Haleakalā National Park (Cabin Permits)

Beautiful as always. No water in cabin. Water tank near empty, level below sink. Still water from tap outside. Heavy use of this water = unknown how long it will last. Rangers came by and tried to fix water situation. No water in upper pasture watertrough. Must haul water up hill so bring something to carry water in. 2 pots in cabin. No plates/cups/ utensils. Cabin was clean. Propane stove worked. 3 pressed wood logs in locker.

The tranquility of the crater always clear mind.

Cabin had basically no plates, cups, bowls, or utensils. Not a big deal if one planned for it, but one week before the trip, a park employe (via phone to visitor center) told us the cabins were now fully stocked with all of the above ... and so goes.

Our actual stay in the cabin was great… but our experience with Park staff made for a frustrating and poor experience. We were told (by two staff members) that there was no cookware in the cabin and that we “had to bring our own”. This was a major concern since there has always been a pot to boil water in (to have drinkable water). We ended up hauling up cookware for our group, and DIDNT NEED ANY OF IT! The cabin did indeed have a big pot to boil water and other cookware and cutlery. It was an unnecessary burden to bring these items and the ignorance of the park staff really made for a disappointing time. When talking to staff, I felt they weren’t being forthcoming and honest. It would have been really helpful to have staff actually know the cabins and conditions to avoid this in the future.

Cabins were in impeccable condition. Well-kept. Communication between myself and national parks services was prompt.

We stayed 2 nights at the middle cabin. The crater is always fantastic but the cabins all need upgrades. It was pretty disgusting.
I’ve been coming to these cabins for 40 years and it’s waaay beyond time to put some work into them.

They state that there are no pots, pans, plates, cups or utensils in the cabins so we lugged our own in. We stayed at Kapalaoa and Holua and both had pots and pans and a few utensils and cups.

Once in a lifetime experience to stay at the Paliku cabin. Definitely bring fire starters-- the logs are as hard to light as the reviews say. Highly recommend for anyone wanting to see a less traveled side of Maui.

:) mahalo was lovely lovely.
Glad for the firewood in a rainy Paikū night

Attn: Natalie Gates, Haleakala National Park Superintendant -
While I greatly appreciate that the rustic backcountry cabins in Haleakala Crater are still available, their condition is deplorable. I have stayed in all three of the cabins many times over many years and have never seen them look so bad. Having personally volunteered on maintenance and repair crews in the past, I know what the acceptable standard is. I have personally reupholstered all 12 bunks and painted their supporting framework in Holua Cabin. If you are encouraging visitors to treat Haleakala Crater with the respect and reverence it needs and deserves, then you should also provide an accommodation experience that fosters that respect and reverence. Please begin the planning process to remediate the kitchen and restore it to serviceable condition. Please replace the missing eight bunks and lift the outdated Covid occupancy restrictions ASAP. The location of the wood lockers is thoughtless and should not block the view from the windows. Please restore the kitchen utensils and dishware. If the cabin was remediated properly, I am certain that those utilizing it would happily comply with the expectation to clean it and leave it in good condition upon departure. These rustic backcountry cabins are essentially heritage buildings that should be protected and preserved for the use and enjoyment of future generations of visitors to Haleakala Crater. Lastly please restore the ability to book directly with Haleakala Park headquarters, or at the very least to book last minute cancellations, so that local Maui Islanders don't have to compete with anyone in the world that has a smartphone to book this long-standing traditional resource. Thank you for your timely and considerate attention to this matter. Signed, Matthew Beck.