The Ultimate Guide to the Haleakala Crater Hike

One of the highlights of our Maui itinerary was exploring Haleakala National Park, and there was no way we were going to miss the Haleakala Crater hike! Do keep in mind that reservations have been required for those coming to the park for sunrise, so make sure you have them in advance if you plan on doing it that time of day–you can find them on the recreation.gov site. We got our Haleakala sunset there instead, which was just as pretty and doesn’t require reservations in advance! It’s no wonder that this is one of the best Haleakala hikes in the park!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_cta h2=”Do you have these items for your trip?”]Flights: I recommend CheapOAir ✈️

Car rental: I recommend Rentalcars.com 🚗

Travel insurance: I recommend SafetyWing 🤒

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What you need to know about the Haleakala Crater hike

Here’s what you should know about taking on the Haleakala Crater hike in Haleakala National Park.

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_cta h2=”Quick stats”]Distance: 11.1 miles

Difficulty: Challenging

Elevation gain: 2,834 feet[/vc_cta][vc_column_text]

Map of the Haleakala Crater hike

How long is the Haleakala Crater hike?

The Haleakala Crater hike is approximately 11.1 miles long, point-to-point, and takes about seven hours to complete. Considered one of the best hikes in Hawaii, the Haleakala Crater hike is composed of three different trails: the Sliding Sands Trail (also known as Keonehe‘ehe‘e Trail), a short unnamed trail, and the Halemalu’u Trail. You’ll begin your hike through Haleakala Crater on the Sliding Sands Trail, which you’ll follow for a total of 3.8 miles, from there you’ll cross over the short unnamed trail, which measures 1.6 miles in length, and you will end your hike on the Halemalu’u Trail, following it for 5.7 miles until you reach your endpoint at the Halemalu’u Trailhead.

How difficult is the Haleakala Crater hike?

Hiking in the Maui Volcano is generally considered to be quite challenging, given its significant elevation changes and unfriendly environment. Throughout the course of the Haleakala Volcano hike, you’ll experience elevations as high as 9,740 feet and as low as 6,940 feet. This equates to an elevation change of about 2,800 feet, which is significant. In addition to Haleakala elevation changes, you’ll also be presented with several challenging landscapes along the Haleakala Crater hike, including rugged lava fields and steep switchbacks. On top of this, the area is known to experience extreme weather changes and offers little to no shelter, shade, or water. Given this, it’s important to arrive prepared and fully stocked for the duration of your hike.

How do I get to the trailhead for the Haleakala Crater hike?

The recommended starting trailhead for the Haleakala hike is the Sliding Sands Trailhead, which is located near Haleakala Visitor Center along Crater Road. In order to access this part of the Haleakala National Park, you’ll need to enter the park through the Summit District entrance. Once here, you simply follow Crater Road for approximately 11 miles until you reach Haleakala Visitor Center. Along the way, you’ll pass by the Headquarters Visitor Center, which is located about a mile into the park, and the Halemalu’u Trailhead, which lies approximately four miles down Crater Road. Once at the Haleakala Visitor Center, you’ll see the entrance to Sliding Sands Trail along the southwestern corner of the parking lot.

How to hike the Haleakala Crater hike

Before you set out on your Maui Volcano hike, you’ll want to devise a game plan for your entrance/exit strategy. As a reminder, the Haleakala Crater hike is a point-to-point hike with the recommended route beginning at the Sliding Sands Trailhead and ending at the Halemalu’u Trailhead. These two locations lie about six miles apart along Crater Road, and the park, unfortunately, does not offer a shuttle service between them. While you could always walk, the path is along the road, and as such, it’s not very scenic. Furthermore, doing so will add significant mileage to an already long hike. If you have enough people, it’s best to bring along two cars and leave one parked at each trailhead. Otherwise, hitch-hiking is another common solution that many hikers rely on when planning for the Haleakala Crater hike.

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_cta h2=”Hiking essentials”]Recommended hiking boots: Salomon Quest 4 Gore-tex 🥾

Recommended jacket: The North Face Antora Jacket 🧥

Recommended hiking poles: Black Diamond Trail Cork Trekking Poles 🌲

Recommended day pack: Osprey Daylite Pack 🎒

Hike like a pro: Get an AllTrails Pro membership! 🗺

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Once you’ve figured out the logistics for your volcano hike in Maui, you can set out for Haleakala National Park. You’ll begin your hike at the Sliding Sands Trailhead, which is situated near the parking lot of the Haleakala Visitor Center. To access this part of the park, you’ll need to enter via Crater Road through the Summit District entrance. You’ll want to follow Crater Road for approximately 11 miles, passing by the Headquarters Visitor Center and the Halemalu’u Trailhead until you reach the Haleakala Visitor Center. You’ll find the trailhead for the Haleakala Crater hike on the side of the parking lot closest to the road.

Before you head out on the trail, make sure to take a second and admire the views. This is the highest section along the Haleakala Crater hike, and it offers one of the best vantage points of the volcano, especially at sunrise. If you can, it’s best to arrive as early as possible, so you don’t miss the rising sun!

From here, the trail begins its gradual descent into the crater, passing over vibrant red sand and meandering around small vegetation. At about 1.9 miles into the Haleakala Crater hike, you’ll encounter a side trail to your left that offers access to the Kalu’uoka’o’o cinder cone, a small crater that marks the spot of a recent eruption. If you like, you can wander down this one-mile trail to check it out before continuing along the main path.

After hiking 3.8 miles on the Sliding Sands Trail, you’ll reach an intersection that connects with an unnamed trail. You’ll want to turn left at this unnamed trail and follow it around the Ka Pa Pua’a O Pele cinder cone. After about 1.3 miles, you’ll encounter another intersection, where you’ll want to make another left turn to remain on the trail. From there, it’s an additional 0.3 miles until you merge onto the Halemalu’u Trail. As you do so, you’ll notice another path branching off to the right; this is also part of the Halemalu’u Trail but is headed in the wrong direction. You’ll want to continue going straight to remain on the correct path for the Haleakala Crater hike.

Once you’re on the Halemalu’u Trail, you’ll begin your walk across the northeastern section of the crater, headed towards the Holua Cabin. This cabin, which lies approximately 7.3 miles into the Haleakala Crater hike, is a popular stopping point. Not only is it a great place to take a quick break and have a picnic, but it’s also possible to spend the night here. Although reservations do fill up very quickly, so you’ll want to plan ahead if you’d like to have the opportunity to sleep here.

After leaving Holua Cabin, it’s another 1.1 miles until you reach the base of the northwestern crater wall. Here you’ll encounter a steep set of switchbacks that steadily lead you up to the top of a ridge. These switchbacks are quite strenuous, so feel free to take your time and admire the scenery as you do. Once you reach the top of the ridge, it’s only another 1.1 miles to the Halemalu’u Trailhead and the end of the Haleakala Crater hike.

Do you have any questions about the Haleakala Crater hike? Let me know in the comments!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_cta h2=”National park essentials”]You’ll need to enter: National parks pass 🎟️

Document your trip: National parks journal ✏️

Wear your national parks love: National parks shirts 👕

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