Once you have reached the top of Haleakala you have already completed a feat. Now, you may not enjoy the scenery, as it does not look at all like the sandy beautiful beaches and unique tropical flora that you expect. Here you will see small leaves and spiny needle type plants. Not only that, but you will experience a cold, windy, and arid climate. The visitor’s center is before you make it to the Summit at 7,000 feet and the highs for February are on average 59 degrees Fahrenheit while during August a cool 66 degrees Fahrenheit. The lows average 41 in the winter and 47 in the winter, however, at the summit expect the temperature to be 10 degrees cooler.
When you pass mile marker 17 you will see a parking lot for the Leleiwi Lookout. Many people just rush on by eager to reach the summit; however, if you stop you will be surprised at the view unlike what you will discover at the top. Here after you take a five-minute walk you will suddenly see the crater in front of you, bursting out of nowhere. There is a small shelter to protect you from the wind as you marvel at sight.
One word of caution. When you get a bit closer to the summit, you will notice silverswords. These plants are protected and if you do not wish to pay a fine that could pay for another trip to visit Maui then be very careful. Just stepping on one of these endangered plants will take away your vacation fund for next time. If you wish to get up close and personal with the silverswords without worrying about hurting them, you should take the Kalahalu Overlook. Not only will you see plenty of silverswords but also another great view of the crater.
The birds you will notice here are not the flying type as you might see elsewhere on Maui. It is pretty hard for birds to fly with a 30mph wind at their tail. The birds you can see walking around up here include the native nene, the imported chukar, and the ring-necked pheasant. Seeing these birds especially the nene, around the Halemau’u Trailhead just pass mile marker 14 will be a favorite treat.
Right after mile marker 20, you will find another visitor’s center complete with restrooms. Several visitors try to find inspiration here on the summit and this might just happen if you are visiting in the late afternoon. You must stand at the edge of the crater, you will notice a cloud below and in front of you, and the sun will be setting low and behind you. This is when you will see Akaku Annuenue or Spectre of the Broken. You will see your own shadow on the clouds with a rainbow surrounding your shadow. Believing the legend of the Hawaiians makes this an inspiration and moving experience, as they believed the vision was their soul and the rainbow was a promise from the heavens that their soul would be protected.
If you wish to hike on Haleakala then you should venture off to the other side of the hill from the upper visitors center and enjoy Sliding Sands Trail. The trail is a 4-mile hike that descends 2,400 feet to the floor of the crater. You can also choose instead of hiking to horseback ride the same way. There are many trails in the crater after you reach the crater floor that you may wish to enjoy where you can experience awesome views of the crater and Haleakala. If you decide to stay the night you might be lucky enough to rent one of cabins, however, there are not many so first come first serve, so to speak.
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