:Haleakalā National Park

Haleakalā was originally part of Hawaii National Park along with the volcanoes of Mauna Loa and Kilauea on the island of Hawai{{okina}}i, created in 1916. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park was made into a separate national park in 1961 by Bill S. 3623.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/tolson/histlist7h.htm|title=National Park Service: Historic Listings of NPS Officials|website=www.nps.gov|access-date=Jun 4, 2020}} The park area was designated an International Biosphere Reserve in 1980.{{cite web |url=http://www.unesco.org/mabdb/br/brdir/directory/biores.asp?mode=all&code=USA+32 |title=Biosphere Reserve Information: United States of America: Hawaiian Islands |publisher=United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization |access-date=2009-12-02}} The name Haleakalā is Hawaiian for "house of the sun." According to a local legend, the demigod Maui imprisoned the sun here in order to lengthen the day.{{cite web|url=http://www.sacred-texts.com/pac/maui/|author=Westervelt, WD|title=Legends of Maui: A Demi-God of Polynesia and His Mother Hina|date=1910|publisher=sacred-texts.com|access-date=2012-03-14}} The Hawaiian National Park Language Correction Act of 2000 was proposed to observe the Hawaiian spelling, but it did not become law.{{Cite web|url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/106/s939|title=Hawaiian National Park Language Correction Act of 2000 (2000 - S. 939)|website=GovTrack.us|access-date=Jun 4, 2020}}

The park features the dormant Haleakalā (East Maui) Volcano, which last erupted sometime between 1480 and 1600 AD.{{cite web|url=http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/volcanowatch/1999/99_09_09.html|title=Youngest lava flows on East Maui probably older than A.D. 1790|date=1999-10-04|access-date=2012-03-14}} The park is divided into two distinct sections: the summit area and the coastal Kipahulu area.

Haleakalā National Park has been a part of the Pacific West Region since its inception in 1961.

File:Maui moku map 2.jpg

File:Haleakala National Park map 2008.08.jpg

An extremely winding but well maintained road leads up the mountain. The summit area includes Haleakalā Crater, the summit of the volcano, and the area surrounding the summit. This part of the park is accessed by Hawaii State Road 378. There is a visitor center, with parking and restrooms, near the summit. At the summit itself is another parking lot and a simple observatory without facilities.

File:Haleakalā 2017(9).jpg

The main feature of this part of the park is Haleakalā Crater which, despite its name, is geologically an erosional valley. It is {{convert|6.99|mi|km}} across, {{convert|2.0|mi|km|abbr=on}} wide, and {{convert|2600|ft|m|abbr=on}} deep. The interior of the crater is dotted by numerous volcanic features, including large cinder cones. Two main trails lead into the crater from the summit area: the Halemau'u and Sliding Sands trails, both of which are designated as National Recreation Trails.{{cite web |title=Halemau'u Trail |url=https://www.nrtapplication.org/trails/halemauu-trail |website=NRT Database |access-date=August 20, 2024}}{{cite web |title=Sliding Sands |url=https://www.nrtapplication.org/trails/sliding-sands |website=NRT Database |access-date=August 20, 2024}} Hikers in the crater can stay in one of three cabins.

Visitors frequently come to the summit of the volcano to watch the sunrise and/or sunset. One attraction of the park is Hosmer's Grove, a unique forest of trees including deodar (Cedrus deodara) from the Himalayas, sugi (Cryptomeria japonica) from Japan, eucalyptus from Australia, and several species from North America (pine, spruce, cypress, fir, and others). Native plants and trees are also present in the forest but are not common because the taller alien trees leave them little light to grow.

The park is known for its volcanic features, its long scenic drive with numerous overlooks, and the unusually clear views of the night sky available. Haleakalā is one of the best places in the United States for amateur astronomy, and binoculars and telescopes are available for rent from many local merchants. Nēnē (Hawaiian geese, Branta sandvicensis) can also be seen in their natural habitat in Haleakalā Crater. Although nēnē died out entirely in the park, in 1946 they were re-introduced with the help of the Boy Scouts, who carried young birds into the crater in their backpacks.{{cite web|url=http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2002/Jul/13/ln/ln18a.html|work=Honolulu Advertiser|author=Hurley, Timothy|title=Maui's Boy Scouts mark 40-year link to nene|date=2002-07-13|access-date=2012-03-14}}

