Haleakalā sunrise
When to book, and what the next few mornings look like from 10,023 feet.
Next sunrise: Tue, Nov 3
6:19AM HST
Tickets go on sale at 7 AM
Every morning, Hawaii time. One batch for the sunrise 60 days out, and a smaller one for the sunrise 2 days out.
60-day batch for
Sat, Jan 2
2-day batch for
Thu, Nov 5
On sale Tue, Nov 3, 7 AM Hawaii time
When do I set my alarm?
Pick your morning on Maui.
Mon, Nov 2
7:00 AM in Hawaii. First tickets.
Wed, Dec 30
Same time. The smaller batch, and the last release.
That morning the sun comes up around 6:52 AM.
Book on Recreation.gov$1 a car, plus $30 park entry per car at the gate. Log in before 7: you can't add a ticket to your cart without an account.
The next mornings
- Tue, Nov 36:19 AMCloud 30%. Feels like 43°F.
- Wed, Nov 46:20 AMCloud 49%. Feels like 39°F.
- Thu, Nov 56:20 AMCloud 71%. Feels like 38°F.
- Fri, Nov 66:21 AMCloud 75%. Feels like 44°F.
- Sat, Nov 76:21 AMCloud 73%. Feels like 44°F.
- Sun, Nov 86:22 AMCloud 65%. Feels like 42°F.
- Mon, Nov 96:22 AMCloud 56%. 50°F.
All times Hawaii time (HST). A longer bright bar means less cloud on the forecast.
NWS counts every cloud, above you or below. A high number can be a perfect sea of cloud under the rim, or fog on the summit with nothing to see. The forecast can't tell those apart, and neither can we.
These numbers are for a forecast cell about 800 feet below the summit, so the top runs colder. The park says the hours around dawn are regularly wet, windy and below freezing. Bring more than you think you need.
The rules
- Every car entering between 3 and 7 AM needs a reservation. It covers the car, whoever is in it.
- One reservation per customer every three days.
- The person who booked has to be there, with photo ID matching the reservation.
- It's good for that one morning, with no refunds. Bad weather doesn't change that.
- The $30 park entry is separate and lasts three days. Fee-free days don't cover a sunrise reservation.
- Nothing the day before, by phone or at the gate. The park says online tickets often sell out within fifteen minutes.
- It's about 30 minutes from the gate to the summit, and the park sells no food, clothing or gas.
Reservation rules checked against nps.gov/hale and recreation.gov on November 1, 2026. The park's sunrise rules
Missed the tickets?
- Try the 2-day batch. It goes on sale two mornings before, at the same 7 AM. Recreation.gov also has its own availability alert.
- Drive up after 7. Cars without a reservation can enter from then. You miss the sunrise, and you still get the crater.
- Go for sunset. No reservation. Stay on afterwards and the stars come out.
Tours & booking
Rather not drive at 3 AM?
Driving yourself costs $31. A tour buys you a driver, and the operator arranges access, because the park's rule is for non-commercial visitors.
No operator can promise you a clear morning.
Tour links are affiliate links to Viator; we may earn a commission at no cost to you.
Quick answers
- Do I need a reservation for Haleakalā sunrise?
- Yes, if you drive in between 3 and 7 AM. Every car needs its own.
- How far ahead can I book?
- 60 days, starting at 7 AM Hawaii time. A smaller batch goes on sale 2 days ahead, and that's the last release.
- Can I get in without one?
- From 7 AM, yes, with the normal park entry. Before that, no.
- Does a sunrise tour need one?
- The park's rule covers non-commercial visitors, so authorized tours arrange their own access. Check with your operator.
- How cold is the summit at sunrise?
- The park says the hours around dawn are regularly wet, windy and below freezing, whatever the beach was like yesterday.
Cloud, temperature and wind: NWS gridpoint forecast for the Haleakalā summit district (HFO 221,118). Alerts: National Park Service API. Sunrise times computed with astronomy-engine at the summit's coordinates. Reservation rules: the National Park Service and Recreation.gov. Independent project, affiliated with no park or agency.