Haleakalā in March: Crowds, Weather & What to Pack

Peak crowds · VisitWhen score 52/100 · #11 of 12 months

March is peak season — one of the year's busiest months, at Haleakalā National Park: crowds run 88% of the July peak (71,636 average visits). Weather: highs average 60°F and lows 43°F, with 5.7″ of precipitation and 12 hours of daylight. Computed from NPS and NOAA data.

Planning Haleakalā? Pack the trail map: Haleakala Trails Illustrated map on Amazon. · affiliate link, VisitWhen earns from qualifying purchases

Haleakalā in March: what the park service says

March closes out the November-to-March wet spell at the summit, and the coast is rainy in every month anyway. Kīpahulu, on the windward shore 12 miles past Hāna, gets about 187 inches a year, with days of 70-80°F. The Pools of ʻOheʻo there are closed to entry; you can look down on them from the Kūloa Point Trail. Flash floods and rockfall can strike at any time, which is why wading in the streams is discouraged. The district's sights include a bamboo forest and 400-foot Waimoku Falls, and the Pīpīwai trail follows its streams. There is no gas or food in the district, the entrance fee is paid by credit card, and emergency care is at least an hour away.

Source: NPS 1, NPS 2, NPS 3, NPS 4, checked 2026-11-08.

Crowds in March

Haleakalā averages 71,636 recreation visits in March — 88% of what July, the peak month, draws. Trailheads and parking fill accordingly — book early and start days at dawn.

Weather & daylight

Days are cool (highs average 60°F), and mornings are chilly (lows average 43°F). This is one of the wetter months (5.7″ of precipitation on average). Mid-month daylight runs 12 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 March.

What to pack for Haleakalā in March

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 — 5.7″ of precipitation is normal this month
• Waterproof boots — plus navigation and a basic first-aid kit — 5.7″ of precipitation is normal this month

As an Amazon Associate, VisitWhen earns from qualifying purchases. Gear names above link to Amazon searches or to a specific product — we don't show or set prices; you always see Amazon's current price.

If your dates are flexible, consider shifting: The computed best months for Haleakalā are April and August.

Also at their best in March

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

• Great Basin in March — 10% of peak crowds, highs 48°F, score 81/100
• Shenandoah in March — 23% of peak crowds, highs 55°F, score 78/100
• Wind Cave in March — 15% of peak crowds, highs 50°F, score 78/100
• Mesa Verde in March — 17% of peak crowds, highs 47°F, score 77/100

Common questions

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