At its lowest, near the ocean, the National Park has a tropical rainforest climate bordering a tropical monsoon climate. However, as altitudes progresses the climate becomes oceanic/Mediterranean, reaching, at the very top of Haleakalā, an alpine climate.{{cite web |last1=Peterson |first1=Adam |title=Köppen climate types of Hawaii |url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hawaii_K%C3%B6ppen.png |publisher=Wikimedia Commons |access-date=26 October 2021 |date=22 July 2016}}

{{Weather box

|width=auto

|location = Haleakalā Ranger Station, Hawaii, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1940–2022, altitude: {{convert|6962|ft|abbr=on}}

|single line = Y

|Jan avg record high F = 68.6

|Feb avg record high F = 67.5

|Mar avg record high F = 67.2

|Apr avg record high F = 67.8

|May avg record high F = 70.3

|Jun avg record high F = 72.2

|Jul avg record high F = 72.6

|Aug avg record high F = 73.0

|Sep avg record high F = 70.1

|Oct avg record high F = 70.4

|Nov avg record high F = 69.7

|Dec avg record high F = 69.4

|year avg record high F = 74.6

| Jan high F = 61.0

| Feb high F = 59.7

| Mar high F = 59.7

| Apr high F = 60.7

| May high F = 63.2

| Jun high F = 65.6

| Jul high F = 65.5

| Aug high F = 66.1

| Sep high F = 64.7

| Oct high F = 64.0

| Nov high F = 63.1

| Dec high F = 61.1

|year high F = 62.9

|Jan mean F = 52.5

|Feb mean F = 51.2

|Mar mean F = 51.4

|Apr mean F = 52.2

|May mean F = 54.6

|Jun mean F = 56.6

|Jul mean F = 57.2

|Aug mean F = 57.7

|Sep mean F = 56.3

|Oct mean F = 55.9

|Nov mean F = 55.0

|Dec mean F = 53.1

|year mean F = 54.5

| Jan low F = 43.9

| Feb low F = 42.7

| Mar low F = 43.1

| Apr low F = 43.8

| May low F = 45.9

| Jun low F = 47.7

| Jul low F = 48.9

| Aug low F = 49.4

| Sep low F = 47.9

| Oct low F = 47.8

| Nov low F = 47.0

| Dec low F = 45.1

|year low F = 46.1

|Jan avg record low F = 37.3

|Feb avg record low F = 36.5

|Mar avg record low F = 36.7

|Apr avg record low F = 38.5

|May avg record low F = 40.0

|Jun avg record low F = 42.2

|Jul avg record low F = 42.8

|Aug avg record low F = 43.2

|Sep avg record low F = 42.7

|Oct avg record low F = 42.6

|Nov avg record low F = 41.0

|Dec avg record low F = 39.1

|year avg record low F = 34.6

|Jan record high F = 78

|Feb record high F = 76

|Mar record high F = 78

|Apr record high F = 79

|May record high F = 78

|Jun record high F = 78

|Jul record high F = 80

|Aug record high F = 78

|Sep record high F = 78

|Oct record high F = 80

|Nov record high F = 76

|Dec record high F = 74

|year record high F =

|Jan record low F = 29

|Feb record low F = 27

|Mar record low F = 30

|Apr record low F = 31

|May record low F = 32

|Jun record low F = 33

|Jul record low F = 32

|Aug record low F = 33

|Sep record low F = 35

|Oct record low F = 31

|Nov record low F = 29

|Dec record low F = 30

|year record low F =

|precipitation colour = green

| Jan precipitation inch = 5.14

| Feb precipitation inch = 4.08

| Mar precipitation inch = 5.70

| Apr precipitation inch = 2.75

| May precipitation inch = 2.44

| Jun precipitation inch = 1.62

| Jul precipitation inch = 2.70

| Aug precipitation inch = 2.17

| Sep precipitation inch = 2.53

| Oct precipitation inch = 3.25

| Nov precipitation inch = 4.59

| Dec precipitation inch = 5.28

|year precipitation inch = 42.25

| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in

| Jan precipitation days = 9.3

| Feb precipitation days = 8.8

| Mar precipitation days = 12.9

| Apr precipitation days = 12.1

| May precipitation days = 9.3

| Jun precipitation days = 8.6

| Jul precipitation days = 10.7

| Aug precipitation days = 10.7

| Sep precipitation days = 12.1

| Oct precipitation days = 11.5

| Nov precipitation days = 12.3

| Dec precipitation days = 11.8

| year precipitation days = 130.1

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|source 1 = NOAA{{cite web

| url = https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=hnl

| title = NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data

| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

| accessdate = June 12, 2021

}}{{cite web

| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00511004&format=pdf

| title = Summary of Monthly Normals 1991-2020

| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

| accessdate = June 12, 2021

}} }}

Grazing and rooting feral deer, goats, and pigs have been destroying native vegetation. They trample the ground and break down the native plants and cause soil erosion. Biodiversity has been compromised and is negatively affecting the groundwater reserve. {{Cite web|url=https://www.nps.gov/hale/learn/nature/environmentalfactors.htm|title=Environmental Factors - Haleakalā National Park (U.S. National Park Service)|website=www.nps.gov|access-date=Jun 4, 2020}}

{{Excerpt|Haleakalā|Endangered species|subsections=Yes}}

=== Deferred Maintenance ===

As of 2018, the Park has deferred maintenance valued at $24,382,236. 49.8% of this number is from unpaved roads. The rest of the deferred maintenance cost range from trails, water systems, buildings, and campgrounds. To help combat this problem the Haleakalā friends group runs monthly service trips. This includes cleaning and scrubbing the cabins, the eradication of thistles, blackberries, and heterothecas. They also work on improving the nene habitat by removing invasive grass.{{cite web | title = NPS Deferred Maintenance by State and Park | url = https://www.nps.gov/subjects/infrastructure/upload/NPS-Deferred-Maintenance-FY18-State_and_Park_2018.pdf | publisher = United States National Park Service}}

File:Kipahulu coast.jpg

The second section of the park is the Kipahulu section. Visitors cannot drive directly to this section from the summit area; they must take a winding coastal road that travels around the windward coast of the island. This part of the park lies within the lower part of Kipahulu Valley. It is separated from the summit area of the park by the upper portion of the valley. This area is designated the Kipahulu Valley Biological Reserve and is closed to the public to preserve the native plant and animal species in this fragile rainforest.

This section of the park features more than two dozen pools along Palikea Stream in the gulch called {{okina}}Ohe{{okina}}o. These pools contain rare native freshwater fish. Visitors may choose to swim in these pools, or they may choose to hike a trail that takes visitors up to the base of Waimoku Falls.

File:Kiwikiu perched in the Waikamoi Forest Preserve.jpg

More endangered species live in Haleakalā National Park than any other national park in the United States.{{cite web |url=http://www.fhnp.org/issues.html |title=Issues |publisher=Friends of Haleakalā National Park |access-date=2009-03-07}} Once traveling to this part of the island became more frequent, native species were destroyed. One example is the {{okina}}āhinahina (Haleakalā silversword, Argyroxiphium sandwicense macrocephalum), which formerly covered Haleakalā Mountain to a degree where the mountain looked as if it were covered with snow.{{cite web|url=http://www.hawaii-guide.com/content/posts/silverswords_of_hawaii|work=Hawaii Guide|title=Silverswords of Hawaii|access-date=2012-03-14}} Other endangered species include the endangered Haleakalā schiedea (Schiedea haleakalensis).[https://archive.today/20130415093358/http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Schiedea+haleakalensis Shiedea haleakalensis.] The Nature Conservancy. Over 850 species of plants grow in the park and there are four endemic species of geraniums that are also found in the park.{{Cite web|title=Geraniums - Haleakalā National Park (U.S. National Park Service)|url=https://www.nps.gov/hale/learn/nature/geraniums.htm|access-date=2021-12-16|website=www.nps.gov|language=en}}

The park is home to many tardigrade species surviving in the extreme environment near the mountain summit. In the 1980s, local biologist Sam Gon III discovered 31 tardigrade species here and described Haleakalā as the "richest place on Earth for tardigrades".{{cite web | title = Hawaii's mysterious water bears | last = Wianecki | first = Shannon | url = http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20160602-hawaiis-mysterious-water-bears | publisher = BBC | date = 2016-08-21 | access-date = 2016-09-11 }}

The park is also home to 3 endemic Hawaiian Honeycreepers only on east Maui. These include Maui Alauahio, Akohekohe, and the Critically Endangered Kiwikiu with around 200 members left.

