The Sliding sand trail leads on a length of 12 miles into the inside of the Haleakala crater. The target on the crater ground is located about 1000 m deeper than the starting point on the crater rim at 3000 m altitude. Therefore, more time is needed to be taken into account for the continuously ascending way back to the crater rim in the thin air. Sufficient drinks and protective clothing are recommended. Because every time the sea of ??clouds can rise above the crater rim and fill the giant caldera of Haleakala.
You can walk back the same way or take back the Halemau'u Trail.
Along the trail, you also can find the rare silver sword, an endemic plant.
Without to much effort you can experience the Sliding sand trail on horseback. A Hawaiian company drives the horses every day by truck to the parking lot below the Haleakala summit.
Disadvantage: The tour takes place even in bad weather conditions, ie fog instead.
GPS-Track hiking the Maui Haleakala Sliding sands trail |  |
Volcanoes National Park (Big Island)
Starting from the Kilauea Visitor Center a (by car drivable) road, the Crater Rim Drive leads around the Caldera of Kilauea volcano. In several places there are parking lots and lookouts from which short paths lead to the crater rim and always offer breathtaking new insights into the home of the Hawaiian fire goddess Pele. |
Along the Crater Rim Drive, there are some interesting walks:
- Thurston Lava Tube
Through dense fern rainforest we descend into a deep lava tube and walk through the lava tunnel.
- Kilauea Iki Trail
Two-hour hike around the Kilauea Iki Crater. Start near the Thurston Lava Tube.
- Pu'u Huluhulu Krater
Two hour hike over bizarre lava flows from the years 1973 and 1974 to Pu'u Huluhulu crater. From the summit of the ash cone of Pu'u Huluhulu volcano we have a good panoramic view of the Kilauea crater, Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea and the active Pu'u O'o volcano.
Start on the Chain of Craters Road near Mauna Ulu (deadend road leads to the parking lot).
- Napau Trail
Hiking through the lava fields pasing the crater Pu'u Huluhulu towards Napau Crater, good health condition and equipment is required, as this dangerous hiking goes glose to the active Pu'u O'o volcano.
Start as on the above trail from the Chain of Craters Road at Mauna Ulu (deadend road leads to the parking lot).
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- Halemaumau Trail
Starting from the Halemaumau Overlook at Crater Rim Drive, a very nice lookout point, the trail leads first along the crater rim into the crater, then across the Kilauea Caldera in the direction of the Visitor Center (about 4 km). Biting sulfur smell makes breathing extreme difficult and takes its way into our clothes. Very important: Carry enough drinks with you ! Birth of the Haleamaumau crater, Nov. 1967, © NPS |  |
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