Kula Botanical Garden — a botanical garden in Maui County, Hawaii at about 1,016 m (3,333 ft) above sea level — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Haleakalā National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 5.0 km (3.1 mi) NE of Kēōkea.
Kula Botanical Garden is a 8-acre (32,000 m2) botanical garden located on the slopes of Mount Haleakala on the island of Maui, Hawaii. The garden was created by landscape architect Warren McCord and his wife Helen McCord, who first opened the garden in 1971. Located on Kekaulike Road near the Kula Highway (Highway 37) junction, the Kula Botanical Garden is open daily and charges admission for adults. It is a native Hawaiian plant reserve. It was Maui's first public garden. The garden is located near the Haleakalā volcano, at an elevation of 3,300 feet (1,000 m). Both tropical and semitropical species grow here, and the relatively temperate climate provided by the elevation also allows some mid-latitude plants to be established. Today the garden contains nearly 2,000 plant varieties, including collections of protea, orchids, bromeliads, native Hawaiian plants, and trees including koa...From the Wikipedia article “Kula Botanical Garden”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Kula Botanical Garden the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 65° (ENE) at the June solstice and 115° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 296° (WNW) in June to 245° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 87° in summer but only 46° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:30 AM | 90° E | 6:37 PM | 270° W | 69° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:46 AM | 65° ENE | 7:10 PM | 296° WNW | 87° | 13h 23m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:15 AM | 89° E | 6:23 PM | 271° W | 69° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:58 AM | 115° ESE | 5:50 PM | 245° WSW | 46° | 10h 52m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Gardens are best on bright overcast days or early mornings when dew is fresh and the wind is calm.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:41 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:34 PM | 6:06 PM | 6:29 PM | 11h 01m |
| February | 6:33 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:26 AM | 5:54 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:47 PM | 11h 29m |
| March | 6:12 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:04 AM | 6:06 PM | 6:36 PM | 6:58 PM | 12h 01m |
| April | 5:45 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:37 AM | 6:15 PM | 6:45 PM | 7:07 PM | 12h 37m |
| May | 5:25 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:25 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:20 PM | 13h 07m |
| June | 5:20 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:33 PM | 13h 23m |
| July | 5:29 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:25 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:34 PM | 13h 16m |
| August | 5:42 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:35 AM | 6:26 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:19 PM | 12h 51m |
| September | 5:51 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:43 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:52 PM | 12h 16m |
| October | 5:59 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:51 AM | 5:32 PM | 6:02 PM | 6:24 PM | 11h 41m |
| November | 6:13 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:08 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:45 PM | 6:09 PM | 11h 09m |
| December | 6:31 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:28 AM | 5:15 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:12 PM | 10h 53m |
Local time (Pacific/Honolulu), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Kula Botanical Garden, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 40° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| February | 4:09 AM – 5:39 AM | 1.5 | 26° | SE → SE |
| March | 2:19 AM – 5:19 AM | 3.0 | 37° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:20 AM – 4:40 AM | 4.3 | 40° | SE → S |
| May | 10:17 PM – 4:27 AM | 6.2 | 40° | SE → SSW |
| June | 8:33 PM – 4:13 AM | 7.7 | 40° | SE → SW |
| July | 8:33 PM – 2:53 AM | 6.3 | 40° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:13 PM – 12:43 AM | 4.5 | 40° | S → SW |
| September | 7:43 PM – 10:43 PM | 3.0 | 37° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:16 PM – 8:46 PM | 1.5 | 27° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -17° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.7 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 36% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (53%). August is the warmest month and February the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 79 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 81 | 83 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 84 | 83 | 80 |
| Low °F | 64 | 62 | 63 | 65 | 68 | 69 | 71 | 72 | 71 | 71 | 69 | 66 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.8 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 2.6 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 3.2 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this botanical garden
- Backlit petals glow; position yourself so the sun is behind the flower.
- Seasonal exhibits (orchids, tulips, cherry blossoms) draw crowds — arrive at opening.
- Kaleidoscopic and abstract images are great for flower close-ups — try the online kaleidoscope tool.
- A macro lens or close-up filter opens a world of detail — try a shallow aperture against a soft background.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Spring bulbs and blossoms, summer perennials and autumn color; glasshouses offer winter subjects.
Suggested gear: Macro lens, Diffuser, Small reflector. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Kula Botanical Garden, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Volcano
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
VolcanoScenic Viewpoint
Waterfall
State Park
Wilderness AreaCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Haleakalā National Park (Wilderness Tent Permit)11.1 km (6.9 mi) · reservable
- Haleakalā National Park (Cabin Permits)17.0 km (10.6 mi) · reservable
FAQ
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Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.