OutReserve

Haleakalā National Park (cabin Permits)

view of crater, orange and black cinder hills with clouds and a low rainbow
Haleakalā National Park (cabin Permits)
Haleakalā National Park (cabin Permits)
Haleakalā National Park (cabin Permits)
Haleakalā National Park (cabin Permits)

About Haleakalā National Park (cabin Permits)

Located on the island of Maui, Haleakalā National Park maintains three wilderness cabins for visitor use-- Hōlua, Palikū, and Kapalaoa. All cabins are accessible only by trail from the summit area and require you to hike a minimum of 3.7 mi (5.9 km). Backcountry users must plan to enter the park entrance for their stay no earlier than 7 am unless they have also obtained a sunrise reservation granting access to the park between 3 and 7 am. Sunrise reservations can be made on recreation.gov.  Horses, mules, and donkeys are permitted as pack animals on the Keoneheʻeheʻe Trail, Halemauʻu Trail, and Supply Trail. If planning to travel by pack animal--please notify park staff upon making reservation. All waste produced by pack animals must be removed from parking areas and trailheads. No group may have more than 12 pack animals. Riders, commercial operators, and owners are responsible for the removal of dead or injured stock within 72 hours. Pets of any other kind are prohibited on all trails. Hōlua Cabin, located at 6,940 ft (2,115 m) is nestled at the base of the crater wall in the shrubland near Koʻolau Gap. This is the cabin reached by the shortest hike. Hōlua is 3.7 mi (6 km) one way down the Halemauʻu trail or 7.4 mi one way (12 km) from the Keoneheʻeheʻe (sliding sands) trailhead. Visitors staying at Hōlua can enjoy day hikes further into the crater. The landscape around Hōlua supports a native shrubland which colonizes the lava flows. A wilderness tent camp area is located nearby.  Palikū Cabin located at 6,380 ft (1,945 m) is on the east end of the wilderness valley at the base of a rain forest cliff. This cabin is reached via a strenuous 9.3 mi (15 km) one way hike on the Keoneheʻeheʻe (sliding sands) Trail or 10.4 mi (17 km) one way hike on the Halemauʻu Trail. Clouds and fog often roll over the top of the cliffs behind Palikū, and rain is common. The extra moisture makes this spot exceptionally cool and lush. A wilderness tent camp area is located nearby.  Kapalaoa Cabin located at 7,250 ft (2,210 m) is perched near the Kaupō Gap on the southern end of the wilderness valley. This cabin is reached via a 5.6 mi (2.7 km) hike via Keoneheʻeheʻe (sliding sands) Trail or 7.2 mi (11.6 km) hike on the Halemauʻu Trail. Kapalaoa is located in a grass field and is not accompanied by a wilderness tent area.  Message of Cultural Sensitivity: Upon entering Haleakalā National Park, you are a guest of the Hawaiian culture, which considers the entire area sacred. Each person should behave as if entering a temple or reverent place in his or her own culture or belief system. The rocks, the plants and even the silence are part of the sacredness and should not be disturbed. For Native Hawaiians, Haleakalā represents an important place within their culture. 

Number of accommodations: 3

Seasonal information

2026 (Current year)

2026 Season availability

Current season
Upcoming seasons
Past seasons
Closed periods
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Open year round

This campground is open year round, providing flexibility for your stay.

365 Days

Sites & Availability

3 Sites Available

Site
Price
🏠 Holua Cabin, Loop: Holua Cabin
12 guests
$75.00
/ per night
🏠 Kapalaoa Cabin, Loop: Kapalaoa Cabin
12 guests
$75.00
/ per night
🏠 Paliku Cabin, Loop: Paliku Cabin
12 guests
$75.00
/ per night

Reviews (173)

What Guests Are Saying

Haleakalā National Park offers an incredible, otherworldly experience, with stunning views and a magical atmosphere, especially when staying in the rustic cabins. Many visitors appreciate the well-maintained trails and helpful park staff, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to immerse themselves in nature. However, some cabins need maintenance, and issues with propane and cleanliness have been reported, highlighting the importance of packing accordingly and being mindful of the environment. Overall, the uniqueness of the park and the beauty of the night sky make it a memorable destination.

Review Summary

4.4
173 reviews
5
67.6%
117
4
17.3%
30
3
6.4%
11
2
3.5%
6
1
5.2%
9

Patricia A

Verified

August 15, 2023 Stayed at: Kapalaoa Cabin, Loop: Kapalaoa Cabin

5

Entered via Sliding Sands, stayed one night at Paliku and one night at Kapalaoa and exited via Halemau'u Trail. Paliku was lush and rainy and Kapalaoa had nene geese in the yard with unreal stars at night. Beautiful sunsets at each cabin.

