Haleakalā NP Summit Crater

Haleakalā is the dormant shield volcano that forms most of East Maui, rising 10,023 feet above sea level. This live camera looks across the summit crater — a massive erosional depression 7 miles long, 2 miles wide, and 2,600 feet deep. The volcanic landscape inside is otherworldly: cinder cones, lava flows, and red-orange rock that has been compared to the surface of Mars by visiting astronomers and astronauts. The summit district of Haleakalā National Park sits above the trade-wind inversion layer, which means clear views of the crater and surrounding clouds are typical even when the lower elevations are socked in. Sunrise viewing from the summit is one of the most famous experiences in Hawaii. The crater fills with golden light as the sun emerges from the cloud deck, and the temperature can be near freezing despite the tropical latitude. The National Park Service requires reservations for sunrise vehicle entry due to high demand. Haleakalā means "house of the sun" in Hawaiian. According to legend, the demigod Maui captured the sun from the summit and forced it to slow its journey across the sky, giving people more daylight to dry their tapa cloth. The summit also hosts Science City, an astronomical observatory complex including the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope — the world's most powerful solar telescope. The Haleakalā silversword, a rare endemic plant found only on this volcano, grows in the cinder pockets visible inside the crater. Nearby attractions include the Pīpīwai Trail and Seven Sacred Pools in the Kīpahulu district on the wet eastern side of the park, the road to Hana along Maui's northeast coast, and the upcountry towns of Makawao and Kula on the lower slopes of the volcano.