age 62 or over
can obtain a Senior Pass (valid for the life of the holder) in
person at a federal recreation site for $80, or through the mail for
$90; applicants must provide documentation of citizenship and age.
This pass also provides a fifty percent discount on some park
amenities. Seniors can also obtain a $20 annual pass.
U.S.
citizens or permanent residents with permanent disabilities can
obtain an Access Pass (valid for the life of the holder) in person
at a federal recreation site at no charge, or through the mail for
$10; applicants must provide documentation of citizenship and
permanent disability. This pass also provides a fifty percent
discount on some park amenities.
Individuals who have volunteered
250 or more hours with federal agencies that participate in the
Interagency Pass Program can receive a free Volunteer Pass.
4th
graders can receive an Annual 4th Grade Pass that allows free entry
for the duration of the 4th grade school year (September-August) to
the bearer and any accompanying passengers in a private
non-commercial vehicle. Registration at the Every Kid in a Park
website is required.
In 2018 the National Park Service will offer
four days on which entry is free for all national parks: January 15
(Martin Luther King Jr. Day), April 21 (1st Day of NPS Week),
September 22 (National Public Lands Day), and November 11 (Veterans
Day weekend).