Haleakala National Park in Maui offers some must-do hiking trails for visitors that want to get up close to the park's scenery, from the Martian volcanic crater to lush rainforest.
The park is divided into two districts, the Summit District and the Kipahulu District, and you have to visit each district separately. There are hikes in both districts!
The Pipiwai Trail is an exciting rainforest hike in the Kipahulu District of the park. The moderate trail is hugely popular, and leads to the dramatic Waimoku Falls.
In the Summit District, the Sliding Sands Trail leads into the heart of the massive Haleakala Crater. Look for the endangered Hawaiian silversword plant, and birds.
The full Sliding Sands Trail is very strenuous and requires several hours, but you can hike down as far as you like and then return. The first viewpoint is 0.5 mile round trip.
Birding enthusiasts will want to check out the lower-elevation Hosmer Grove Trail, a little over 0.5 mile and relatively flat. This trail is in the Summit District of the park.
Hosmer Grove allows you to walk through a grove of introduced trees to native shrubland. Look for the i'iwi, a honeycreeper only found in Hawaii. It's a small bird, but very bright red!