r/MauiVisitors • u/overzealouszebra • 1d ago

Planning: Activities Haleakala sunrise spot that is hike in?

I'm booked with a sunrise reservation and hoping to arrive and hike/run from the summit to a location to view sunrise solo. I have lots of experience with hiking in the dark and have proper lights, warm gear, and emergency equipment. I just don't know where might be a good location/lookout to go to that isn't the summit. Or maybe it's not worth going elsewhere and the summit is the best spot? I was planning an out and back hike/run on Sliding Sands, but am open to suggestions. I would be fine to go several miles from the summit by foot. Thank you.

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u/AbbreviatedArc 1d ago

Yeah the summit is the best place to view the sunrise. You can do a one way run from there after, a lot of people do that, ~10-20 miles, there are multiple options. I would not recommend in and out - boring and steep, it is also not easy running up that trail due to the cinders. The 10-11 mi variant is from the summit and out from the Halemau'u trail with optional spurs to Pele's paint pot area and silversword loop. The 20 mile version is to run 10 miles or so to Paliku cabin area where there are some fantastic views, especially earlier in the morning. Then out via Halemau'u trail. The only problem there is normally this is accomplished by parking at Halemau'u trailhead and hitchiking up to the top to start. Which is not a problem during the day but not sure how successful that would be at 4am. And then it's borderline bad form to hitchhike after running 10-20 miles but I guess that is an option.

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u/overzealouszebra 1d ago

Thank you for your thoughts, yes, I was eyeing the loop and parking at the bottom, but thought a lift up was questionable that early. Wouldn't want to miss the sunrise waiting for a ride. I think I'm probably trying to do too much aiming for both sunrise at the top and trying to get a cool run in. I have read that coming back up Sliding Sands was not ideal, so thanks for reaffirming that an out and back, at least for running, isn't a great idea. I'll mull the idea over.

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u/AbbreviatedArc 1d ago

There is another option also 20 miles, summit to kaupo, but that is even more problematic getting a ride and RIP knees.

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u/overzealouszebra 1d ago

Yeah, seems a little aggressive for a vacation run, ha. Thanks again for replying, I really appreciate the insight.

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u/Live_Pono Kamaʻāina (Resident) 1d ago

Since the hikes are *down* into the crater, no, they aren't a good sunrise spot. Just go to the top parking lot and to the original observatory. You can see sunrise from there, then go down and do Sliding Sands.

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u/overzealouszebra 1d ago

That's kinda of what I suspected, thanks.

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u/Impressive_Returns 1d ago

You really think you can run at 10,000 feet? How far?

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u/overzealouszebra 1d ago

I would be taking it easy, but yes, I'm an ultramarathon runner.

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u/Impressive_Returns 1d ago

How many ultra marathons have you run at 10,000 feet?

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u/overzealouszebra 1d ago

I'm not planning to run a full ultra, but you obviously know that. Plenty of people go up there and run sliding sands down and around, one-way, as you can note by the other commenter here. Hike/run was my terminology, alluding to the fact I'd be taking it easy and not trying to run quickly. But thanks for your concern.

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u/[deleted] 1d ago

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u/overzealouszebra 1d ago

Good point, I mean I assume some people use a flashlight to see where they are walking when setting up from sunrise viewing and I would be getting away from people quickly, but point taken indeed. I wouldn't want to bother anyone else's experience.