18 Amazing Haleakala Hikes to Add to Your Bucket List

While many people head to Hawaii in order to go to the beach, you would be missing out if you don’t check out these hiking trails in Haleakala National Park. One of my favorite things to do in Maui other than the Haleakala sunset was my time hiking in this beautiful area. My recommendation? The Haleakala Crater hike allows you to see so much and it’s close to the Haleakala summit area for the best views.

If you have the time, make sure to check out these popular hikes in Maui, Hawaii!

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Check out these incredible Haleakala hikes on your trip

Here are some fantastic Haleakala hikes you’re going to want to strap your hiking boots on for.

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Waimoku Falls via Pipiwai Trail 

Difficulty: Moderate

Distance: 4 miles out-and-back

Elevation gain: 908 feet

The Pipiwai Trail is one of the best Haleakala hikes for those interested in viewing waterfalls. Accessed from the backside of Haleakala National Park, this moderately challenging trail winds through the bamboo forest, following a freshwater stream that leads to two separate waterfalls. The first one that you’ll come across is Makahiku Falls and the Makahiku Overlook. Situated about half a mile into the hike, this horsetail waterfall plunges nearly 200 feet down the side of a cliff.

From here, it’s another 1.5 miles, part of which is through a bamboo forest, to the main attraction, Waimoku Falls. Dropping an astonishing 400 feet, this famous waterfall is one of the tallest on the island.

Seven Sacred Pools (‘Ohe’o Gulch)

Difficulty: Easy

Distance: 0.6-mile loop

Elevation gain: 108 feet

The trail to the Seven Sacred Pools, also known as Kuloa Point Trail, is considered by many to be one of the most scenic hikes in Hawaii and in Haleakala National Park. Beginning at the Kipahulu Visitor Center, the trail travels past a Hawaiian cultural archeological exhibit before entering ‘Ohe’o Gulch, where stunning ocean views await.

From here, the trail travels through lush jungle vegetation leading to various pools and small waterfalls that reside within the area. While it may be possible to swim in some of these pools, it’s important to check with a National Park ranger before doing so. At certain times of the year, the pools may be closed, or access may be limited due to safety concerns.

Sliding Sands (Keonehe’ehe’e)

Difficulty: Strenuous

Distance: 11 miles out-and-back

Elevation gain: 3,084 feet

The Sliding Sands Trail, also called Keonehe’ehe’e and the Haleakala Crater Hike, is a great Maui volcano hike if you’d like to explore the crater but don’t have a ton of time to commit to a longer trail. While the hike is still quite a trek at about 11 miles round-trip, you don’t need to travel the entire route to see the views here. In fact, the first overlook on this path is located only .25 miles down the trail – so you really can make this hike as short as you like.

If you’re interested in reaching the crater’s floor, however, you’ll have to put in a bit more work. Beginning at the Haleakala Visitor Center, the trail descends approximately 2,500 feet over 3.9 miles before reaching the bottom of the crater. Along the way, you’ll hike through barren land blanketed with red sand and spotted with numerous, colorful cinder cones. 

Kapalaoa Cabin via Sliding Sands Trail 

Difficulty: Strenuous

Distance: 11.5 miles out-and-back

Elevation gain: 2,834 feet

Situated along the southern edge of the crater, Kapalaoa Cabin is a wilderness cabin that offers primitive camping in Haleakala National Park. While cabin reservations are required, many hikers do opt to spend a night here as it allows them to lengthen their stay within the volcano. The most direct route you can use to reach this cabin is via the Sliding Sands Trail, which begins near the Haleakala Visitor Center near the Haleakala Summit Area.

The trail to the cabin is approximately 5.6 miles in length and traverses through several ecosystems along the crater’s floor. Don’t worry–there hasn’t been any volcanic activity in Haleakala National Park for about 600 years! While exploring this volcano hike in Maui, you can expect to see everything from vibrant red desert sand to cinder cones, grassy fields, and flowering silverswords.

Leleiwi Overlook Trail

Difficulty: Easy

Distance: 0.3 miles out-and-back

Elevation gain: 101 feet

Offering stunning vistas of the surrounding area, the Leleiwi Overlook Trail is one of the best Haleakala hikes for sunrise. From this vantage point, you’ll be able to see the crater floor, and on a clear day, you can also catch a glimpse of the coastline and the Pacific Ocean. While the hike here is easy enough, you will need to plan ahead if you’d like to catch the sunrise.

The National Park Service limits the number of people allowed to enter between the hours of 3:00 am and 7:00 pm, so you’ll need to make a reservation. Reservations can be made up to 60 days in advance through recreation.gov’s website.

