Haleakalā in February: Crowds, Weather & What to Pack

Peak crowds · VisitWhen score 60/100 · #6 of 12 months

February is peak season — the 12th-busiest month of the year, at Haleakalā National Park: crowds run 74% of the July peak (60,634 average visits). Weather: highs average 60°F and lows 43°F, with 4.1″ of precipitation and 11.5 hours of daylight. Computed from NPS and NOAA data.

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Haleakalā in February: what the park service says

February is still rainy season on the mountain. If sunrise is the goal, note that one person may hold only one sunrise reservation in any three-day period, so pick your best morning instead of booking several as a hedge. The summit lots close once they fill; for a quieter view the park points to the Leleiwi and Kalahaku overlooks. Allow roughly half an hour from the entrance gate to the top, on a road with no streetlights or guard rails. Before dawn it is regularly wet, windy and below freezing, so pack what the park suggests for night visits: a hat, coat, long pants and warm shoes.

Source: NPS 1, NPS 2, NPS 3, checked 2026-11-08.

Crowds in February

Haleakalā averages 60,634 recreation visits in February — 74% of what July, the peak month, draws — this is the quietest month of the year. That crowd level sets the tone for parking, permits and lodging — book early and start days at dawn.

Weather & daylight

Daytime stays cool (highs average 60°F), and mornings are chilly (lows average 43°F). This is one of the wetter months (4.1″ of precipitation on average). Mid-month daylight runs 11.5 hours.

NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals, station HALEAKALA RS 338, HI US (7 mi from park coordinates, 6,962 ft elevation) — conditions vary inside the park, especially with elevation. Daylight computed for the 15th of February.

What to pack for Haleakalā in February

Computed from the month's weather normals above — not a generic list.

• Warm mid-layer (fleece or light puffy) — mornings average 43°F
• Rain shell + pack cover — 4.1″ of precipitation is normal this month
• Waterproof boots — plus navigation and a basic first-aid kit — 4.1″ of precipitation is normal this month

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Want quieter or kinder conditions? The computed best months for Haleakalā are April and August.

Also at their best in February

Other parks whose computed February verdict is a best window — same NPS × NOAA formula:

• Zion in February — 25% of peak crowds, highs 58°F, score 80/100
• Shenandoah in February — 9% of peak crowds, highs 47°F, score 77/100
• Capitol Reef in February — 10% of peak crowds, highs 47°F, score 76/100
• Carlsbad Caverns in February — 39% of peak crowds, highs 61°F, score 76/100

Common questions

See also: the best national parks to visit in February · Last verified 2026-09-24