Maui’s Haleakala sunrise is one of the most popular sights on the island for a reason. We recommend that everyone see it on their trip to Maui. However, there are also plenty of other things to do in Haleakala National Park once the sunrise is over.
Many people choose to follow up the sunrise with a hiking trip down into the crater. Haleakala is an enormous volcano with a crater that’s 7 miles wide at its longest point, so there’s plenty to see down there. We recommend the Sliding Sands trail which takes hikers through a wide variety of volcanic scenery, including some cinder cones. Sliding Sands is also a great place to spot a silversword, a small plant that can live for up to 90 years but only flowers once. Spotting a silversword in bloom is pretty rare, but make sure you don’t touch it – they’re endangered.
Backcountry camping is also allowed in Haleakala. We’d personally recommend reserving a campground in Palikū on the eastern end of the crater. This particular area gets a ton of rain, so it’s one of the lushest spots in the park. You can reserve a campsite up to six months in advance and we’d recommend doing it as early as possible.
Once the sun goes down, Haleakala is transformed into one of Hawaii’s best spots for stargazing. Clear skies, high elevation, and a lack of light pollution combine for an incredible view of the night sky. You can set up a chair anywhere in the park, though we’d recommend sticking to the crater so there aren’t too many trees in the way.
For more to do in Haleakala, check out our Self-Guided Maui Sunrise Driving Tour. More prolific travelers might also be interested in Action+, a yearly subscription that grants access to all 100+ of our US-based tours for a single price.
