Haleakala closures in 2026

When was Haleakala National Park closed in 2026?

Three times: 12 to 30 March after a kona storm, 14 to 25 August for Tropical Storm Lala (summit), and 24 to 27 September for Nolo.

Each closure followed the same pattern. The park shut the gate the evening before the storm, cancelled the next morning's sunrise reservations, and reopened only after crews had cleared the road. The Kipahulu District on the coast near Hana closes too, but its fate depends on the Hana Highway, not on the summit road.

The table is built from the park's own releases and Maui press. Dates are 2026 and times are Hawaii time.

What happened in the March 2026 kona storm closure?

The park closed after sunset on 12 March, more than 49 inches of rain fell at the top in five days, and both districts stayed shut until Monday 30 March.

The National Weather Service forecast heavy rain and sustained winds above 75 mph for the summit, so the park closed both districts after sunset on Thursday 12 March (Maui Now). Superintendent Natalie Gates put it simply: "We will open the park as soon as it is safe to do so." The next day Crater Road was closed from Kekaulike Avenue because of downed trees, before you even reach the park.

The storm turned out worse than forecast. Rain gauges at the top recorded more than 49 inches from 10 to 15 March, and a reopening planned for Wednesday 18 March was called off for road repairs (Maui News). The park reopened on Monday 30 March, but the Keonehe'ehe'e (Sliding Sands) Trail and Holua campground were still closed for repairs at that point. If you plan a hike into the crater, check the trail status separately.

How long was the summit closed after Tropical Storm Lala?

Eleven days. The Summit District closed at 6:30 p.m. on Friday 14 August and reopened at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday 25 August.

As Lala approached, the park closed Kipahulu at 5 p.m. and the summit at 6:30 p.m. on 14 August and cancelled all sunrise reservations for Saturday 15 August (Maui Now). Kipahulu and its campground were open again on 21 August. Up the mountain it took longer: crews were still removing hazard trees along the road on 24 August, and the summit reopened the next afternoon (Hawaii News Now).

A month later it happened again. Ahead of Nolo the park closed Kipahulu at 4 p.m. and the summit at 8 p.m. on Thursday 24 September, and cancelled sunrise reservations for 25 and 26 September (Maui Now). This time the storm passed to the south, and the park reopened on the 27th. Short closure, but three lost sunrises for anyone booked those mornings.

What happens to my tour and my $1 reservation if the park closes?

Your tour is cancelled and refunded, because no operator can enter a closed park. The $1 sunrise reservation is cancelled too, and Recreation.gov lists it as non-refundable.

Every tour company needs the park's permission to bring guests in, and a closed gate stops them like everyone else. Valley Isle Excursions says on its listing that it runs the Majestic sunrise tour "in various weather conditions, with the exception of any Haleakala National Park closures". Polynesian Adventure Tours refunds "only when the tour is cancelled for safety reasons", and a closed park is exactly that. When an operator cancels, Viator's cancellation rules give you a full refund.

Small operators often call ahead. A February 2026 guest on the sunset and stargazing tour wrote: "Our tour guide, Trish, had to cancel the tour due to bad weather, namely very high winds. She offered us an alternative date but we were unavailable then due to having to fly home." That last part is the real risk: the money comes back, the sunrise may not.

Driving yourself, the park cancels that day's reservations. The Recreation.gov sunrise page says sunrise reservations are non-refundable, and its general rules exclude reservation fees on free tickets from closure refunds. Count on losing the dollar. The $30 entrance fee is a separate purchase, valid for three days, so a closed gate costs you nothing there if you have not paid yet.

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How do I check if Haleakala is open today?

Check the park's Alerts & Conditions page on nps.gov the evening before. The park phone, 808-572-4400, is not taking calls until 21 November 2026; use 808-490-9870 instead.

The Alerts & Conditions page is where closures appear first, and the park's news releases follow. Right now it carries a notice that the park's phones cannot take incoming calls from 21 October to 21 November 2026, with a temporary cell, 808-490-9870, and the e-mail [email protected]. Service on the cell may be patchy.

Three more checks are worth a minute. Recreation.gov e-mails reservation holders when it cancels. Maui County and Maui Now post road closures below the park, like the downed trees on Crater Road in March. And on a tour, the operator's message is the one that counts: Polynesian Adventure Tours asks you to call two days ahead for your pickup time anyway, which is a good moment to ask about the forecast.

One more alert from the same page: before sunset, cars can be turned back at the entrance when the summit is full, and the park suggests arriving three hours early. Plan for it if you drive yourself.

What should I do if my Haleakala tour is cancelled?

Rebook on a later day of your trip. Book your summit trip early in the stay, keep a second date free, and treat sunset as the backup.

Storm closures in 2026 lasted from three days to two and a half weeks. Nobody can plan around that, but you can stop a single closure from costing you the mountain. Put the summit in the first half of your stay. If the park closes, you still have days to rebook, and free cancellation up to 24 hours before means holding a date costs nothing.

Sunset tours are the easy fallback. They need no reservation, leave in the afternoon and fit around a flight home the next day. Compare the two in sunrise or sunset, and if you were planning to drive, tour or drive yourself covers what changes. Skip the urge to drive up the moment the gate reopens: the first day often brings debris on the road, and the park asks drivers to go slowly.

Frequently asked questions