Hiking the Sliding Sands Trail скачать в хорошем качестве

Hiking the Sliding Sands Trail

On October 2, 2025, Rachel and I hiked the Sliding Sands Trail in Haleakalā National Park. It was day two of the federal government shutdown, which meant entrance to the park was free, although services were limited. This hike is a point-to-point route, so we parked our car at the finish lot and hitchhiked our way to the top. It was the first time either of us had ever hitchhiked, which made it exciting. To our surprise, the very first car that passed pulled over. A friendly couple from Georgia named Kevin and Sybil offered us a ride for the ten-minute drive to the summit, and we had great conversation along the way. Thank you, Kevin and Sybil, for the generosity and good company. At the top of the mountain, or more accurately the dormant volcano, we began our descent into what many call a crater. In reality, it is not a true crater but rather a massive valley formed by erosion over thousands of years. Rain carved deep channels into the ancient shield volcano, creating the dramatic landscape we hiked through that day. From the very start, the views were incredible. You could look down into the vast valley and see nearly the entire trail stretching for miles, unobstructed by trees. The openness gave an immense sense of scale. Scattered across the landscape were colorful cinder cones in shades of red and orange, adding to the surreal beauty. As we descended, clouds began to roll through the valley, creating an otherworldly atmosphere. It felt as if we were walking through the sky. The terrain was stark and barren, with very little vegetation, and the few plants we did see were endemic to the area, found nowhere else on Earth. The entire setting felt like another planet. The trail alternated between compact lava rock and loose, sandy stretches, which is likely where it gets its name, “Sliding Sands.” Earlier that morning, we had stopped at Pukolani Superette, where we picked up a noodle dish and some fried rice. We enjoyed our meal overlooking the incredible valley views as we continued our descent. Throughout the day, we encountered only a handful of other hikers. Between the off-season timing and the ongoing shutdown, we were lucky to have most of the trail to ourselves. The solitude made the experience even more special. The hike ended up being about 13 miles long with roughly 1,800 feet of elevation gain. It felt remote and unique, unlike any other hike I’ve done, both because of the volcanic landscape and the peaceful emptiness of the trail. Rachel was a true champ for pushing through such a challenging hike. One thing that helped keep her going was the anticipation of Taylor Swift’s new album, Life of a Showgirl, dropping that night. She was excited to get back to the car so we could play it on our drive home. I would highly recommend this hike to anyone visiting Haleakalā. Just be prepared for a long day, as it takes up most of your day to complete, but it is absolutely worth it.