Akaka Falls State Park is a state park in Hawaii County, Hawaii. The nearest town is Pepeekeo, about 5.4 km (3.4 mi) away (Akaka Falls State Park lies WNW of town).
ʻAkaka Falls State Park is a state park on Hawaiʻi Island, in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The park is about 11 miles (18 km) north of Hilo, west of Honomū off the Hawaii Belt Road (Route 19) at the end of Hawaii Route 220. It includes its namesake ʻAkaka Falls, a 442-foot (135 m) tall waterfall. ʻAkaka is named after Chief 'Akaka-o-ka-nī'au-oi'o-i-ka-wao, grandson of Kūlanikapele and Kīakalohia. The accessible portion of the park lies high on the right shoulder of the deep gorge into which the waterfall plunges, and the falls can be viewed from several points along a loop trail through the park. Also visible from this trail is Kahūnā Falls, a 300-foot (91 m) tall waterfall, and several smaller cascades. Local folklore describes a stone here called Pōhaku a Pele that, when struck by a branch of lehua ʻāpane, will call the sky to darken and rain to fall. Lehua ʻāpane or ʻōhiʻa ʻāpane is...From the Wikipedia article “ʻAkaka Falls State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Akaka Falls State Park 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 295° (WNW) in June to 245° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 86° in summer but only 47° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:25 AM | 90° E | 6:32 PM | 270° W | 70° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:43 AM | 65° ENE | 7:03 PM | 295° WNW | 86° | 13h 20m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:10 AM | 89° E | 6:18 PM | 271° W | 70° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:52 AM | 115° ESE | 5:47 PM | 245° WSW | 47° | 10h 56m |
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
State parks often protect a signature feature — a gorge, lake or overlook — that is best in early morning before visitors and harsh light arrive.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:35 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:31 AM | 5:31 PM | 6:03 PM | 6:26 PM | 11h 04m |
| February | 6:28 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:21 AM | 5:51 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:43 PM | 11h 30m |
| March | 6:08 AM | 6:30 AM | 6:59 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:31 PM | 6:53 PM | 12h 01m |
| April | 5:41 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:33 AM | 6:10 PM | 6:39 PM | 7:02 PM | 12h 36m |
| May | 5:22 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:19 PM | 6:50 PM | 7:14 PM | 13h 04m |
| June | 5:18 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:26 PM | 13h 19m |
| July | 5:27 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:28 PM | 13h 13m |
| August | 5:39 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:32 AM | 6:20 PM | 6:50 PM | 7:13 PM | 12h 49m |
| September | 5:47 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:38 AM | 5:55 PM | 6:24 PM | 6:46 PM | 12h 16m |
| October | 5:54 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:45 AM | 5:29 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:20 PM | 11h 42m |
| November | 6:07 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:01 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:05 PM | 11h 12m |
| December | 6:25 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:21 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:45 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 56m |
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 Akaka Falls State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 41° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| February | 4:05 AM – 5:35 AM | 1.5 | 27° | SE → SE |
| March | 2:14 AM – 5:14 AM | 3.0 | 38° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:15 AM – 4:45 AM | 4.5 | 41° | SE → S |
| May | 10:10 PM – 4:20 AM | 6.2 | 41° | SE → SSW |
| June | 8:26 PM – 4:16 AM | 7.8 | 41° | SE → SW |
| July | 8:26 PM – 2:46 AM | 6.3 | 41° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:08 PM – 12:48 AM | 4.7 | 41° | S → SW |
| September | 7:38 PM – 10:48 PM | 3.2 | 38° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:12 PM – 8:52 PM | 1.7 | 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.5 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show January as the clearest month (about 50% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 77 | 78 | 76 | 79 | 81 | 80 | 83 | 82 | 79 | 78 | 76 |
| Low °F | 50 | 46 | 48 | 52 | 53 | 55 | 56 | 56 | 56 | 56 | 53 | 50 |
| Precip. (in) | 5.6 | 6.6 | 8.6 | 7.7 | 5.4 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 5.4 | 4.8 | 5.3 | 6.7 | 6.6 |
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 state park
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
Suggested gear: Versatile zoom lens, Tripod, Park pass. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Akaka Falls State Park, closest first.
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Natural ArchWaterfallWaterfallFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Akaka Falls State Park?
What time is golden hour at Akaka Falls State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Akaka Falls State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Akaka Falls State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Akaka Falls State Park?
How far is Akaka Falls State Park from Pepeekeo?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, 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.