The crater
And its cones.
Niagara66 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Mferbfriske — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Anton Repponen repponen — CC0 · Niagara66 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · dronepicr — CC BY 2.0
Haleakalā National Park on Maui takes in the summit of the dormant Haleakalā volcano. From the top you look into a vast crater in reds, browns and greys scattered with cinder cones, often with the clouds below you like a white sea. Haleakalā is Hawaiian for «house of the sun»; legend says the demigod Maui caught the sun here to make the day longer. The volcano last erupted sometime between about 1480 and 1600 AD. The park was part of Hawaii National Park from 1916 before becoming separate; it covers about 135 square kilometres, mostly protected wilderness, in two parts: the summit district and the coastal Kīpahulu district. Many drive up before dawn to watch sunrise above the clouds, while others hike trails into the crater among the coloured cones. The visitor centre is about 30 km in a straight line southeast of Kahului. Entering the summit between 3 and 7 a.m. needs an advance vehicle reservation. It is very cold at the top before dawn, so bring warm clothes.
And its cones.
Below the summit.
For hiking.
Haleakalā summit, island of Maui, Hawaii
Yes, per vehicle from 3 to 7 a.m.
Yes, near freezing before dawn.