• A view of the cinder desert

    Haleakalā

    National Park Hawai'i

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  • No Potable Water Available in Kipahulu

    Due to a leak in the main waterline in Kīpahulu there is no potable water in Kīpahulu for the foreseeable future. The leak was discovered on July 23, 2014 during routine inspections. Visitors should bring their own drinking water.

  • For your safety

    The Summit and Kīpahulu Districts are remote. An ambulance can take up to 45 minutes to arrive at either district from the nearest town. People with respiratory or other medical conditions should also be aware that the summit of Haleakalā is at 10,000 ft.

  • Drive cautiously - Endangered birds land on roadway

    Nēnē (Hawaiian geese) are nesting in the park and may land on or frequent park roads and parking lots. Drivers are reminded to drive at the posted speed limits and exercise caution.

Things To Do

A Wilderness Experience

If you are prepared for a hike, the Wilderness is open to you. You may choose to spend a few hours enjoying the solitude and open space on a day hike, or you may want to plan an overnight backpack trip where you can share a temporary home with the Hawaiian species that thrive here.

An Encounter With Native Hawaii

Have you ever seen a native Hawaiian honeycreeper? Heard the haunting call of a Hawaiian dark-rumped petrel? Noticed the thin pink lines on the creamy petels of the nohoanu (Hawaiian Geranium)? Been surrounded by a truely Hawaiian ecosystem? A visit to the Summit Area may provide you with these experiences and many more.

A Tropical Adventure... or A Brush With History?

Streams, waterfalls, rocky coastlines, and lush vegetation greet you when you arrive in the Kīpahulu Area of the park. But the attentive visitor will notice that aside from the natural beauty, there are many layers of history to experience here where Hawaiians have interacted with the land for hundreds of years.

An Explosion of Stars

Have you seen the Milky Way? Have you seen it so bright that you swear you could reach out and touch it? The summit of Haleakalā is one of the best places in the world to observe the night sky. The park is open 24-hours a day so you can experience the wonder of a clear, high-elevation sky. Don't forget to dress for freezing temperatures!

A Ranger-Guided Discovery

Each day in the summit area, park staff provide talks to help visitors grasp the wild, high-elevation world at the top of the mountain. Staff are always available during Visitor Center hours to help inquiring minds get the most out of their visit. Click here to see the Schedule of Events.

Click here to view some activity ideas. (99KB PDF)

Click here to view all authorized commercial tour operators.

Kīpahulu Summit Cultural Demonstration Series 2014 (pdf)

Join us for Hawaiian cultural demonstrations at the Kīpahulu Visitor Center on the second and fourth Saturday of each month during the summer.

Did You Know?

You can experience hundreds of shades of green in the bamboo forest as well as enjoy the melodic tones produced in the breeze.

Bamboo is one of the non-native plants you will see when you hike the Pīpīwai Trail in the Kīpahulu District of Haleakalā National Park. The extensive bamboo forest provides a unique array of sights and sounds along the trail. More...