Hosmer Grove Campground and Picnic Area: Cultural Landscapes Inventory, Haleakalā National Park

Regions 8, 9, 10, & 12 Park Cultural Landscapes Program

The Hosmer Grove Campground and Picnic Area is located in the northwestern corner of Haleakalā National Park on the northwestern slopes of the crater. The approximately 11-acre site is developed around a mature grove of non-native trees planted by Ralph S. Hosmer in 1909 as a part of his experimental forestry efforts. This area near the park entrance at 6,800-foot elevation was identified as a campground development site during the Mission 66 era for its gentle terrain shaded by the tall trees. The selection and development of this site reflected not only the park’s response to the demands of visitor accommodations during the post-war boom but also its efforts to establish a more accessible and inclusive facility for those lacking the physical and/or financial means to partake in the strenuous, and often costly, ventures into the crater. Approximately one mile north of the park headquarters and visitor center, near the park entrance station, the Hosmer Grove Campground and Picnic Area is reached by a spur road that branches from the main park road, Haleakalā Highway. The one-half mile road is aligned eastward along the natural topography of the area and terminates in a parking lot along the canopy edge of the Hosmer Grove. To the west of this seven-car parking lot is a relatively level, grassy area dotted with barbeque grills and picnic tables. This space serves as both the campground and the picnic area. To the east and southeast of the parking lot are additional amenities such as a rain shelter and vault toilet. The trailhead to a one-half mile loop trail, the Hosmer Grove Nature Trail, is also located to the north of the parking lot and northeast of the campground. The unit retains its historic integrity and conveys its historic significance as a Mission 66 campground and day-use area. The environmental setting has not changed since the site was developed. The land use has remained consistent since the initial construction of the campground. The spatial organization has been retained with a small informal campground and picnic shelter enclosed by the forest on two sides and an interpretive trail weaving through the grove. The forest composition has been largely retained since the campground was constructed. All the circulation routes constructed during the period of significance, 1954-1960, remain. The historic character of the Hosmer Grove Campground and Picnic Area is reflected in the following landscape characteristics: natural systems and features, spatial organization, land use, vegetation, circulation, and buildings and structures. Together, the landscape characteristics and contributing features help to convey the historic character of the cultural landscape of the Mission 66 recreation area.

Hosmer Grove Campground and Picnic Area: Cultural Landscapes Inventory, Haleakalā National Park

Series