Haleakalā National Park (Wilderness Tent Permit)

Amazing. Great camping place after the beautiful hike. Very recommended. If you have a reservation and don’t plan to go then make sure you cancel it. It’s sad to see that it’s fully booked and then nobody shows up at the cabins and tent spaces. I’d recommend a 100$ no show fee instead of 20$. Many outdoor lovers would like to camp there but don’t get the chance because of unresponsible bookers…

My sister and I hiked into the crater at night with a full moon and it was beautiful! We woke up and felt like we were on Mars. The glow of the morning on the redish mountain rock was incredible. I highly recommend this experience!

Nice backcountry campsites and beautiful park.

Beautiful stars at night Amazing sunrise.

The hike to Paliku was challenging. The sky was clear and the Milky Way was above me. Stars galore!

I was told at the Visitorcenter at the moment I wanted to start my hike that there was “plenty of water” at Holua Camp. Half way down I met a guy coming up the hill reling me that there is no water left. I only brought my filter and 2 liters. It was no fun. Kapalaoa saved me.

Haleakala is truly special, especially for summer solstice (house of the sun). Two silverswords were blooming, the Hawaiian raspberry (akala) were fruiting, Paliku was misty and magical, and at Honua, the Hawaiian petrels (Ua’u) were off the charts with their many calls all night long!!! It was such an honor being gifted with all the many unique experiences of Haleakalaaaaaa. So special. Mahalo nui loa!!!

Camping in Haleakala Crater is an honor. I have stayed in the cabins before, but camping brings you so much closer to nature and the wonderful environment around you. Our first night was at Paliku campground in the lush lower part of the crater. Haleakala is actually a valley caused by erosion with secondary volcanic activity after the first mountain building phase, but we all call it a crater. At Paliku you can explore down the Kaupo Gap, or even hike out that way if you enjoy a 6 ft descent! It can be very wet and rainy there, so be prepared with a well sealed tent and rain gear! We spent our second two nights at Holua Campground. It was magical listening to the ua'u, or Hawaiian petrels, coming in after dark to feed their babies. We also took an 8 mi day hike to explore the center of the crater and check out the different cinder cones. Remember to stay on the trail. This is not a place to go cross-country, not because you can't, but out of respect for the 'aina, land, and also to protect the native plants that have shallow root systems. One set of footsteps will scar a field of cinder for many years. It's wonderful to be out of cell service for 3 days! Can't wait to return!

We were worried about updating and printing our reservation to include rental vehicle information and were relieved to find out that you can instead register with a ranger at the first Visitor Center.
We stayed in Holua 2 and Paliku 4 on June 20 and 21. Both nights were misty and windy. In Paliku, if the winds consistently come from the same direction, sites 2 and 3 might be best as vegetation would block the northerly winds.
We were able to filter water without issue. The privies were well used but adequate. Make sure to bring toilet paper.
Birds were active at both sites, on the cliffs above Holua at night and around the cabin at Paliku during the day.

Absolutely amazing views!

Note for Summit Sunrise Viewing: We tried multiple times to book Summit Sunrise reservations when the tickets were released exactly at 7am, but were never able to get any (they always went from "not released yet" at 6:59am, to "not available" at 7:00am). We ended up cutting out camping experience short and packing up our Holua tent site at 1:30am to hike back to our car in time to drive to the summit and be there in time for first light. The hike in and out each took 2 hours (lots of photo stopping on the way in/down). Catching the sunrise at the summit was an absolutely unforgettable experience!