Overview

You cannot experience Maui without taking in Haleakala: this massive, dormant shield volcano comprises 3/4 of the landmass of the idyllic Hawaiian island, with a stark and windswept 10,023-foot summit that's a far cry from the sunny beaches and palm trees of Maui's resort communities. Haleakala means "the house of the sun" in Hawaiian, and you'll see why if you make the long, pre-dawn drive to the summit to watch the sun rise -- a spectacular, can't-miss Maui experience. Unlike Kilaeua on the Big Island, you probably won't see lava at Haleakala -- the Maui volcano has only erupted three times in the past 900 years -- but the landscape is even more breathtaking and dramatic than at its more volatile sister volcano. The summit area is one of two main regions of Haleakala National Park, the other being the coastal, Kipihulu region. At the top of Haleakala, visitors can enjoy sweeping views, experience the volcano's ever-changing weather, and hike amid rare silversword plants and past cinder cones and into a desert wilderness. Driving the summit road is a spectacle in itself, with passing clouds and rainbows seemingly at every turn; biking downhill is a thrilling adventure. In Kipihulu there are trails to the coast and uphill to waterfalls and a towering bamboo forest. Campers can stay overnight at campgrounds near the summit and in Kipihulu, rent backcountry cabins, or bring their own tents into the Haleakala wilderness. Combine your Haleakala visit with a drive on the famous road to Hana, and you'll have memories that will last a lifetime.