Looking at West Maui Mountains from Kula Lodge
Haleakala National Park is on the island of Maui. There are two ways to get to the park. The Haleakala Crater may be reached from Kahului via Highway 37, to 377 and finally to 378. The drive is approximately 37 miles. It takes about two hours to reach the crater. Upon entering the park, you have to pay an entrance fee of $10. Remember the speed limit is 15 mph. The park is patrolled by park rangers, so be cool. Also watch your speed when coming down from the crater. The second way to enter the park is via Highway 360. This a 62 mile drive through Hana to the Kipahulu District. It takes about three hours (including sightseeing stops). The road is winding and narrow. There are many one lane bridges, so be courteous. Watch out for the keikis (children) and don't speed. On the Hana side, you really can't seen Haleakala Crater but you can see the seven pools along 'Ohe'o Gulch. If you hike in toward the mountain (about 2 miles), you can see a waterfall.
Upon entering the park, it's just a few miles to the visitor center. The visitor center closes around 4 o'clock. If you have to use the restroom, I recommend making a stop. It's another 20 or so miles to the crater. On the way to the crater there are 3 to 4 scenic stops. If you are adventurous, there's a couple of short hikes.
The images of the crater will vary depending on the time of the day.
When you come up to the crater, bring a jacket and warm clothes, it's often cold and windy. The temperature is significantly cooler than at the beaches. Also the weather can change very rapidly in a few hours. There's another visitor center at the top of the crater, it closes around 3 o'clock.
This scenery at the summit is magnificent. Some adventurous people may decide to take a hike into the crater. It's important to remember that the elevation is 10,000 feet. If you hike down, plan on taking twice the time to come back up. When you hike into the crater, it will look like a lunar landscape.
The park has many unique and fragile ecosystems. At the park you may see the Hawaiian goose, the Nene. Don't feed them. The silver sword is only found on Maui. So don't touch and jack up things. Remember this is a National Park.
