Haleakalā National Park

Overview

Located on the island of Maui, Haleakalā National Park maintains three wilderness cabins for visitor use-- Hōlua, Palikū, and Kapalaoa. All cabins are accessible only by trail from the summit area and require you to hike a minimum of 3.7 mi (5.9 km). Backcountry users must plan to enter the park entrance for their stay no earlier than 7 am unless they have also obtained a sunrise reservation granting access to the park between 3 and 7 am. Sunrise reservations can be made on recreation.gov. 

Horses, mules, and donkeys are permitted as pack animals on the Keoneheʻeheʻe Trail, Halemauʻu Trail, and Supply Trail. If planning to travel by pack animal--please notify park staff upon making reservation. All waste produced by pack animals must be removed from parking areas and trailheads. No group may have more than 12 pack animals. Riders, commercial operators, and owners are responsible for the removal of dead or injured stock within 72 hours. Pets of any other kind are prohibited on all trails.

Hōlua Cabin, located at 6,940 ft (2,115 m) is nestled at the base of the crater wall in the shrubland near Koʻolau Gap. This is the cabin reached by the shortest hike. Hōlua is 3.7 mi (6 km) one way down the Halemauʻu trail or 7.4 mi one way (12 km) from the Keoneheʻeheʻe (sliding sands) trailhead. Visitors staying at Hōlua can enjoy day hikes further into the crater. The landscape around Hōlua supports a native shrubland which colonizes the lava flows. A wilderness tent camp area is located nearby. 

Palikū Cabin located at 6,380 ft (1,945 m) is on the east end of the wilderness valley at the base of a rain forest cliff. This cabin is reached via a strenuous 9.3 mi (15 km) one way hike on the Keoneheʻeheʻe (sliding sands) Trail or 10.4 mi (17 km) one way hike on the Halemauʻu Trail. Clouds and fog often roll over the top of the cliffs behind Palikū, and rain is common. The extra moisture makes this spot exceptionally cool and lush. A wilderness tent camp area is located nearby. 

Kapalaoa Cabin located at 7,250 ft (2,210 m) is perched near the Kaupō Gap on the southern end of the wilderness valley. This cabin is reached via a 5.6 mi (2.7 km) hike via Keoneheʻeheʻe (sliding sands) Trail or 7.2 mi (11.6 km) hike on the Halemauʻu Trail. Kapalaoa is located in a grass field and is not accompanied by a wilderness tent area. 

Message of Cultural Sensitivity: Upon entering Haleakalā National Park, you are a guest of the Hawaiian culture, which considers the entire area sacred. Each person should behave as if entering a temple or reverent place in his or her own culture or belief system. The rocks, the plants and even the silence are part of the sacredness and should not be disturbed. For Native Hawaiians, Haleakalā represents an important place within their culture. 

Recreation

All cabins are wonderful opportunities for night sky viewing in what's considered one of the quietest natural places on earth! Visitors to the crater may even come across native species such as the Nēnē (Hawaiian goose). Please remember to keep your distance from any wildlife and refrain from feeding them.  

While staying in the crater, cabin users have the option to day hike on trail through the crater. Locations to enjoy from Hōlua may be the Silversword loop or the loop around Halaliʻi cinder cone. Locations to enjoy from Palikū may be a loop hike toward Kapalaoa or toward Kaupo Gap and back. Visit https://www.nps.gov/hale/planyourvisit/maps.htm to plan your day hikes from any cabin. Please stay on designated trails throughout your crater journey and pack out everything with you!

Facilities

There are no food establishments, stores, showers, or laundry facilities in the park.

One pit toilet is located nearby each visitor cabin. A non-potable water spigot is located outside of the wilderness visitor cabins which is adjacent to the wilderness tent areas (Palikū and Hōlua).

Each of the park’s three wilderness cabins are equipped with 18 lockers; each locker contains three logs and is assigned to each reservation night. Your locker number(s) and combination(s) will be issued by park staff via email from the hale_interpretation@nps.gov account prior to reservation date. Bring a lighter or matches to start the wood and propane stoves. The park cannot guarantee that propane or wood will be available. Extra wood logs are available for purchase at the park store. 

Natural Features

Cabins are located inside Haleakalā crater and involve a strenuous hike around distinctive cinder cones. Campers should prepare for hot, sunny, cold, wet, and windy conditions as weather can change rapidly. There is no shade or water on the crater floor, and temperatures can vary from 40-70 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 30-50 degrees Fahrenheit at night, so pack plenty of water, sunscreen, and layers. If it is stormy, winds can exceed 80 miles per hour with temperatures dropping well below freezing. 

