Greetings from Haleakalā National Park

In 1972, while attending the Univ of Hawaii, Manoa Campus (Oahu), my wife and I were fortunate to befriend a man with a ‘trimaran’ sail boat who had 'connections’ on the island of Maui. We embarked on a sail from Honolulu, Oahu, through the Molokai Straights to Maui and the home of Haleakala NP, the 'Crater of the Sun’ ! After a few days, we found out that we would take two horses, to carry our 'gear’, and three days through the most beautiful scenery I have ever encountered ! We spent the nights in 'reserved’ cabins along the trail through the crater. Haleakala is an extinct volcanic crater and from the highest rim, where there is 'snow’ during the winter, we managed to hike through every type of topography and climate known ! We did manage to get down through the tropical forest to the most breath-taking beach on the west coast of Maui. I still plan on returning, before I’m too old !

Sincerely,
John

Haleakalā National Park

This park protects a portion of the dormant 10,000-foot-tall shield volcano that makes up most of the island of Maui, including a 2-mile-wide crater at the volcano's summit.

State(s): Hawaii

Established: 1916

“I have unforgettable memories from so many National Parks, that I can't even count ! I love the NP system and the people I've met through the years.”

National parks represent the best of America. Why do you care about protecting and preserving them? Tell us why parks matter to you!

{{ active ? "Cancel" : "Begin"}}

Success! Thanks for sharing your story with us.

You’ll be notified by email when your story is approved and added to the collection on the My Park Story homepage.

In the meantime, you can share your own story page with your family and friends — and help us spread the word about these priceless memories and priceless places!

Here’s your unique story page link:

{{ storyUrl }}

* indicates Required fields

Click to choose a file to upload

Submitting your story means that you agree to our Terms of Service

More Stories

  • Greetings from Haleakalā National Park

    My wife and I recently returned from a backpacking trip in the spectacular and somewhat otherworldly environment of Haleakala National Park. This photo captures the start of our first day backpacking, heading to the far side and our campsite at Paliku. We were seeking to truly unplug on this trip,…

  • Greetings from Crater Lake National Park

    Our first ever visit to Crater Lake National Park was with friends in the dead of winter with a thick fog punctuated with snow flakes. We all walked up to the south shoreline to just barely see Wizard Island covered with a blizzard of moving clouds and misty strands of…

  • Greetings from Acadia National Park

    One of my favorite places on earth during foul New England weather! Thunder Hole at Acadia National Park.

Donate

Preserve Our Parks

Make a tax-deductible gift today to provide a brighter future for our national parks and the millions of Americans who enjoy them.

Donate Now