Both cabins were clean and in good shape. Paliku is rustic and the Kapalaoa flooring seems like it was recently updated. They each had pots/pans, plates, cups, utensils, a propane burner and compressed wood for the stove. You definitely need a fire starter or some way to light the wood. We brought a water filter.

It was an amazing experience.

Alysia D

Verified

August 14, 2023 Stayed at: Paliku Cabin, Loop: Paliku Cabin

5

Michael G

Verified

July 15, 2023 Stayed at: Holua Cabin, Loop: Holua Cabin

5

Stayed two nights - Great facility with rustic, historic charm. There was some leftover gear and supplies from past hikers but overall cabin was clean, well maintained, and similar to other CCC-era cabins we've stayed in at other National Parks. While there are still issues with the water tap inside the cabin, water was readily available from the tank immediately behind it. The picnic table out front was popular with day hikers stopping for a break. In addition to the provided propane burner, there were over a dozen mostly-full isobutane canisters left behind in one of the cabinets for use with individual camp stoves (aka jetboils, pocket rockets, etc). We ran the wood stove one night but overall found it comfortable inside the cabin with 15-30 degree bags even without the fire.

If you go outside at night you can hear eerie cries of the endangered 'ua'a or hawaiian petrel on the cliffs above, however they were not loud enough to interfere with sleeping inside the cabin. During the day several nēnē would regularly hang out on the front lawn.

We had intermittent clouds and fog come up through the Ko'olau Gap to the cabin, in general hiking the mile or so down to the Silversword Trail Loop would get us out of the clouds to enjoy the sunsets and stars.

Susan C

Verified

July 7, 2023 Stayed at: Holua Cabin, Loop: Holua Cabin

5

Had so much fun, trails were great, not much trash along the way, holua cabin was in great shape. The water catchment was broken though.

Kevin P

Verified

June 30, 2023 Stayed at: Holua Cabin, Loop: Holua Cabin

5

I love it here

Denby F

Verified

June 19, 2023 Stayed at: Holua Cabin, Loop: Holua Cabin

1

The provided locker combo for the wood locker was incorrect so we couldnʻt access our locker. The water faucets inside and out of the cabin donʻt work. There was no water in the tank next to the cabin.
The cabin itself wasnʻt very clean and is accumulating items from past campers. A lot of left over food in the cabin, dirty dishes, sleeping bag, jacket, lights left behind. We packed out some of the left behind items.
Both the park and the other hikers need to step it up and be more respectful of the facilities.

Dylan S

Verified

June 12, 2023 Stayed at: Paliku Cabin, Loop: Paliku Cabin

4

Linda S

Verified

June 2, 2023 Stayed at: Holua Cabin, Loop: Holua Cabin

3

It was a beautiful trip.

Jenna S

Verified

May 29, 2023 Stayed at: Paliku Cabin, Loop: Paliku Cabin

5

Had such an amazing trip. But I really wish there could be a way for local people to book The Haleakala cabins before nonresidents. It’s almost impossible to book the cabins- this is the first time I was able to in almost 4 years. Before that I could be able to book once of twice a year.

Kathryn B

Verified

May 28, 2023 Stayed at: Kapalaoa Cabin, Loop: Kapalaoa Cabin

5

Whoever left the cabin before we arrived, left it in tip top shape- All cleared out and swept up. I know this isn’t always the case so I really appreciated it. Kitchen was well stocked. No need to bring your own pots, pans, dishes. There was a note left from previous campers that the propane stove caught fire but we had no issues. You may want to bring your own as we did for our party of 7. Having extra was helpful. Like others, we feel the compressed wood is hard to light so we brought a duraflame to help us out. Mattress pads were in good shape. Latrine was recently tended to. In my opinion, the sunrises and sunsets were even better than at Paliku cabin since this cabin sits in a wide open space. Nene geese are very docile and there weren’t too many to cause any ruckus or disturbances. Friendly and cute creatures. It was an amazing weekend. We stayed one night. Came in through sliding sands and left via Halema au trail. Highly recommended going this route.

