Your Guide to Watching the Sunrise at Haleakala Summit in Maui

Alexa, play ‘Here Comes the Sun’ by The Beatles. You’ll want this song queued up and ready to go when watching the Sunrise at Haleakala National Park. Despite the early wake up call, this is one of the best things you can do when in Maui. This summit sits above 10,000 feet, letting you watch the sunrise come up above all the clouds.

Making a Sunrise Reservation at Haleakala National Park

A reservation is REQUIRED to enter the park between 3AM and 7AM for sunrise! You’ll need to make a reservation here. These open up 60 days and 48 hours in advance at 7AM local time. It can be extremely difficult to get one of these coveted and limited spots so make sure to be on the site right when the time hits and already have an account created. You’ll need to show proof of your reservation (1 per vehicle) and proper identification when entering the park. The reservation fee is $1 and the entrance fee (paid on arrival) is $30 USD.

Leave as Early as Possible in the Morning

Make sure to plan carefully as to when you need to leave in the morning to make it in time for the sunrise. I was staying in Kaanapali, which was about a 2 hour drive to the entrance of the National Park (7,000 foot elevation) and then it is about a 45 minute drive from the park entrance to the top of the summit (10,000 foot elevation). You want to arrive to the summit at least 30 minutes before the official sunrise time so you can watch it rise. We ended up having to wake up at 2:30AM to make it in time (but it was absolutely worth it)!

The sun’s rays beginning to peek out about 10 minutes before sunrise
Drive Carefully

Not only is it completely dark out as you’ll be driving, the road is on a cliff edge and very windy. I recommend bringing motion sickness medication if any of the passengers are prone to nauseousness in the car. Remember to drive carefully and have your morning coffee to be well awake and alert!

Dress for Cold Weather

This one was actually unexpected for us when we went because we figured the constant Summer outfits throughout our Hawaii trip would do for this excursion as well. We couldn’t be more wrong – as you are at such a high elevation, it is very cold up at the summit before the sun comes up. I recommend wearing pants, a warm jacket, and a beanie/mittens if you can! We didn’t pack any warm clothing so we wrapped ourselves in towels we had in the trunk which worked too. Once the sun has risen, it will start to get warm soon after.

We improvised, using towels to keep warm
Make Sure to Enjoy the Views on the Drive Back Down

This excursion absolutely does not end with the sunrise! As you’re well above the clouds, the drive down is a breathtaking experience in itself.

The view from the left side of the road when driving back down after sunrise
Spending the Rest of the Day at Haleakala National Park

There are so many incredible hiking trails here that you can plan to embark on if you want to stay after seeing the sunrise – and make use of your entrance ticket! Here is the comprehensive list of the hikes you can do here.

Some Things to Keep in Mind
  • There is a large crowd that turns out for the sunrise each morning! If you want a prime viewing spot with no in front of you, I recommend getting there early.
  • There is a parking lot right at the summit so don’t feel the need to park at one of the lower lots on the drive up to the top. There were plenty of spots here, especially since they limit the amount of reservations/vehicles they allow in the park for sunrise.
  • The energy is so pure and positive! A couple of Hawaiians were chanting as the sun rose and everyone began cheering once the sun had officially risen.

Every sunrise gives you a new beginning and a new ending.

Norton Juster

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