Hawaii·United States
Photo: Ekrem Canli · Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Haleakalā, the House of the Sun, rises above the clouds on Maui, and its summit depression holds a landscape of red and black cinder cones that feels like another planet. The Sliding Sands Trail drops through it to the crater floor, and the summit sunrise is one of the great sights of Hawaii.
In season: Year-round · Peak: Apr–Oct
Loose cinder trails with a steep climb back out, thin air near the summit and strong sun, with cold at dawn. The full crossing to Halemauʻu needs a car shuttle or an overnight stay.
The reservation-only sunrise and the short summit walk
Down to the crater floor and back up, no shuttle needed
Across the crater floor between cinder cones
Reserve a sunrise entry in advance, or come later in the day for the hike. Walk down Sliding Sands and back as a day trip, and book a wilderness cabin or campsite for the full crossing.
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