Location Haleakalā National Park (cabin Permits)

Address:
Po Box 369
Makawao, HI, 96768
United States

Latitude & Longitude: 20.7097 / -156.164

Elevation: 2040 feet

Policies & Rules

Category About
General

Entry and Wood Locker Codes: Each of the cabins and wood lockers are secured with a combination lock. Codes for the locks will be sent from hale_interpretation@nps.gov to the email address listed on the reservation 1-2 weeks in advance of the first night on the reservation.If you are making a reservation within two weeks of your first night due to a cancellation, contact hale_interpretation@nps.gov or call 808-572-4400 to obtain entry and wood locker codes. Please contact the park as soon as booking is complete since park staff may not be available for last minute code requests.Park staff are not available in the backcountry to assist groups who do not have the codes or are locked out. Permit holders assume all responsibility for ensuring they have the codes before heading into the backcountry.

General

Cabin Guidelines: All garbage, food, and personal gear must be packed out. Check-in/check-out time is NOON. Respect other visitors' right to quiet and solitude--quiet hours are 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. Visitors to the cabins are advised to sanitize before and after use utilizing their own cleaning supplies that should be packed out. Cabins should be left clean and fire completely out. LOCK DOORS and windows when you leave. You may be fined for dirty or damaged cabins or denied future access. Graffiti on the natural and constructed environment is considered vandalism and will be prosecuted. Cabin is for the EXCLUSIVE USE of permittee and registered guests. Campers are told to respect cabin user privacy and should not be let in.

General

Reservation Permit. A printed copy of the reservation MUST be held by the reservation holder at all times. Reservations are non-transferable. The reservation holder is legally responsible for the actions and safety of the group. Leave an itinerary and guest list with a friend. If you are renting a vehicle- please enter “Rental” in the license plate form field. When you arrive on island, you MUST log back into recreation.gov to enter your rental car plate. Once your permit is printed you cannot edit your license plates. Email hale_interpretation@nps.gov with updated license plate information if unable to update online.

General

Facilities. All three cabins offer pit toilets and non-potable water. You must filter or treat water before drinking. Each cabin has a wood-burning stove, a two-burner propane stove, and 12 padded bunks. Bring a lighter or matches. During drought, you must pack in all your water. No electricity in the cabins. There is no cell service in the wilderness.

General

Wood and Propane Supply. Locker number(s) and combination(s) will be issued by park staff via email to the email account listed on the reservation from the hale_interpretation@nps.gov account. The park cannot guarantee that propane or wood will be available. A fire starter is recommended if intending to utilize the wood stove. Extra logs and fire starters are available for purchase at the Haleakalā Visitor Center (9,740ft).

General

Essentials. First aid kit, trail map, compass, extra food, extra water (3 - 4 liters per person/day), flashlight, headlight with extra batteries, tent/shelter with rain fly, sun protection (sunglasses, sunscreen, hat), sleeping bag, emergency blanket, extra layers (rain jacket/pants), pocket knife, and gear repair kit.

General

Fires. Open fires or gathering firewood is NOT allowed. Fires are permitted in the wood stove only. Don't move firewood from outside the park. The park provides three logs per night. Extra logs are available for purchase at the Haleakalā Visitor Center (9,740ft). Do not give out logs to campers.

General

Entrance Fee. A separate park entrance fee, valid for three days, is required. The park honors interagency passes.

General

Stay on Trails. Hiking off trail and short-cutting switchbacks is prohibited and subject to citation. Off-trail hiking causes erosion and damages fragile and/or endangered life forms that are not readily apparent to the casual observer.

General

Restrictions. NO pets, firearms or wheeled vehicles. NO feeding or harassment of wildlife. NO picking plants, disturbing rocks, building cairns.

General

Visited Hawaii Island or Kauai recently? All gear, especially shoes must be cleaned thoroughly to prevent rapid ʻōhia death (ROD) Wiping down gear with a 70% alcohol solution is recommeneded to satisfy this requirement.

General

Kaupō Gap Trail: The Kaupō Gap Trail leaves the boundary of Haleakalā National Park and is not maintained by the NPS. Hikers assume all risk on this rugged, unmaintained, and brushy trail. At times, the trail can be difficult to follow or find. Several hikers have become disoriented, lost, or injured while navigating this trail. NPS officials highly recommend travel on either the Halemauʻu or Keoneheʻeheʻe Trails to access Haleakalā Crater.

General

No Camping: Camping outside the cabin in non-designated camping space is prohibited

General

Pack Animals: If planning to travel by pack animal--please notify park staff upon making your reservation to ensure sufficient paddock space is available. All waste produced by pack animals must be removed from parking areas and trailheads. No group may have more than 12 pack animals. Riders, commercial operators, and owners are responsible for the removal of dead or injured stock within 72 hours. Pets of any other kind are prohibited on all trails.

Nearby Campgrounds

Nearby destinations