As part of your Haleakalā sunrise bike tour, you’ll enjoy a land tour of Haleakalā National Park’s Summit area as well as Haleakalā Crater with unbelievable views at 10,023 feet along with the unique cinder landscape and flora found only on this Maui volcano. In fact, the National Park Service (NPS) noted that if the weather is favorable when you visit the Summit, you can see 5 other Hawaiian islands from the top of Haleakalā.
But there’s so much to see at Haleakalā National Park that the land tour around the Summit and Crater that comes with your Haleakalā bike tour may just make you want to come back later and explore more of this amazing volcanic park. This park is so full of national wonders and breathtaking beauty that you’ll definitely need more than one day to see all that this volcano has to offer. The National Park Service must have thought that too because admission to Haleakalā National Park is actually valid for 3 days.
So now, what will you see in your 3 days? Well, we’ve taken note of some interesting things to do in Haleakala National Park while you’re exploring.
A VARIETY OF EXPERIENCES IN HALEAKALA NATIONAL PARK
The NPS generally divides Haleakalā National Park into 3 different areas: the Summit Area, the Wilderness Area, and the Kipahulu Area. Of course, you’ll see part of the Summit on your Haleakalā sunrise bike tour, but you can also hike through this “high-elevation ecosystem” along more than 30 miles of hiking trails. See native Hawaii here with its “rare and endemic species” like Hawaiian honeycreepers or the Hawaiian dark-rumped petrel. Haleakalā National Park staff members are on-hand each day in the Summit area to provide education talks and answer questions about this interesting ecosystem. Or come back to the Summit at sunset and be amazed at the number of stars you can see in this brilliantly clear sky, viewed at 10,000 feet!
THE WILDERNESS OF HALEAKALA NATIONAL PARK
With numerous microclimates and the diverse landscape of the Haleakalā volcano, the Wilderness Area offers a world of adventure. “Your steps will take you from brown and red cinder cones, towering hundreds of feet tall in dry, cold desert air to cloudforests dripping with red and green native ferns,” the NPS wrote. If you enjoy camping, there are two Wilderness campgrounds where you can enjoy the wilderness in a tent. And for those who want a little more of the comforts of home, you can reserve one of three historic cabins along the trails. Overnight camping at Haleakala will require a permit and a reservation is required for the cabins. You could also just simply take a day hike through this beautiful terrain. Be careful hiking at these high altitudes, however, and be sure to bring food and water along with you.
Equally beautiful but visually very different, the coastal area of Kipahulu offers visitors a different angle and view of the mountain. Lush rainforests lead visitors to gorgeous waterfalls and the famous freshwater pools of Ohe’o Gulch. Visitors can swim in this area of Kipahulu, but only when conditions allow as dangerous flash flooding can occur. Several hiking trails lead through this tropical rainforest region of Haleakalā National Park, and a drive-up campground is available. The breathtaking coastline of the Kipahulu area has several nice overlooks where you might see dolphins, monk seals, or sea turtles playing along the ocean coastline. Much Hawaiian culture can also be found in the hills of the Kipahulu area as cultural demonstrations and archaeological sites give you a glimpse into the native culture of Hawaii. You can access the Kipahulu area by driving 12 miles past the town of Hana on Hana Highway on the northeast coast. Your admission ticket to the Haleakalā National Park will also allow you access to the Kipahulu entrance as well.
EXPERIENCE THE OFFERINGS OF HALEAKALA FROM A DOWNHILL BIKE ADVENTURE
So after you’ve enjoyed the amazing views, restaurants, and shops along your self-paced Haleakalā bike tour down the volcano, the next day you could camp out in the wilderness or hike through the rainforest. The Haleakalā National Park offers a world of adventure and beauty. Why not explore all the wonders that can be found at the Haleakalā volcano?
“Seven Pools of Oheo” by Eric Chan from Hollywood, United States – Kipahulu: The Seven Pools of O’heoUploaded by PDTillman. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Seven_Pools_of_Oheo.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Seven_Pools_of_Oheo.jpg
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