ALOHA!
The most popular thing to do in Haleakala National Park is to go to the Haleakala summit.
And yes, it is possible to pretty much drive all the way to the Haleakala summit!
There is a parking lot at the Haleakala summit!
Well, in order to reach the true summit, you will have to take a final walk of a couple of minutes to the Haleakala summit from the parking lot.
And then there’s another area you will want to walk around when you are at the Haleakala summit.
But for planning purposes, this means that you can drive to the Haleakala summit.
π Map of where the Haleakala summit parking lot is located. Explore the map. Explore more things to do in Haleakala National Park!
If the Haleakala summit parking lot is full, then the nearest parking lot is a half mile down the road, which is also the Sliding Sands Trail parking lot. This is where you can start the Haleakala crater hike aka the Sliding Sands Trail.
π The final ascent to the Haleakala summit! You can drive this. A half mile to go to get to the end of Haleakala Highway.
More of the best of Maui beyond the Haleakala summit
The Haleakala summit is one of the best things to do in Maui!
So if you’re interested in the Haleakala summit, then you may also be interested in these top things around Maui:
- Waianapanapa State Park
- Hana Highway
- Nakalele Blowhole
- Lahaina Banyan Court
- Hookipa Beach
- Maui Ocean Center (Aquarium of Hawaii)
- Iao Valley State Monument
- Things to do in Maui (for VIEWS!)
More below about the drive to the Haleakala summit parking lot!
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Getting to the Haleakala summit parking lot
For google maps, your destination can be a number of spots including the Red Hill and HaleakalΔ Visitor Center, or really any location on the summit side of Haleakala National Park.
Once you get onto Haleakala Highway, it is just one road that goes to the summit, and you can’t get lost.
So you just need the directions to navigate to Haleakala Highway!
And then, once on the Haleakala Highway, you will come to the Haleakala National Park summit entrance.
Here you will pay an entry fee if you don’t have some sort of national park pass already.
The fee for 2022 is $30 per vehicle, and this pass lasts for 3 days. You can check current prices here.
This 3-day Haleakala pass will also get you entry to the Kipahulu District of Haleakala National Park, which you can be one of your Road to Hana stops.
If your visits to the summit side and Kipahulu side will be more than 3 days apart, instead of paying for the individual pass twice, you can also get the Hawaii national park pass. It’s an annual pass so this pass will last for one year, and it will also cover the national park on the Big Island.
And, if you plan on visiting more U.S. national parks around the country within a year, then there is also the America the Beautiful national park pass. This is also an annual pass.
You should be able to buy any of the passes when you enter the park.
If you were to drive straight from the park entrance to the summit without stopping, it may take 30 minutes or less.
But, you may want to stop to go up the mountain more slowly!
So shortly after you continue your drive past the national park entry, you’ll come to the first visitor center.
This is the “HQ” visitor center, and not the visitor center near the summit.
So unless you’re eager to get a map and park information, or you’re eager to talk to a park ranger, then you can keep driving. Or, if you’re looking for an excuse to drive up the mountain at a slower pace, you can stop here too!
And then, keep driving up the mountain to the Haleakala summit!
You will come across a number of small pullovers where you can stop to take in the views. You will also come across the “official” overlooks of the Leleiwi Overlook and Kalahaku Overlook where you can also stop off at.
Also, as you are driving to the Haleakala summit, you will also pass by a “hiker pick-up point.” (There will be a sign that you’re approaching it.)
If you see someone waiting at the hiker pick-up point, they will SO appreciate if you stop to drive them further up the road towards the Haleakala summit!
This is a legit “hitchhiking” thing in Haleakala National Park, and it’s officially recommended by the National Park Service to hikers as a way to hike one way from Sliding Sands Trail to Halemauu Trail.
But it can only work if there are kind drivers like you! π You will make someone very happy!
So as you continue the drive along Haleakala Highway, you will then come to the Haleakala Visitor Center near the summit!
It will be a big parking area that you will come across as you are driving on the road to the summit so you can’t miss it.
You can make a stop at the Haleakala Visitor Center parking lot to learn about the East Maui volcano at the visitor center, to see the famous Haleakala crater views from the overlook right next to the visitor center, to hike up the short Pa Kaoao Trail to see the Haleakala crater from a higher vantage point, and/or to start the Sliding Sands Trail to hike into the Haleakala crater!
Or… You can keep driving directly to the Haleakala summit parking lot!
You have just a half mile to go from the Haleakala Visitor Center!
And then you will reach the end of the road and get to the Haleakala summit parking lot!
And then from the parking lot, you can walk around the top of Haleakala!
Up the stairs is where you will find the small shelter area with the elevation sign that you are at 10,023 feet.
And then on the other side of the parking lot you will find more sweeping views of Maui all around you! …If the weather is good!
And then after you’ve finished up taking in the views near the Haleakala summit parking lot, you can start the drive back down to sea level!
And that’s a bit about the Haleakala summit parking lot!
More for your Haleakala trip and beyond:
HAPPY PARKING AT THE HALEAKALA SUMMIT!
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