Some of the most spectacular hikes on Maui are through Haleakala Crater's 30 miles of trail. Starting at the visitors center, the 10-mile Sliding Sands Trail ends at Paliku Cabin, which is located at the base of a cliff. On the east side of Paliku is Kipahulu Valley Biological Reserve, one of the last intact tracts of Hawaiian rain forest. From Paliku Cabin, one may also descend the steep Kaupo Gap Trail.

Seen in the foreground, the state bird, the nene (Hawaiian goose), lives on the slopes of Haleakala and has adapted well to the varied conditions there. Although designated an endangered species in 1967, the nene has responded to breeding efforts, and extinction has (hopefully) been prevented.