Images of Haleakala National Park – Maui Hawai’i, taken in January 2016.

Haleakala National Park on the island of Maui has as its centerpiece the 10,023 foot dormant shield volcano named Haleakala which means “House of the Sun”. This volcano last erupted between 1480 and 1600, an eruption that left a crater 6.99 miles long by 2 miles wide and 2,720 feet deep. Looking into the crater you would think you were viewing the surface of the moon. Several large cinder cones rise up from the barren crater floor which is covered with large volcanic rocks and layers of lava flows. The mountain can be surrounded by clouds and at this altitude they are often below the summit so watching clouds roll into the crater below is a particularly interesting sight. This park also holds the distinction of hosting more endangered species than any other national park including the Nene, which is the state bird, and the ʻāhinahina or Silversword plant.

The summit is one of two distinct sections of the park, the other being Kipahulu which is the coastal and rain forest area. Here I hiked several trails that took me from the coast, where I viewed numerous waterfalls that each cascaded into small pools along the ‘Ohe’o Gultch, to the rain forest where I saw Hawai’i’s tallest waterfall, the 400 foot Waimoku Falls. Also along that trail was one of the most impressive areas I have ever encountered, the Bamboo Forest. It was at least a half mile of nothing but tall bamboo stalks swaying in the wind. The density of the forest was such that the stalks make an almost musical sound as they bump against each other with each passing breeze. And, as with all of Hawai’i, everywhere you looked there was a spectacular sight to see.