Haleakalā National Park

Haleakalā is a protected area on Maui island that stretches from the coast to the summit of a dormant volcano rising more than 10,000 feet above the ocean. The area covers roughly 33,000 acres with vegetation zones ranging from tropical forests to barren high-altitude terrain.

The protected area received its own status in 1961 after previously being part of a larger park that combined several volcanoes across different islands. The separation allowed focused management of the specific ecosystems on Maui.

The name translates as "House of the Sun" in Hawaiian, referring to an old tale in which a demigod slowed the sun's journey across the sky from this summit. Visitors today walk through landscapes that Hawaiian families have regarded for centuries as spiritual places and mention in prayers.

The upper section is reachable by paved road, while the coastal Kipahulu region requires a separate access point and is not directly connected to the summit zone. Mornings often bring clearer visibility in the higher elevations, where temperatures can feel cool even during summer months.

More threatened animal and plant species live here than in any other protected area in the United States, including a silver-colored plant that grows only in this volcanic landscape. The species blooms once in its lifetime and then dies, which hikers rarely witness.

Location: Maui County

Inception: July 1, 1961

Operator: National Park Service

Website: https://nps.gov/hale

GPS coordinates: 20.72040,-156.15515

Latest update: December 14, 2025 20:56