Sunrise visitors overload Maui peak, leading to restrictions

Well before dawn each morning, throngs of tourists from around the world make their way to Maui’s tallest peak, a dormant volcano, to see what Mark Twain called the “sublimest spectacle” he ever witnessed. They drive up a long, winding road through the clouds to an otherworldly, lava-rock landscape at 10,000 feet.

Maui National Park Grapples With Overtourism

The National Park Service is no stranger to overtourism in its most renowned parks. Requiring reservations and payment in advance may irritate some visitors to Maui, but if the NPS wants to preserve this valuable natural habitat for future travelers to enjoy, it doesn’t have much choice.