A road above the clouds to Pu'u'ula'ula (Red Hill) in HI
Pu'u'ula'ula (Red Hill) is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 3.055m (10,023ft) above sea level, located on the Hawaiian Island of Maui.
Is the road to Haleakalā paved?
Set high in the Haleakalā mountains, the road to the summit is totally paved. It’s called Haleakala Highway, also known as Crater Road or Route 378. Starting at Kahului, the ascent is 56km (34.9 miles) long. Note the last chance to buy food and gas is at Pukalani or Makawao.
Is the drive to Pu'u'ula'ula (Red Hill) worth it?
The summit hosts a big parking lot and, to the south, an astronomical research observatory called Haleakalā Observatory and a radio broadcaster (Randy Schmitz Radio Facility). The summit building provides a top-of-the-world panorama from its wraparound windows. On a clear day you can see Hawaiʻi (Big Island), Lanaʻi, Molokaʻi and even Oʻahu.
How is the road to Pu'u'ula'ula (Red Hill) summit?
It is a well-maintained two-lane highway containing many blind turns and very steep drop offs without guardrails, mainly composed of 32 switchbacks. Sometimes animals including cows and nene geese cross the highway. Watch out for poor visibility due to fog.
When was the road to Pu'u'ula'ula (Red Hill) built?
Tucked away within the Haleakalā National Park, construction of the road started in 1933 and took two years to complete, opening to public in 1935.
Is the road to Haleakalā summit steep?
The road holds the world record for climbing to the highest elevation in the shortest distance of 35 miles. The road is very challenging, hitting a 15% of maximum gradient through some of the ramps. The elevation gain is 3021m and the average gradient is 5.39%.