Watch the Sun on Haleakala

Haleakala, a massive shield volcano that rises 10,023 feet above Maui's coastal areas, is an enormously popular and easily accessible visitor destination. It has become almost a ritual, in fact, for visitors to rise before dawn and trek to the mountaintop to watch the sun come up.

Sunrise at Haleakala is not overrated, just overcrowded. To alleviate the problem, new restrictions that limit commercial tour activity, including popular downhill biking tours, are being imposed. Activities like hiking, horseback riding, and guided nature tours are available in the park.

Haleakala National Park is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and offers plenty of alternatives to a sunrise vigil in a shoulder-to-shoulder crowd.

The volcano—called "House of the Sun" by early Hawaiians—has not erupted for more than 200 years. It's the centerpiece of a 30,058-acre park that extends from Haleakala's summit to Kipahulu Valley on the Hana coast. A place of legends and intriguing biological diversity, the park attracts more than 1 million visitors a year.

To avoid being disappointed any time of the day, call the National Weather Service (877-5111) for Maui's weather forecast. It can be cold up there with temperatures at the summit typically ranging from 32 to 65 degrees F. and occasionally dipping below zero. No food or gas is available in the park and there is a $10 entrance fee, which is good for three days. The drive, on paved roads from the island's coastal areas, will take about two hours.

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