Hosmer Grove and Kīpahulu, both at Haleakalā, both reserved ahead; our build of the federal recreation database
Recovery where the anchor is lava
Sand and mud are the two ways to get stuck here, and neither offers the trees that most of this site’s states rely on for a winch point. Plan for a ground anchor, for traction boards, and for a second vehicle rather than assuming one.
Think about the road width too. Much of the unpaved access is single lane with no verge, and on Waipiʻo the rule itself sets the right of way: downhill yields to uphill. A recovery that blocks a single-lane volcano road is its own emergency.
Recovery gear is safety equipment. It is rated, it wears out, and it is only as strong as what it attaches to. A good supplier asks what the vehicle weighs before recommending a winch or a rope, and will not sell you a shackle without asking where you plan to put it.
What they sell and install
01Winches, synthetic line and fairleads
02Rated recovery points, front and rear
03Kinetic ropes, straps and soft shackles
04Traction boards and jacks
05Compressors and tire repair kits
How to choose recovery gear
Buy for the loaded weight of the vehicle, and buy it once.
01Buy rated gear from known makers, with the working load marked on it.
02Size a winch to the loaded vehicle. A common rule of thumb is about one and a half times the gross weight, and your supplier can confirm it for your setup.
03Make sure the recovery points are rated and mounted to the frame. Factory tie-down loops are for shipping, not recovery.
04Get trained. A short recovery course is worth more than another piece of gear.
What to have ready before you ask for a quote
Weight and mounting decide everything.
01Vehicle and loaded weight
02Factory or aftermarket bumper, and whether it takes a winch
03Battery setup
04Whether you travel alone or in a group
05The terrain you get stuck in: sand, mud, snow, rock
Questions people ask
What is the minimum recovery kit?
Rated recovery points front and rear, a kinetic rope or strap with soft shackles, traction boards, a shovel, a tire repair kit and a compressor. Add a winch if you travel alone.
Synthetic rope or steel cable?
Synthetic is lighter, easier to handle and stores less energy if it breaks, which is why most travelers choose it. It needs protection from abrasion, heat and sunlight. Steel tolerates abuse but is heavy, and dangerous when it fails.
Where can I learn to use it?
Look for a recovery course from a trainer, or a club that runs training days. Practicing once in a parking lot beats reading about it ten times.
How high is Hawaii?
From Kaunakakai at 12 feet to Puʻu Wēkiu, Mauna Kea at 13,796.
Altitude decides what your engine, your brakes and your lungs have to work with, and how late in the year the passes open.
02,0004,0006,0008,00010,00012,00014,000
Feet above sea level
Towns
VolcanoAt the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes entrance, where the park sells no fuel3,743 ft
WaimeaUpcountry Hawaiʻi Island, between the Kohala coast and Saddle Road2,666 ft
Lānaʻi CityLānaʻi’s only town, at 1,635 feet in the middle of the island1,635 ft
PukalaniLast fuel on the way up to the Haleakalā summit1,427 ft
HonokaʻaTop of Route 240 and the last town before the Waipiʻo lookout1,084 ft
NāʻālehuKaʻū district services on the belt road near the Kahuku Unit659 ft
PāhoaLower Puna, where the 2018 flows rewrote the road map649 ft
PāʻiaLast fuel before Hāna on the north shore road254 ft
LīhuʻeKauaʻi’s harbour and airport, and the island’s service centre207 ft
KapaʻaEast Kauaʻi services on the way to the end of the north shore road130 ft
HānaEast Maui services, 12 miles short of the Kīpahulu district129 ft
Kailua-KonaDry-side services and the long way round to the volcano54 ft
KahuluiMaui’s harbour and airport, where a shipped vehicle lands34 ft
WaimeaThe turn for the canyon road and the west-side approach to Polihale30 ft
HiloThe wet-side port and the fullest services on Hawaiʻi Island19 ft
KaunakakaiMolokaʻi’s one town, and the county campgrounds west of it12 ft
Passes, high roads and summits
Puʻu Wēkiu, Mauna KeaThe state high point, published by USGS. Our own reading of the elevation surface at its map point gives 13,79713,796 ft
Mauna LoaThe largest active volcano on the planet, covering half of Hawaiʻi Island. Our own reading at its map point gives 13,67413,679 ft
Haleakalā summitThe Park Service figure for the summit of the Maui volcano, reached by 11 miles of paved road above the entrance station10,023 ft
Haleakalā summitHaleakalā Crater Road to the summit10,023 ft
Maunakea Visitor Information StationMaunakea Access Road and the summit road9,200 ft
HualālaiOur own reading of the elevation surface at its map point, above Kailua-Kona8,269 ft
Puʻu LāʻauPuʻu Lāʻau Road7,000 ft
Mauna Loa LookoutThe end of the narrow one-lane Mauna Loa Road inside Hawaiʻi Volcanoes, and the highest point a road reaches in the park6,662 ft
Mauna Loa LookoutMauna Loa Road6,662 ft
Polipoli SpringPolipoli Spring State Recreation Area road6,200 ft
Puʻu KukuiOur own reading of the elevation surface at its map point, the West Maui high point5,788 ft
KawaikiniOur own reading of the elevation surface at its map point, the Kauaʻi high point5,212 ft
WaiʻaleʻaleOur own reading of the elevation surface at its map point, on the Kauaʻi summit plateau5,123 ft
KamakouOur own reading of the elevation surface at its map point, the Molokaʻi high point4,984 ft
KaʻalaOur own reading of the elevation surface at its map point, the Oʻahu high point4,038 ft
Kalalau LookoutKōkeʻe Road and the canyon rim, Kauaʻi4,000 ft
LānaʻihaleOur own reading of the elevation surface at its map point, the Lānaʻi high point3,379 ft
Pass, road and summit elevations are the figures published by the agency that manages them. Town elevations are the town’s or county’s own
figure where it publishes an exact one; the rest are from the U.S. Geological Survey (3D Elevation Program at the place’s official coordinates),
retrieved September 18, 2026. Every source is listed at the foot of the page.
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