Pa Ka’oao Trail (White Hill Trail) 

Difficulty: Easy

Distance: 0.5 miles out-and-back

Elevation gain: 108 feet

Located near the Haleakala Visitor Center, Pa Ka’oao, also known as the White Hill Trail, is another excellent option for sunrise. While this Haleakala hiking trail doesn’t offer ocean views, it does provide stunning vistas of the crater rim and the crater’s floor. Again, reservations are required if you wish to arrive before sunrise. They can be made up to 60 days in advance via recreation.gov’s website. If you’re unable to make reservations or simply prefer to sleep in, this trail is still a great option, as it provides incredible views all day long.

Red Hill Overlook Summit Trail

Difficulty: Easy

Distance: 0.1 miles out-and-back

Elevation gain: 6 feet

Sitting at 10,023 feet above sea level, the Red Hill in Haleakala National Park is not only the highest point in the park and summit district, it’s also the highest point in all of Maui. From this short trail, you’ll be offered incredible views of the island’s western coast, as well as the volcano’s crater. It also happens to be a great place to partake in stargazing, so much so that the Haleakala Observatory was built here.

Unfortunately, the Observatory is closed to the public. However, it’s still interesting to note that it was the first of its kind to be built in Hawaii and has provided substantial contributions to the study of space, given its high altitude and vantage point. Keep in mind that you might experience altitude sickness because you are at a high elevation–stay hydrated and take things slowly!

Also make sure you know what to wear hiking in hot weather–this can save you from heat exhaustion when the sun is strong in the afternoon.

Hosmer Grove Campground Trail

Difficulty: Easy

Distance: 0.4-mile loop

Elevation gain: 75 feet

Unlike other Haleakala hikes that you’ll find in the park, Hosmer Grove Trail offers a view of the area immediately outside of the crater and it’s an easy hike to boot. Located near the Hosmer Grove Campground, just inside the park’s main entrance, this trail traverses through a dense forest composed of several different tree species.

Many of these trees actually aren’t native to Hawaii but were brought in as part of an unsuccessful commercial forestry project. Despite the failings of this experiment, the forest persists and has become a haven for the local bird population.

[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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Halalai’i and Pu’unaue Trail

Difficulty: Strenuous

Distance: 13.6-mile loop

Elevation gain: 3,448 feet

If you’re in search of Maui volcano hikes that offer incredible views of the crater floor and its cinder cones, then you’ll want to check out the Halalai’i and Pu’unaue Trail. Not only does this hike take you down into the heart of the crater, but it also loops around two incredible cinder cones (Halalai’i and Pu’unaue), providing the perfect opportunity to see these natural wonders up close and personal.

The trail, which begins at the Sliding Sands Trailhead, also offers the chance to encounter a variety of desert vegetation and local wildlife. Please note that this trail, like many others on this list, is open to the elements with little to no shade. Therefore, it’s essential to come prepared with plenty of water and sunscreen.

Alelele Falls

Difficulty: Easy

Distance: 0.3 miles out-and-back

Elevation gain: 223 feet

Located in the Kipahulu area of Haleakala National Park, Alelele Falls is a beautiful 50-foot waterfall surrounded by lush jungle and vegetation. Situated just off the Hana Highway, the hike to the falls is short and relatively easy, with minor rock scrambling and water crossing involved. Depending upon the time of the year, the waterfall may be dried up, or at full force, so it’s important to check the weather and rainfall levels before arriving. During particularly rainy periods of time, the falls may be closed due to the risk of flash flooding.

Silversword Loop via Halemau’u Trail

Difficulty: Strenuous

Distance: 9.4-mile loop

Elevation gain: 3,628 feet

The Silversword Loop, accessed via the Halemau’u Trail, is one of the best Haleakala hikes for viewing desert vegetation. Here you’ll find a natural garden full of silversword flowers, one of the world’s rarest plants. Found only in select locations along the Hawaiian Islands, the silversword can only grow at elevations between 6,000 and 10,000 feet. To reach this incredible garden, you’ll need to depart from the Halemau’u Trailhead and travel through a series of switchbacks down to the crater’s floor.

You’ll also get a chance to see the famous Rainbow Bridge, which makes it one of the more iconic hiking trails in Haleakala National Park.

The Silversword Loop lies just beyond Holua Cabin on the left-hand side. When you’re ready to depart, you’ll need to travel back the way you came up through the switchbacks to the trailhead. This hike is quite physically demanding, so it’s important to come prepared with plenty of water.

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Kaupo Trail 

Difficulty: Strenuous

Distance: 7 miles point-to-point

Elevation gain: 5,725 feet

Traveling through the Kaupo Gap, the Kaupo Trail stretches from the town of Kaupo to Paliku Cabin in Haleakala National Park. Along the way, it passes through various ecosystems, including lush jungles, vibrant grasslands, and stunning volcanic mountains. While there are several ways to do this hike, many people opt to depart from the town of Kaupo and travel to Paliku Cabin, where they then spend the night.