Hiking trails may be steep. Terrain may include loose cinders and/or rocks. Change in altitude can be from a high of 9,780ft to a low of 6,380ft. Due to the soft sandy nature of the trails, plan on spending twice as much time to hike out as to hike in. 

Contact Info

Nearby Attractions

Visitor cabins are located near the wilderness tent areas. A wilderness tent permit does not grant access to any wilderness cabin within the crater and vice versa. Wilderness tent sites can be reserved through rec.gov.

Charges & Cancellations

Reservations are non-transferable. 

1) Cancellations prior to 14 days---$10.00 charge + partial refund
2) Cancellations within 14 days of arrival---No refund
3) $10.00 change fee per reservation night prior to 7 days. No changes within 7 days (not counting arrival day)

Overview

There are two primitive wilderness tent areas which are accessible only by trail, Hōlua and Palikū. Backcountry users must plan to enter the park entrance for their stay no earlier than 7 am unless they have also obtained a sunrise reservation granting access to the park between 3 and 7 am. Sunrise reservations can be made on recreation.gov.

Hōlua, the wilderness tent area reached by the shortest hike, lies at 6,940 ft (2,115m) in the shrubland near Koʻolau Gap. Hōlua is 3.7 mi (6 km) one way down the Halemauʻu trail or 7.4 mi one way (12km) from the Keoneheʻeheʻe (sliding sands) trailhead. Visitors staying at Hōlua can enjoy day hikes further into the crater. The landscape around Hōlua supports a native shrubland which colonizes the lava flows. 

At 6,380 ft (1,945m), Palikū is on the east end of the wilderness valley at the base of a rain forest cliff. This wilderness tent area is reached via a strenuous 9.3 mi (15km) one way hike on the Keoneheʻeheʻe (sliding sands) Trail or 10.4 mi (17km) one way hike on the Halemauʻu Trail. Clouds and fog often roll over the top of the cliffs behind Palikū, and rain is common. The extra moisture makes this spot exceptionally cool and lush.  

Recreation

Both tent areas are wonderful opportunities for night sky viewing in what's considered one of the quietest natural places on earth! Campers may even come across native species such as the Nēnē (Hawaiian goose). Please remember to keep your distance from any wildlife and refrain from freeding them. 

From both Hōlua and Palikū campsites, campers have the option to day hike on trail through the crater. Locations to enjoy from Hōlua may be the Silversword loop or the loop around Halaliʻi cinder cone. Locations to enjoy from Palikū may be a loop hike toward Kapaloa or toward Kaupo Gap and back. Visit https://www.nps.gov/hale/planyourvisit/maps.htm to plan your day hikes from either campsite. Please stay on designated trails throughout your crater journey and pack out everything with you!

Facilities

Both wilderness tent areas have 4 designated individual tent sites (5 people, 2 tents maximum) and 1 group site (10 people, 4 tents maximum). One pit toilet is located nearby in both wilderness tent areas. A non-potable water spigot is located outside of the wilderness visitor cabins adjacent to the wilderness tent areas.

Natural Features

Sites are located inside Haleakalā crater and involve a strenuous hike. Campers should prepare for hot, sunny, cold, wet, and windy conditions as weather can change rapidly. There is no shade or water on the crater floor, and temperatures can vary from 40-70 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 30-50 degrees Fahrenheit at night, so pack plenty of water, sunscreen, and layers. If it is stormy, winds can exceed 80 miles per hour with temperatures dropping well below freezing. 

Hiking trails may be steep. Terrain may include loose cinders and/or rocks. Change in altitude can be from a high of 9,780ft to a low of 6,380ft. Due to the soft sandy nature of the trails, plan on spending twice as much time to hike out as to hike in. 

Contact Info

Nearby Attractions

Campsites are located near the wilderness visitor cabins. A wilderness tent permit does not grant access to any wilderness cabin within the crater. Wilderness cabins can be reserved through rec.gov.

Charges & Cancellations

Do not print your permit until you have confirmed you will be completing your backcountry trip. Once the permit has been printed you can not cancel or modify the reservation.

Changes/Modifications

• Changes may be made prior to the day the reservation begins.
• If a customer wants to switch dates that are entirely outside of the original reservation dates, there is a $10 change fee.
• There is no change fee if a customer extends or shortens a reservation, as long as the change includes dates from the original reservation. 
• If a reservation is made that includes dates beyond the maximum booking window, that reservation cannot be changed until 18 days have passed from the original booking date.

Cancellations

• Customers may cancel their reservation prior to day of arrival both on-line and through the call center. A $10 cancellation fee will be withheld from any refund due back the customer. Depending on when you cancel in relation to your arrival day, it may be considered a late cancellation (see below).

