Backpack Hawaii’s Haleakala National Park

There is no better way to experience Maui's Haleakalā National Park than on your own two feet.    Enjoy the fragile nature of Hawaiian ecosystems on a variety of marked trails.   The summit area of Haleakalā National Park has over 30 miles of hiking trails, ranging from just 10 minutes to multi-day overnight trips. You can hike in the native shrubland, looking for native forest birds and endemic plants, or in the aeolian cinder desert, exploring the geologic history of the volcano. The crater is home to the famous silver fern, found nowhere else in the world.  Haleakala National Park maintains three wilderness cabins for visitor use:   Holua (elevation 6,940ft), Kapalaoa (elevation 7,250ft), and Paliku (elevation 6,380ft), all in the Wilderness Area of the park and only accessible only by trail.  The wilderness cabins are available year-round by permit only, through advance reservation.  Trails are strenuous in the Summit Area and hikers must be properly prepared for high altitudes and cold, rainy conditions.  

Lower on the volcano, the Kīpahulu Area of the park has miles of trails through the lush, green tropical coastal environment.  The lovely Hana highway provides access to a series of waterfalls and tranquil pools that flow through the O'heo Gulch and into the ocean nearby.  The Pipiwai Trail, above the Seven Sacred Pools, is one of the best hikes on Maui. It is 4 miles roundtrip, gaining 650-feet in elevation. It takes 2 1/2 - 5 hours to hike, depending on how much nature loving you do. There are several great waterfalls along the route with the final destination being Waimoku Falls, falling 400-feet down a sheer lava rock wall.

• Suitable Activities: Global Adventures
• Seasons: Year-round
• Weather: View weather forecast

• Difficulty: Easy
• Length: 17.0 mi

• Land Manager: Land Manager Varies
• Parking Permit Required: see Land Manager
• Recommended Party Size: 12
• Maximum Party Size: 12
• Maximum Route/Place Capacity: 12