Haleakalā

Haleakalā, the East Maui Volcano, forms more than three quarters of Maui and rises to 10,023 feet at Puʻu ʻUlaʻula. Its broad summit basin, long mistaken for a crater, is now understood as an erosional hollow formed when two valleys cut back and merged. Built over about 2 million years, the volcano remains active in a rejuvenated stage, with eruptions occurring within the last several centuries. Haleakalā also holds deep importance in Hawaiian tradition through the story of Māui and the sun. Today it is a major center of conservation, research, and recreation, with rare native species, observatories, and much of its summit protected within Haleakalā National Park.

Kula, Hawaii · United States