How Crowded Is Haleakalā National Park in May?

May runs about 1.1× Haleakalā National Park's average month, which makes it an average month here — roughly 9% of the park's yearly visitors come in May.

In a typical May the park sees about 91,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

That makes May the 2nd-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the July peak (1.1×) and the November low (0.9×).

On our Best Time to Visit score May rates 41/100 ("Poor"), versus the top-rated September at 58/100 — pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season).

Typical May weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 63°F and an overnight low around 46°F, with about 2.4" of precipitation.

That average of about 55°F is a comfortable range for hiking and being outdoors all day.

Because June, July and August together draw about 27% of annual visitors, choosing May instead steps outside that summer crush — the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels.

You'll have about 13 hours of daylight in May to explore — between the 10.7-hour midwinter low and the 13.3-hour summer high.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 853,711 recreation visits, up 16.6% from 732,477 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has eased about 23.3%, so May may feel a touch quieter than it once did.