kchoya

Heading to Maui in early April and we're staying at the Hyatt Regency in Ka'anapali. We are planning to go up Haleakala one morning to catch the sunrise, and I'm trying to get an accurate idea on how long of a drive that is. Google Maps puts it at 62 miles and 1:53. The NPS website estimates three hours.

Anyone with actual experience on this drive?

puchalskir

We did it in about 1:45 hours from Lahaina without traffic leaving at 7am, so 2 hours is probably a good estimate from the Hyatt.

mherdeg

We have done the drive from Kihei and found that the Google Maps predicted driving duration when we went out the door was accurate within 15 minutes.

All the advice about this drive that we found online was considerably more conservative (recommended driving time was about 45 min longer than the Google Maps directions suggested it would actually take). We didn't encounter any bad traffic, although there was a minor slowdown at the entrance to the park. Being there early was fine; definitely it was worthwhile to have some extra time to walk from where we parked up to an outcropping with nice views, although to be honest nowhere around there are there bad views. It was cold (below freezing before dawn).

I know you know this because you have looked it up on the park service's web site, but don't forget to make a sunrise viewing reservation (a new requirement as of Feb 2017).

fumje

I think 1h53m from Ka'anapali is just about right, assuming you don't have any wrong turns or traffic. Once you get near/into the park your speed depends upon the car ahead of you, but that probably only contributes ±5m.

LillianJ

How long did it take you from Kihei we are staying at a condo. Not planing on sunrise but early morning.

LAX

Will be heading out to Maui in a few weeks and hope to get some valuable advice from fellow FTers who have done it before. I have reservation in hand and done some online research, but still like to hear what you guys have to say (perhaps what you wish you had known before your trip up?). TIA.

LAX

LIH Prem

Bring really warm clothing. It's really cold

Sunset is almost as good as sunrise.

-David

BlooJoo

Hi, all! Considering this experience for my trip to Maui over Christmas. There are two of us. A few questions:

• Do you good people recommend a group tour, a private tour, or just doing it myself with my car? Cost is not a major factor; the best experience is.
• If doing with private car, it seems you need to make a reservation at recreation.gov. Those only seem available seven days out. Are these difficult to get as in, do I need to wait until 12:01am for them to open up seven days prior to grab a slot? If so, what time do they open, and based on what timezone?
• Is this experience unavailable any specific days, such as Christmas Eve, Christmas, Boxing Day, Sundays, etc.?
• Any other tips to maximize this experience? I plan to dress for 30 - 40 degrees Fahrenheit, but in layers.

Thanks!
-BlooJoo

LondonElite

Have you been reading up in the 'When will Hawaii be opening up again' thread? I'm not sure I'd be jumping on making reservations when Maui and Oahu may still/again have quarantine procedures in place. Just a heads up.

When will Hawaii re-open for tourism?

BlooJoo

Thank you. Hard to know where to jump in that thread. My understanding is that they're opening with no quarantine with a <72 hour negative COVID test. Is that changing?

LondonElite

My point is that there is very much flux at the moment and it is hard to plan far in advance. I know from your other thread that you are booking / have booked a hotel (flexible!) but I still think you should be aware that things like quarantine and public sites being closed are and can be a very real thing.

BlooJoo

I appreciate it. Thank you.

Read the whole thread. It was a lot of speculation until the announcement this week of the 10/15 no quarantine with negative COVID test, but since then, I didn’t really notice anything to concern me. Maybe I missed something. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!

Regarding my OP, anyone have any thoughts?

ExplorerWannabe

Haven't done this in decades but it's a spectacular sight. You will definitely want to dress warmly in layers for this and allow enough time to drive up to the summit -- sunrise comes early when you're above the clouds!

Lights off when you get near the observatories so a red-light flashlight or headlamp would be very useful. I would also suggest an insulated bottle or two of coffee, tea, hot chocolate, even just hot water. Something to munch on for breakfast might be nice but be aware of potential altitude sickness. The first time I did this, I ... lost a little weight ... on the way back down the mountain.

You shouldn't need a tripod for good pictures when the sun comes over the horizon but you'll want one if you're taking shots earlier in the pre-dawn twilight.

LIH Prem

Sunset is almost as good as sunrise, but you don't have to get up at 2am - 3am or make a reservation.

Don't forget about the wind up there. Makes it feel much colder than the temp. Winter coat (or layered equivalent), hat, gloves and real shoes recommended.

No need for an organized tour to visit Haleakala.

-David

Weatherboy

There's 2 issues that are independent of each other: quarantine and island-specific restrictions. So whether or not you test your way out of the transpacific quarantine, you may be subject to frequently changing county rules that prevent unfettered interisland flights, ban access to beaches and parks, force cancellation of tour activities on land and water, and restrict access to stores, restaurants, and rental cars. And that's on top of social distancing, required mask wearing, and capacity constraints. And no one knows what restrictions will be in place come mid October let alone Christmas.

But that aside, if you're able to rent a car when you do visit and you're permitted to visit the park and it is open, I'd agree with others that dressing warm in layers and doing it yourself may be the best bet. I do recommend sunrise over sunset because the weather and visibility is usually better early in the day than later, but anytime really provides a unique experience/view. To each their own, but I prefer watching sunrises/sunsets at the coast and enjoy summits in warmer daylight.

In the last handful of years, the Big Island summits of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa have had snow on Christmas more times than not, so heading up Haleakala could provide a nice view of snow capped Hawaii Island on good visibility days. Haleakala has had snow a few times in recent years too, although those storms have generally been deeper into winter, not around Christmas.

The only other tip is to wear sunscreen even if you go up for sunrise. While it may feel odd applying sunscreen in the dark, if you linger in the sun after sunrise, you'll be exposed to more UV than you would be closer to sea level.

If you go up for sunrise and come down at lunchtime after exploring the park, I recommend a pitstop at the Kula Lodge if its open. It is a beautiful venue, inside and out, with great personal pizzas and other food/drink. Before COVID, that was my go-to lunch or dinner spot after visiting the park...and its conveniently located just below the twisting/winding road up to the summit.