| Haleakalā National Park | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Location within Hawaii | |
| Location | Maui County, Hawaii, United States |
| Nearest city | Pukalani |
| Coordinates | 20°43′0″N156°10′0″W / 20.71667°N 156.16667°W /20.71667; -156.16667 |
| Area | 33,265 acres (134.62 km2)[1] |
| Established | July 1, 1961 |
| Visitors | 1,087,616 (in 2022)[2] |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
| Website | nps |
Haleakalā National Park is anational park of the United States located on the island ofMaui, Hawaii. Named afterHaleakalā, a dormant volcano within its boundaries, the park covers an area of 33,265 acres (52.0 sq mi; 134.6 km2),[1] of which 24,719 acres (38.6 sq mi; 100.0 km2) is awilderness area.[3] The land was designated a national park in 1976 and its boundaries expanded in 2005.[4]
Haleakalā was originally part of Hawaii National Park along with the volcanoes ofMauna Loa andKilauea onthe island of Hawaiʻi, created in 1916.Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park was made into a separate national park in 1961 by Bill S. 3623.[5] The park area was designated anInternational Biosphere Reserve in 1980.[6] The nameHaleakalā isHawaiian for "house of the sun." According to a local legend, the demigod Maui imprisoned the sun here in order to lengthen the day.[7] The Hawaiian National Park Language Correction Act of 2000 was proposed to observe the Hawaiian spelling, but it did not become law.[8]
The park features the dormantHaleakalā (East Maui) Volcano, which last erupted sometime between 1480 and 1600 AD.[9] The park is divided into two distinct sections: the summit area and the coastal Kipahulu area.
Haleakalā National Park has been a part of the Pacific West Region since its inception in 1961.
An extremely winding but well maintained road leads up the mountain. The summit area includesHaleakalā Crater, the summit of the volcano, and the area surrounding the summit. This part of the park is accessed by Hawaii State Road 378. There is a visitor center, with parking and restrooms, near the summit. At the summit itself is another parking lot and a simple observatory without facilities.
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The main feature of this part of the park is Haleakalā Crater which, despite its name, is geologically an erosional valley. It is 6.99 miles (11.25 km) across, 2.0 mi (3.2 km) wide, and 2,600 ft (790 m) deep. The interior of the crater is dotted by numerous volcanic features, including largecinder cones. Two main trails lead into the crater from the summit area: the Halemau'u and Sliding Sands trails, both of which are designated asNational Recreation Trails.[10][11] Hikers in the crater can stay in one of three cabins.
Visitors frequently come to the summit of the volcano to watch the sunrise and/or sunset. One attraction of the park isHosmer's Grove, a unique forest of trees including deodar (Cedrus deodara) from theHimalayas, sugi (Cryptomeria japonica) fromJapan,eucalyptus fromAustralia, and several species fromNorth America (pine,spruce,cypress,fir, and others). Native plants and trees are also present in the forest but are not common because the taller alien trees leave them little light to grow.
The park is known for its volcanic features, its long scenic drive with numerous overlooks, and the unusually clear views of the night sky available. Haleakalā is one of the best places in the United States foramateur astronomy, andbinoculars andtelescopes are available for rent from many local merchants.Nēnē (Hawaiian geese,Branta sandvicensis) can also be seen in their natural habitat in Haleakalā Crater. Althoughnēnē died out entirely in the park, in 1946 they were re-introduced with the help of theBoy Scouts, who carried young birds into the crater in their backpacks.[12]
At its lowest, near the ocean, the National Park has atropical rainforest climate bordering atropical monsoon climate. However, as altitudes progresses the climate becomesoceanic/Mediterranean, reaching, at the very top ofHaleakalā, analpine climate.[13]
| Climate data for Haleakalā Ranger Station, Hawaii, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1940–2022, altitude: 6,962 ft (2,122 m) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 78 (26) | 76 (24) | 78 (26) | 79 (26) | 78 (26) | 78 (26) | 80 (27) | 78 (26) | 78 (26) | 80 (27) | 76 (24) | 74 (23) | 80 (27) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 68.6 (20.3) | 67.5 (19.7) | 67.2 (19.6) | 67.8 (19.9) | 70.3 (21.3) | 72.2 (22.3) | 72.6 (22.6) | 73.0 (22.8) | 70.1 (21.2) | 70.4 (21.3) | 69.7 (20.9) | 69.4 (20.8) | 74.6 (23.7) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 61.0 (16.1) | 59.7 (15.4) | 59.7 (15.4) | 60.7 (15.9) | 63.2 (17.3) | 65.6 (18.7) | 65.5 (18.6) | 66.1 (18.9) | 64.7 (18.2) | 64.0 (17.8) | 63.1 (17.3) | 61.1 (16.2) | 62.9 (17.2) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 52.5 (11.4) | 51.2 (10.7) | 51.4 (10.8) | 52.2 (11.2) | 54.6 (12.6) | 56.6 (13.7) | 57.2 (14.0) | 57.7 (14.3) | 56.3 (13.5) | 55.9 (13.3) | 55.0 (12.8) | 53.1 (11.7) | 54.5 (12.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 43.9 (6.6) | 42.7 (5.9) | 43.1 (6.2) | 43.8 (6.6) | 45.9 (7.7) | 47.7 (8.7) | 48.9 (9.4) | 49.4 (9.7) | 47.9 (8.8) | 47.8 (8.8) | 47.0 (8.3) | 45.1 (7.3) | 46.1 (7.8) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 37.3 (2.9) | 36.5 (2.5) | 36.7 (2.6) | 38.5 (3.6) | 40.0 (4.4) | 42.2 (5.7) | 42.8 (6.0) | 43.2 (6.2) | 42.7 (5.9) | 42.6 (5.9) | 41.0 (5.0) | 39.1 (3.9) | 34.6 (1.4) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 29 (−2) | 27 (−3) | 30 (−1) | 31 (−1) | 32 (0) | 33 (1) | 32 (0) | 33 (1) | 35 (2) | 31 (−1) | 29 (−2) | 30 (−1) | 27 (−3) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 5.14 (131) | 4.08 (104) | 5.70 (145) | 2.75 (70) | 2.44 (62) | 1.62 (41) | 2.70 (69) | 2.17 (55) | 2.53 (64) | 3.25 (83) | 4.59 (117) | 5.28 (134) | 42.25 (1,073) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 9.3 | 8.8 | 12.9 | 12.1 | 9.3 | 8.6 | 10.7 | 10.7 | 12.1 | 11.5 | 12.3 | 11.8 | 130.1 |
| Source: NOAA[14][15] | |||||||||||||
Grazing and rootingferal deer, goats, and pigs have been destroying native vegetation. They trample the ground and break down the native plants and cause soil erosion. Biodiversity has been compromised and is negatively affecting the groundwater reserve.[16]
Thenēnē bird is on the endangered species list. The bird was once on all the islands of Hawaii, but now it is only on the Island of Hawai’i, Maui, Moloka’i, and Kaua’i. Habitat loss, hunting, and the introduction of mammals caused the bird population to dwindle.[17] Since 2010, only 2,000 birds were left. These birds were then kept in captivity to increase the population.