Native Invertebrates that live in the park include Insects, Spiders, and Snails. The insects and spiders live throughout the Rainforests and Shrublands of the park. While the snails are only found in the Park’s rainforests generally in the Kipahulu valley. Many of the park’s rarest snails are in the Partulina Genus. They are called Kāhuli in Hawaiian.

File:Haleakala Observatory 2017.jpg

Haleakalā Observatory is an observation site located near the visitor center. It lies above the tropical inversion layer and so experiences excellent viewing conditions and very clear skies. For over 40 years, the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy has managed this site, conducting dedicated astrophysical experiments. One of its missions, the Maui Space Surveillance System (MSSS), tracks satellites and debris orbiting the Earth. The buildings are on a gated road just past the summit and are not within the park boundary.{{Cite web|url=https://www.globalsecurity.org/space/systems/msss.htm|title=Maui Space Surveillance Site (MSSS)|website=www.globalsecurity.org}}

The first superintendent of Haleakalā National Park was John Stratton. The current one is Natalie Gates, she has been in this position since 2013. Although, there is not a full list of superintendents on public record, the following has been reported.

• John W. Stratton 10/19/1961 – 5/11/1963
• Neal G. Guse 7/01/1963 – 7/15/1967
• Forrest M. Benson Jr. 8/27/1967 – 6/14/1969
• Lynn H. Thompson 6/29/1969 – 11/16/1970
• Russell Cahill 1/17/1971 – 4/27/1974
• Hugo H. Huntzinger 5/26/1974 – 12/19/1987
• Peter G. Sanchez 12/20/1987 – 3/26/1988
• Donald W. Reeser 3/27/1988 – ?
• Sarah Creachbuam 2009 – 2012
• Natalie Gates March 2013 – Present

Driving To The Summit.jpg|Driving to the summit of Haleakala at sunset.

Above The Clouds.jpg|Nearing the end of vegetation growth above cloud tops while driving to the summit of Haleakala at sunset.

Hiking Maui's Haleakala Crater (43922981050).jpg|Hiking Maui's Haleakala Crater

Haleakala Observatorium Maui Hawaii (45740821981).jpg|Haleakala Observatorium, Maui, Hawaii

Mount Haleakala Crater Maui Hawaii (45740764101).jpg|Mount Haleakala Crater, Maui, Hawaii

Sunset on Haleakala Maui Hawaii (31869221948).jpg|Sunset on Haleakala, Maui, Hawaii

Entrance of the Mount Haleakala National Park Maui Hawaii (44826500995).jpg|Entrance of the Mount Haleakala National Park, Maui, Hawaii

Pa Kaoao White Hill Trail Mount Haleakala Maui, Hawaii (45740731001).jpg|Pa Ka'oao White Hill Trail Mount Haleakala, Maui, Hawaii

Haleakala National Park Crater.jpg|The crater at Haleakala National Park

• List of national parks of the United States

{{Reflist|30em}}

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{{Wikivoyage}}

• [https://www.nps.gov/hale/index.htm Haleakalā National Park] – National Park Service
• [http://www.fhnp.org Friends of Haleakalā National Park] – nonprofit organization
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20041012150806/http://www2.unesco.org/mab/br/brdir/directory/biores.asp?mode=all&code=USA+32 Haleakalā Biosphere Reserve] (archive) – UNESCO website
• [http://eastmauiwatershed.org/ East Maui Watershed Partnership] – nonprofit organization for cultural interpretation and restoration in Kipahulu district of Haleakalā National Park
• {{cite gnis |id=358382 |name=Haleakalā National Park |access-date=2011-08-19}}
• {{HAER |survey=HI-52 |id=hi0546 |title=Haleakala National Park Roads, Pukalani, Maui County, HI |photos=177 |color=4 |dwgs=|data=106 |cap=22|link=}}

{{Hawaiian volcanism}}

{{Protected areas of Hawaii}}

{{National parks of the United States}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Haleakala National Park}}

Category:National parks in Hawaii

Category:Protected areas of Maui

Category:Protected areas established in 1916

Category:1916 establishments in Hawaii

Category:Maui

Category:Volcanism of Hawaii

Category:Historic American Engineering Record in Hawaii

Category:National Recreation Trails in Hawaii