By Rachel Puryear

The beautiful Hawaiian islands are known for their warm tropical weather, abundant rainforests, and laid-back culture – but did you know that these islands are also home to some pretty magnificent volcanoes, too? Hawaii’s two national parks both showcase these volcanoes fantastically, and this post will cover Haleakala National Park, on the island of Maui.

At an altitude of 10,023 feet (3,055 meters) above sea level, reaching even above many clouds, is the top of the Haleakala volcano. This volcano has been dormant for more than 400 years.

The Haleakala volcano, measured from its base on the ocean floor to its summit in the clouds, is around 29,704 feet (9,054 meters) high – that’s even taller than Mount Everest! (However, Mount Everest still has the distinction of the world’s highest peak altitude, at about 29,029 feet (8,848 meters) above sea level. Hawaii is indeed home to some very tall peaks.

The island of Maui was formed by volcanoes that began on the ocean floor. Each time these volcanoes erupted, a new layer of lava was formed on top – until these formations grew so high that they eventually emerged out of the water, as dry land. In fact, scientists believe that these volcanoes may have been even taller in the past, but have been reduced over time by rains.

Colorful wildflowers like these bloom all over Hawaii, and can also be found in this park, even in this high desert environment:

This spiky plant known as the Haleakala Silversword thrives in the high desert environment, but please don’t touch it – the oils in the skin of human hands will kill them within a few days! Please admire from a safe distance.

At the peak of the volcano sits a facility for observing the skies, which is an advantageous vantage point due to the remote location and therefore exceptionally dark night skies. The U.S. Military also maintains telescopes up here for observation. This site is known as “Science City”.

The vicinity of the park also has its lush, green, humid areas, too – Maui is indeed famous for its many microclimates.

See here for more about visiting Haleakala National Park.

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