Haleakalā silversword is a quintessential plant of Haleakalā since it grows nowhere else on Earth. Climate change has been threatening the population of this plant due to hotter temperatures and lower rainfall. The park service has erected fences to prevent damage from local herbivores and from visitors taking the plants as souvenirs.[18]
Several species of native forest birds across Hawaiʻi are nearly extinct, including thekiwikiu and'ākohekohe that are found only in East Maui, whose population decreased by more than 70% in the 21st century. A primary threat is mosquito-borne diseases such asavian malaria. Attempts to relocate kiwikiu to higher elevations were unsuccessful in protecting the population, as mosquitos also rose into higher elevation habitats after the 1980s.[19]
The working group "Birds, Not Mosquitos"[20] joined with theNational Park Service and theHawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources to develop a plan to address the threat, eventually settling on theincompatible insect technique.[21] As of 2024, each week some 250,000 malesouthern house mosquitos carryingWolbachiabacteria were released on the mountain, totaling 10 million by June of that year. When male mosquitos withWolbachia mate with female mosquitoes, their resulting eggs do not hatch.[22][23]
As of 2018, the Park has deferred maintenance valued at $24,382,236. 49.8% of this number is from unpaved roads. The rest of the deferred maintenance cost range from trails, water systems, buildings, and campgrounds. To help combat this problem the Haleakalā friends group runs monthly service trips. This includes cleaning and scrubbing the cabins, the eradication of thistles, blackberries, and heterothecas. They also work on improving the nene habitat by removing invasive grass.[24]
The second section of the park is theKipahulu section. Visitors cannot drive directly to this section from the summit area; they must take awinding coastal road that travels around thewindward coast of the island. This part of the park lies within the lower part of Kipahulu Valley. It is separated from the summit area of the park by the upper portion of the valley. This area is designated the Kipahulu Valley Biological Reserve and is closed to the public to preserve the native plant and animal species in this fragilerainforest.
This section of the park features more than two dozen pools along Palikea Stream in the gulch calledʻOheʻo. These pools contain rare native freshwater fish. Visitors may choose to swim in these pools, or they may choose to hike a trail that takes visitors up to the base ofWaimoku Falls.
More endangered species live in Haleakalā National Park than any othernational park in the United States.[25] Once traveling to this part of the island became more frequent, native species were destroyed. One example is theʻāhinahina (Haleakalā silversword,Argyroxiphium sandwicense macrocephalum), which formerly covered Haleakalā Mountain to a degree where the mountain looked as if it were covered with snow.[26] Other endangered species include the endangeredHaleakalā schiedea (Schiedea haleakalensis).[27] Over 850 species of plants grow in the park and there are four endemic species of geraniums that are also found in the park.[28]
The park is home to manytardigrade species surviving in the extreme environment near the mountain summit. In the 1980s, local biologistSam Gon III discovered 31 tardigrade species here and described Haleakalā as the "richest place on Earth for tardigrades".[29]
The park is also home to 3 endemicHawaiian Honeycreepers only on east Maui. These includeMaui Alauahio,Akohekohe, and theCritically Endangered Kiwikiu with around 200 members left.
Native Invertebrates that live in the park includeInsects,Spiders, andSnails. The insects and spiders live throughout theRainforests and Shrublands of the park. While the snails are only found in the Park’s rainforests generally in theKipahulu valley. Many of the park’s rarest snails are in thePartulina Genus. They are called Kāhuli inHawaiian.
Haleakalā Observatory is an observation site located near the visitor center. It lies above the tropicalinversion layer and so experiences excellent viewing conditions and very clear skies. For over 40 years, theUniversity of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy has managed this site, conducting dedicated astrophysical experiments. One of its missions, the Maui Space Surveillance System (MSSS), tracks satellites and debris orbiting the Earth. The buildings are on a gated road just past the summit and are not within the park boundary.[30]
The first superintendent of Haleakalā National Park was John Stratton. The current one is Natalie Gates, she has been in this position since 2013. Although, there is not a full list of superintendents on public record, the following has been reported.
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