Late Cancellations or Cancellations within the Cut-off Window

• A customer who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will have a $10.00 cancellation fee withheld from their refund AND will forfeit the first night's use fee (not to exceed the total paid for the original reservation). Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee.

Overview

Each campsite allows a maximum of one vehicle in designated parking spaces with one additional vehicle allowed in overflow parking. Each campsite has one picnic table and a grill (bring charcoal, no wood collecting permitted). Contained camp stoves are allowed. These campsites are for tents only – Camping trailers or pop-up campers permitted only in allowed parking spaces with reservation, which allows use of campsite picnic table and grill. . The use of hammocks is considered a camping style and will be permitted, but limited to trees more than 10 inches in diameter with adequate padding and within the footprint of the campsite. No more than two attachments to any single tree. Temporary slacklines will also be permitted under the same conditions as hammocks provided they do not create any other safety hazard. There are no showers or electrical outlets. There is a water station and vault toilets. Pets are not permitted in or around campsite facilities. Camping is limited to 3 nights in any 30-day period. Quiet hours are 10 pm to 8 am. Check out time is 11 am.

Recreation

Hikers will find more than 30 miles of trails that journey down into the crater for exploring its many features. There is no shade or water on the crater floor, and temperatures can vary significantly, so pack along plenty of water and sunscreen. Also, due to the soft sandy nature of the trails, plan on spending twice as much time to hike out as to hike in. A self-guided trail begins at the Hosmer Grove campground and ends at the campground. If you are a bird watcher the early dawn is great viewing of the many native birds in the area, making this a beautiful early morning hike.

Facilities

Each campsite has one picnic table and a grill (bring charcoal, no wood collecting permitted). Contained camp stoves are allowed. There are no showers or electrical outlets. There is a water station and vault toilets.  . The use of hammocks is considered a camping style and will be permitted, but limited to trees more than 10 inches in diameter with adequate padding and within the footprint of the campsite. No more than two attachments to any single tree. Temporary slacklines will also be permitted under the same conditions as hammocks provided they do not create any other safety hazard.

Natural Features

Located in the Summit District of Haleakala National Park, high on the slopes of Haleakala at nearly 7000 ft in elevation. Be prepared for rain and cold weather. Nighttime temperatures can drop to near freezing in the winter. Daytime temperatures range from 50 degrees to 65 degrees F. Temperatures are comfortable in the summer, but be prepared for rain at any time. A self-guided trail begins and ends at the campground. The forest comes to life in the early dawn with the many native birds in the area, making this a beautiful early morning hike.

Enjoy the sunrise at the Summit of Haleakala.

Nearby Attractions

A Visitor center is located a short distance up the summit road. Additional hiking information is available at the visitor center where you will find an array of displays with Rangers to speak with. Junior Ranger program available for families with young children. Public flush toilets are located at the visitor center. A second visitor center is located at the rim of the volcano.

Grocery stores and shopping are located in Pukalani or historic Makawao town. These are at least a 45 minute drive back down the road towards the Kahului airport.

Contact Info

Overview

Main Campground:

Two comfort stations provide two vault toilets each (4 total). No water or showers available. No electrical outlets. Pets are allowed on a leash no longer than six feet and hiking in the park with pets is allowed only on the roads and within the designated campground boundaries. Quiet hours are 10 pm to 8 am. Camping is limited to 3 nights in any 30-day period.

Recreation

 Hiking is the major attraction for the Kipahulu District of the Park. The campground overlooks ocean cliffs and is a short walk to ‘Ohe’o Gulch and Kuloa Point along the Coastline Trail. The Kuloa Point Loop Trail loops around and leads to the Pipi Wai trail which goes across the road and will go through a dense bamboo forest with views of Makahiku Falls and Waimoku Falls. The hike is a nature trail with a boardwalk going through the bamboo forest. The hike is 2 miles one-way and takes approximately 2 and1/2 hours to complete, taking your time to enjoy the scenery. Make sure to pack plenty of water and be prepared for rain at any time. Please keep in mind, these waterfalls are for viewing only. Adhere to all signs and be safe on your hike. Venturing off trails can lead to unwanted accidents. Junior Ranger programs are available for young children. Join our Rangers at the Visitor Center for information.

Facilities

 Two comfort stations provide two vault toilets each (4 total). No water or showers available. No electrical outlets. The Visitor Center is open daily and has historical displays as well as a small gift store. A comfort station is located outside of the Visitor Center with a water station and flush toilets. There are no water spigots for foot washing.

Natural Features

The campground is located in an open field area overlooking the ocean. The area is rocky coastline and is a short walk to ‘Ohe’o Gulch and Kuloa Point along the Coastline Trail.   There are no beaches located at this campground. Pools and falls are inaccessible for swimming.

Contact Info

Nearby Attractions