Along the loop trail south of Kawilinau, and accessible via Halemauʻu Trail and Keoneheʻeheʻe (Sliding Sands) Trail, this is the crater’s most brilliant vantage point.
Pele’s Paint Pot Lookout
Haleakalā National Park
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Piʻilanihale Heiau & Kahanu Garden
11.91 MILES
Probably the most significant stop on the entire Road to Hana, this site combines a 294-acre ethnobotanical garden with the magnificent Piʻilanihale Heiau…
16.14 MILES
From break of day to twilight, this sparkling stretch of sand is a showstopper. Extending from south Kihei to Wailea’s Mokapu Beach, Keawakapu is set back…
13.5 MILES
Wai'anapanapa means 'glistening waters', and the clear mineral waters in the cave pools here will leave you feeling squeaky clean. There's a natural lava…
16.09 MILES
Sunbathe like a celebrity at this sparkling strand, which fronts the swish Grand Wailea and ever-posh Four Seasons resorts and offers a full menu of water…
13.58 MILES
With its clear water, white sand and hala-tree backdrop, this famous crescent is a little gem; author James Michener once called it the only beach in the…
8.72 MILES
Got your camera? This beauty takes its name from the triple cascade that flows down a steep rock face on the inland side of the road, 0.5 miles past the…
17.19 MILES
The crowning glory of Makena State Park, this untouched beach is arguably the finest on Maui. In Hawaiian it’s called Oneloa, literally ‘Long Sand.’ And…
Puʻuʻulaʻula (Red Hill) Overlook
3.62 MILES
You may find yourself standing above the clouds while exploring Puʻuʻulaʻula (10,023ft), Maui’s highest point. The summit building provides a top-of-the…
Nearby Haleakalā National Park attractions
0.23 MILES
Legend says that the pit leads down to the sea, though the National Park Service says it’s just 65ft deep.
1.57 MILES
No trip to Maui is complete without visiting this national park containing the mighty volcano that gave rise to East Maui. The volcano's floor measures a…
2.72 MILES
Don’t miss this one. Kalahaku Overlook (9324ft), 0.8 miles beyond Leleiwi Overlook, offers a bird’s-eye view of the crater floor and the ant-size hikers…
2.78 MILES
For your first jaw-dropping look into the crater and its cinder cones, stop at Leleiwi Overlook (8840ft), midway between the Park Headquarters Visitor…
3.38 MILES
Pull over to gaze at this dramatic volcanic rift that drops down the southern flank of Haleakalā. The Kaupo Trail descends through here from the crater of…
3.4 MILES
Perched on the crater rim at 9745ft, the visitor center is the park’s main viewing spot. Sun, shadow and clouds reflecting on the crater floor create a…
3.49 MILES
The iron-rich cinders in this flat-top hill, which lies immediately southeast of the summit building (in the direction of Hawaiʻi, the Big Island), pack…
3.55 MILES
This windswept native cloud forest supports one of the rarest ecosystems on earth. Managed by the Nature Conservancy, the 8951-acre preserve provides the…