Haleakala National Park Campgrounds / Wilderness Cabins

We had a wonderful 3 nights camping. Paliku and Holua are gorgeous. I just wish they'd build some tent pads, especially at Holua which is a lot of sharp volcanic rock which turns to black mud when it rain. It would also be wonderful to have some picnic tables. I know this is wilderness camping but these are reserved sites with an outhouse and tent platforms and picnic tables aren't unheard of in National Parks. The toilets had toilet paper. The sites had water access (nice and close at Paliku but a trek away at Holua) that required filtering. The cabins are kitted out with mattresses, tables, cook stove and gas, wood stoves and compressed wood logs, sinks with running water, and outdoor picnic tables which makes the lack of amenities for the campers pretty stark (They pay $75/night for the whole thing but I wish they'd open up beds to booking so the cabins don't have one or two people and empty beds; they sleep 8). A small covered area for cooking at the sites would be amazing, especially at Paliku where it is wet. There aren't a lot of spaces to string up a tarp. The hiking was lovely. The scenery was jaw-dropping. We loved the entire experience and would recommend this to anyone who can do the longer hikes while carrying gear. Pack the right gear and food. We are so happy we planned two nights at Paliku; there are some nice walks here. We loved the courting u'au' or Hawaiian Petrels at Holua; they were an added bonus we enjoyed. Bring the right gear and enough food! For $38 for 3 nights (an $8 permit plus $30 parking fee), this was the most affordable accommodation on the island!