What to Expect for Sunset at Haleakalā National Park
Planning to catch the sunset at Haleakalā National Park? This guide details what you should expect and answers other relevant questions like how to enter the park, how much it costs, whether or not you need reservations, and more.
In the months leading up to my long-anticipated trip to Maui, I was knee-deep in research on culturally-enriching activities, hidden snorkeling spots, and breathtaking hikes. Early on in this process, I discovered that Haleakalā National Park is a hotspot for sunrise viewing, so much so that reservations are now needed 60 days in advance to be admitted to the park during these hours. Securing one of these coveted reservations could be compared to the experience that many Taylor Swift fans had while trying to score concert tickets to her The Eras Tour. If you miss this small window of opportunity, you’ll be out of luck in watching the sunrise at Haleakalā National Park.
As much of a planner as I am when it comes to my trip itineraries, I sadly missed the mark when it came to booking the sunrise entry. Luckily, we had a backup plan to instead view the sunset at the Haleakalā National Park summit. Although this left us with some slight disappointment at first, we made the most of it in our planning efforts.
Now being on the other side of the trip, I am glad we ended up going for the sunset at Haleakalā National Park rather than the sunrise for multiple reasons. Had we ended up securing a sunrise reservation, we would have had to set our alarms for an abrupt wake-up call in the middle of the night just to drive up the mountain in complete darkness. Heading there for the sunrise would have meant missing out on the sunbathed terrain, chasing a rainbow up the curves of the mountain, spotting the end of the said rainbow, and driving home over the clouds in a surreal post-sunset descent from the summit.
To all the travelers who either missed the mark as I did or are contemplating which time of day to visit Haleakalā National Park, I can promise that curving up this mountain during golden hour and viewing the sunset from 10,023 feet above sea level is a spectacular way to spend your afternoon and evening. Discover the answers to your hard-hitting questions below to plan your sunset-chasing expedition accordingly.
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How to Enter Haleakalā National Park
Just as with any national park, you will need to purchase a pass to enter the park. This pass will provide entry for your entire carload and is valid for three days. Given that the park extends quite far and backs up to the end of the Road to Hana, visitors can use this pass to regain entry when embarking on the Pipiwai Trail, full of towering bamboo.
Haleakalā National Park has three separate visitor centers. When entering the park to reach the summit for sunset, however, you’ll enter via the Headquarters Visitor Center past the Summit District entrance gate. As you approach the park’s entrance, you’ll see various signs directing visitors to this entrance. Your GPS will take care of the navigation for you, but once you drive past the Summit District entrance, you’ll remain on the same road as you ascend the mountain.
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How Much Does it Cost to Get Into Haleakalā National Park?
Travelers entering the park via vehicle can expect to pay $30 for the three-day pass to enter the park. This cost covers the entire vehicle and all of its passengers. Motorcyclists can expect to pay $25, and pedestrians and bicyclists will pay a fee of $15 for entry. These costs are subject to change in the future but have been in effect since January 2020.
How Long to Spend at Haleakalā National Park
How long you decide to spend in Haleakalā National Park will differ depending on how many side trails you embark on and the number of viewpoints you pull off at. With us wanting to secure a good viewing spot for the sunset and avoid feeling rushed on our way up, we blocked off the second half of our day to devote ourselves to this excursion. We had about three hours of daylight to enjoy on our drive up the mountain once gaining entrance to the park, beginning a bit after 3 pm. Our drive up to the summit took a considerable amount of time, as we used our time to grab photos with a double rainbow, take a trail adjacent to the Leleiwi Overlook for spacious views of aged craters, and stake out a spot at the summit.
After an abundance of photo-worthy pit stops on our drive up, we arrived at the summit almost an hour before the estimated 6 pm sunset, securing one of the last available parking spots in the nearby lot before the park ranger closed off the road. We felt lucky to have snagged one of these spots, as latecomers had to approach the summit by foot.
We sauntered over to a prime viewing spot, wishing we had packed camping chairs and blankets like some of the other admirers. However, not even my rocky seat could have ruined this moment, as we got to watch in awe as the sun blanketed the volcanic remains and the tops of clouds. Feeling as if we were above Heaven itself, we peered out over what seemed to be miles of clouds as the island fell into dusk.
Afterward, we began our journey down the mountain, driving above the clouds for an appreciable amount of time before dipping into darkness for the remainder of the drive. Overall, this voyage to the summit and back took half a day at most, given that we wanted to gain the full experience of the ascent and take small trails to various viewpoints prior to joining the crowd for the sunset. Your sunset experience at Haleakalā National Park can take less time, depending on how you decide to design your day, but I recommend taking the time to discover all that the drive up has to offer in order to have a more well-rounded experience.
Do You Need Reservations for Haleakalā Sunset?
As of 2023, there are no reservations needed to watch the sunset at Haleakalā National Park, making it an ideal option for the late risers and those who don’t want the stress of trying to secure reservations. Reservations are only needed to enter the park between the hours of 3 and 7 am, but visitors should still plan ahead to arrive at the summit at least an hour before sunset, as parking fills up fast.
Alternatively, you can look at sunset tours here.
Best Place to Watch the Sunset on Haleakalā
The answer to this question is undebated. While there are various elevated viewing spots that you’ll encounter on your drive up the mountain, you won’t find much better views than those offered from the summit. At 10,023 feet above sea level, this aerial view from the top of the dormant volcano is undeniably the best place to watch the sunset at Haleakalā National Park.
Is Haleakalā Sunset Worth It?
Watching the sunset from Haleakalā National Park’s summit is an experience that I will not soon forget. In my opinion, I would recommend viewing the sunset over the sunrise in a heartbeat. Although there are some obvious draws to watching the sunrise here, going for the sunset provided us with the desired afternoon light for our drive up the mountain and an angelic drive back down over the clouds.
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