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| Beautiful views of Haleakala National Park |
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| Haleakala Crater is a very unique and stunning spot |
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| Haleakala Silversword thrives in the otherwise barren terrain |
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| Closeup of Haleakala Crater's volcanic cones |
Mt. Haleakala is a must see when in Maui. I know most people go crazy for the whole Haleakala sunrise thing, but with young kids it's really not feasible. Also, it is very cold and windy at the summit especially during early morning hours. On our first trip to Maui, before kids, we did watch the sunrise atop Haleakala and while I remember it being a beautiful sight, I also remember the freezing cold and shaking uncontrollably despite being mummy wrapped in a warm blanket. With that in mind, we make our drive to the summit in the afternoon. It was a partly cloudy day, which made for great photos. The views on the drive are stunning, and there were moments when the windy road appeared to veer off into the clouds. The summit views and Haleakala Crater are even more breathtaking. It's interesting to see the volcanic cones up close, and realize that you're standing atop a volcano that essentially created the majority of the island of Maui. Another unique feature at Haleakala are the abundant Ahinahina or Silversword plants. They are large silvery light-green plants that resemble cacti and flower only once in a lifetime. They grow on the slopes of Haleakala and nowhere else in the world. I wish we had more time to explore and hike Haleakala National Park, but there is always next time once the girls get a little bigger and and can keep up the pace.
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| Haleakala summit - elevation 10,000+ feet |
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| Velvety green silversword plant |
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| Haleakala road to the clouds |
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| Watching the sunrise on Mt. Haleakala...before kids |
