Halemauʻu Trailhead Parking Lot Closure

Halemauʻu Trail sign. Photo by Wendy Osher.

By Wendy Osher

The Halemauʻu trailhead parking lot, located near the 8,000-foot elevation in the Summit District of Haleakalā National Park, will be completely closed to vehicles for one week beginning next Tuesday, June 18, park officials announced.

The closure is to allow work for accessibility improvements, with similar work scheduled throughout the summit area through September 2013, officials said.

Improvements began at the visitor center parking lot near the summit, with work conducted May 20 to June 6.  Work continued at the Leleiwi Overlook parking lot, which park officials say will continue through June 18.

The Halemauʻu trailhead parking lot project is the third area where construction is planned with work tentatively scheduled to continue through Tuesday, June 25, at the location.

Visitors and residents should expect continued heavy construction traffic on Haleakalā Highway near the Summit and on Crater Road.

Funding for the project was announced a year ago when congressional leaders said $2 million in federal grant funds was being released for the refurbishment of seven parking lots in the summit area.

In announcing the funding release, authorities pointed towards the 11% increase in arrivals and 20% increase in visitor spending, saying continued investment was needed in tourism infrastructure.

The grant funds are for the rehabilitation and repaving of deteriorating asphalt pavement, and improvement of disabled accessibility.