A shield volcano whose crater, watched at dawn, moved Mark Twain to call it the sublimest spectacle he ever witnessed
Area
134 km²
Protection category
IUCN II
Parque nacional —
Designated in
1961
Declared in 1961 as a separate section of Hawaii Volcanoes park, Haleakalā protects an enormous shield volcano whose erosion crater, some 32 km around, offers one of the most celebrated sunrises in the United States, described by the writer Mark Twain after his 1866 visit as the sublimest spectacle he ever witnessed. Its Hawaiian name means "house of the sun", after a local legend in which the demigod Māui snared the sun at the summit to slow its passage across the sky and so lengthen the days.
Location
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3 dive sites within 300 km are also shown.
Haleakala: 13 documented species
Mammals1Birds5Reptiles2Fish
Flora and ecosystems
Ecosystems found in the United States, where Haleakala lies.
DesertTemperate forestTundra / polarWetland
Experiences in this park
Diving and snorkellingBirdwatching
Nearby dive sites
Where can I dive near here?
37 km away
86 km away
120 km away
Wildlife you can see now
What is worth looking out for this month in the United States?
Now is a good time: Urban bat colony under Congress Avenue Bridge (March to November (peak in summer))
Similar parks
Which other parks are like this one?
Same country: United States
Same country: United States
Same country: United States
Same country: United States
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Based on what we already know about this park.
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