Beginning in February, you just might need a reservation to catch the sunrise from the roof of Haleakala National Park/NPS

You have to get up early to catch the sunrise, and at Haleakala National Park in Hawaii, you soon will need a reservation as well! Beginning in February, if you're driving to the top of the park in your own rig or a rental to view the sunrise, you'll need to make a reserve a spot ahead of time.

"The online reservation system is being implemented to ensure visitor and employee safety, protect natural and cultural resources, and provide a quality visitor experience at the summit during sunrise hours (3 a.m. to 7 a.m.)," a park release said. "The reservation system will go live on December 1. The cost is $1.50 per car. Before February 1, 2017, sunrise viewing parking spaces will continue to be available without advanced reservation, on a first-come, first-served basis."

Reservations for sunrise viewing can only be made online at recreation.gov, so don't expect to be able to make a reservation in person at the park. They can be made up to 60 days in advance, but cannot be transferred. To enter the Summit District between 3 and 7 a.m., the reservation holder must be present and show both the sunrise reservation receipt for that day and a photo ID.

Parking problems are huge for sunrise viewing from the top of Haleakala National Park/NPS

Due to limited parking, visitors without a sunrise viewing reservation will have to wait until after 7 a.m. to enter the park. There is no refund or exchange of the reservation due to inclement weather or change of plans. There is no change to the National Park Service’s current policy regarding Kanaka Maoli who wish to conduct traditional practices in the park. There is no change to the park’s current Commercial Use Authorization policy regarding sunrise tours.

The park entrance fee is separate and payable by credit card or park pass on the day of visit. The entrance fee is good for three days, with receipt.

The four summit parking lots serving sunrise viewing hold approximately 150 vehicles, but the count regularly exceeds 300 at dawn. When vehicles outnumber parking spaces, visitors park on road shoulders or in the upbound lane of Crater Road. The cars block emergency vehicle access and damage park infrastructure, vegetation, and critical habitat for endangered species such as the Hawaiian petrel and Haleakalā silversword. Crowds at sunrise viewpoints often number over 1,000, with accidents resulting from visitors moving off trail and climbing cliff sides in the dark.

This past summer, park officials gathered public input on options regarding sunrise visitor management. This interim reservation system was deemed the best short-term option. In 2017, the park will develop a long-term Sunrise Summit Visitor Management Plan (Environmental Assessment) and will again seek public comments. For more information about the new sunrise reservation system, go to the park’s website or call 808-572-4400.

You just might need a reservation to see the sun rise at Haleakala National Park in the not too distant future/NPS