The Mt Haleakala Summit: It was SO Worth the Trip!Our trip to the Mt Haleakala summit was the kind of experience you don't expect when you go to a tropical locale like Maui, Hawaii. The Mt Haleakala summit was as UN-tropical as it gets on Maui! But don't let this deter you from a visit here! The view from the summit is absolutely breathtaking, and well worth the trip! We'd heard about the gorgeous sunrise views from the summit, but the thought of getting up at the uncivilized hour of 3 in the morning to get there in time was too much for us! We ended up skipping the sunrise, and headed out from our Kaanapali resort at 8am instead!
At 9740 feet above sea level, we reached the Haleakala Visitor Center, where we enjoyed their display of cultural and natural history exhibits. When we'd had our fill of these, we continued our drive up the meandering mountain road! We stopped numerous times along this drive to go on some short hikes to various scenic look-outs! 
I highly recommend that you take the time to explore these short trails - the trails are perfect for beginners, and you'll be rewarded for your efforts with stunning views!Whenever we headed out on one of these short hikes to the lookouts, I was in such a hurry to see the views awaiting me that I would attempt to half-jog along the trail... I soon discovered that in the higher altitude here, due to the thinner air, I was
This particular Mt Haleakala picture is one of my favourites! There was something magical about the view of the luminous clouds up against the lava sand! We had a MOST enjoyable time exploring these short trails... so much in fact, that on a future Maui Hi vacation, we plan on hiking some of the longer trails into the crater. If it weren't for the fact that we didn't have enough water and food to get us through a longer hike, we would have set off on one of these longer trails right then and there! The Summit
When we finally reached the Haleakala summit at an elevation of 10023 feet above sea level, we were rewarded with the most amazing view ever! I felt like I was at the top of the world! Do you see how the clouds were right up against the edge of Mt Haleakala? How amazing does THAT look?!?! A Strange-Looking Plant...
When we finished drinking in this magnificent view, we explored the summit a bit, and noticed this unique plant whose tall shape reminded me of a cactus! This endangered plant is called the Haleakala Silversword, and is only found on the island of Maui in Haleakala National Park. Don't walk too close to the silversword though - the shallow roots are vulnerable to being crushed and damaged if you do so! The Observatories....
As we wandered around further, we couldn't help but notice the futuristic-looking observatories further up the road: Unfortunately, these observatories don't offer tours to the public, so we had to content ourselves with looking at them from afar. Mt Haleakala Tips1) There is no food, beverages or gas available once you enter the park... so make sure you stock up on supplies before you head out. We found it most convenient to stock up on supplies in Kahului, as once you leave Kahului to head to the summit, there are extremely limited options for supplies.2) Once you reach Mt Haleakala National Park, it is a good idea to use the restrooms at the Haleakala Visitor Center. Once we left there, we didn't see any other restroom facilities along the drive to the summit. 3) The temperature at the summit can be over 15F colder than the temperature at sea level - We recommend that you bring a pair of long pants and a jacket to slip into in case you get cold. 4) Bring some money with you to purchase the mandatory park pass at the entrance to the park. Getting ThereFrom Kahului, head SE on route 37. Turn left onto route 377, and then left again on route 378. Driving from Kahului, it will take about 1.5 hours non-stop to reach the Mt Haleakala summit.More articles of interest: 1) On our way up to the summit of Mt Haleakala, we managed to squeeze in a Haleakala zipline tour. Read more about THAT adventure here! 2) To read more about our adventures in Maui, click here to see our Top 10 Things to Do in Maui for Adventure! Go to Homepage from Mt Haleakala
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unable to do so for long, as I would get winded too quickly! Who knew!?! I now had no choice but to go a bit more slowly, and enjoy not just the destination, but the journey as well!