From here, you can hike on through the crater or turn around and go back the way you came. Please be aware that most of this hike falls outside national park boundaries and crosses over onto private property. Given this, it’s important to stay on the trail and be respectful of the land.

Supply Trail

Difficulty: Moderate

Distance: 4.8 miles out-and-back

Elevation gain: 1,099 feet

As one of the only moderate Haleakala hikes located in the summit area on this list, the Supply Trail is certainly worth checking out, especially if you’re in search of crater views. Traveling from Hosmer’s Grove Campground to Halemau’u Trail, this relatively quiet hike passes through grassy fields, gentle switchbacks, and rocky gulleys.

Along the way, you’ll be greeted with views of Northern Maui and glimpses of the volcanic crater. If you’d like to see the crater floor in full, continue on down Halemau’u Trail for another quarter mile to reach an impressive lookout. Here you’ll find stunning vistas of the crater and surrounding area.

Hōluato Palikū

Difficulty: Strenuous

Distance: 20.2 miles out-and-back

Elevation gain: 5,104 feet

The trail from Hōlua to Palikū is one of the best Haleakala hikes for those interested in camping in the volcano and a point to point hike. Beginning at the Halemau’u Trailhead, this path travels across the entire crater floor, providing access to both Hōlua Cabin and Palikū Cabin. If you’d like, you can opt to spend a night in either or both of these wilderness cabins, as long as you make a reservation with the National Park ahead of time.

Both cabins offer primitive shelter, firewood, pit toilets, and potable water. Hōlua Cabin lies approximately 3.7 miles down the trail, while Palikū is situated 10 miles in, at the end of the trail. Along the path between these cabins, you can expect to encounter a variety of vegetation, wildlife, and cinder cones.

Haleakala Crater Loop

Difficulty: Strenuous

Distance: 17.7-mile loop

Elevation gain: 4,491 feet

The Haleakala Crater Loop is one of the most popular hiking trails in the park, as it offers the opportunity to see some of the crater floor’s most famous landmarks. Beginning at the Sliding Sands Trail, this loop travels down to the crater floor, turns north, passing by several cinder cones, including Ka Moa o Pele and Halali’i, and then heads back up the crater wall via the Halemau’u Trail.

Along this section of the path, you’ll have the opportunity to check out the Silversword Loop and Hōlua Cabin. Once you reach the top of the crater wall, it’s another five-mile hike along the road back to your starting point near the Haleakala Visitor Center and the visitor center parking lot.

Ka Lu’u o ka O’o Cinder Cone

Difficulty: Moderate

Distance: 5.5 miles out-and-back

Elevation gain: 1,676 feet

If you’re planning to explore a trail in Haleakala National Park that offer access to the cinder cones, then you’ll want to add Ka Lu’u o ka O’o Cinder Cone to your itinerary. Accessed via the Sliding Sands Trail, Ka Lu’u o ka O’o is a popular cinder cone known for its vibrant shades of red, orange, and brown.

While this hike is considered to be moderately challenging, it’s one of the more accessible trails in the park and is the shortest one to reach the cinder cones. That being said, you can still expect steep ascents and descents along this trail, as it does experience significant elevation changes. 

Paia to Haleakala

​​Difficulty: Strenuous

Distance: 35 miles point-to-point

Beginning in the town of Paia and ending at the peak of Haleakala, the trail from Paia to Haleakala is, without a doubt, the longest and most strenuous hike on this list. The pathway travels mainly along the paved road but does experience numerous ascents and descents.

Along the way, you’ll have the opportunity to glimpse several incredible vistas, including those of the volcano, Haleakala summit, and the shoreline. Since this hike is so long, some people prefer to bike or drive it, depending on how much time they have. 

Keonehe’ehe’e Trail to Halemau’u Trail 

Difficulty: Strenuous

Distance: 11.2 miles point-to-point

Elevation gain: 3,845 feet

As an alternative to the Haleakala Crater Loop or the Haleakala Crater Hike, Keonehe’ehe’e Trail to Halemauu Trail is a great option to consider. This trail follows the same path as the Haleakala Crater Loop, but instead of continuing on the paved road back to Keonehe’ehe’e or Sliding Sands Trailhead, visitors simply end their hike at the Halemau’u Trailhead.

From here, it’s possible to hitchhike back to your car; there’s even a designated “Hiker Pick Up Station” along the road for this very purpose. Or, if you have the means and enough people to do so, you can leave a car at each trailhead. Whichever you decide to do, this hike is certainly worth it, and many others agree, as it’s one of the most popular hiking trails in Haleakala National Park.

Have you ever tried these Haleakala hikes? Let me know in the comments!

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Want more information on Hawaii? Check out these articles:

• The Ultimate Guide to the Haleakala Sunset
• The Ultimate Guide to the Haleakala Crater Hike
• 20 Hilo Restaurants Where You Can Get an Amazing Meal
• 23 Amazing Things to Do in Hilo You’re Going to Want to See