He‘eia State Park is a state park in Honolulu County, Hawaii. The nearest town is He‘eia, about 1.3 km (0.8 mi) away (He‘eia State Park lies NE of town).
Heʻeia State Park is an 18.5 acre state park located near Kaneohe on the windward shore of the Hawaiian island of Oahu. The park is located on Kaneohe Bay, between Heʻeia Fishpond and Heʻeia Kea small boat harbor.From the Wikipedia article “Heʻeia State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At He‘eia State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 64° (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 88° in summer but only 45° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:36 AM | 90° E | 6:43 PM | 270° W | 69° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:51 AM | 64° ENE | 7:17 PM | 296° WNW | 88° | 13h 26m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:21 AM | 89° E | 6:29 PM | 271° W | 69° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:05 AM | 115° ESE | 5:55 PM | 245° WSW | 45° | 10h 49m |
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 | 6:48 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:34 PM | 10h 58m |
| February | 6:40 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:53 PM | 11h 27m |
| March | 6:18 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:10 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:41 PM | 7:04 PM | 12h 01m |
| April | 5:50 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:42 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:51 PM | 7:14 PM | 12h 39m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:25 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:27 PM | 13h 10m |
| June | 5:25 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:40 PM | 13h 26m |
| July | 5:34 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:30 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:42 PM | 13h 19m |
| August | 5:47 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:41 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:26 PM | 12h 52m |
| September | 5:57 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:49 AM | 6:06 PM | 6:36 PM | 6:58 PM | 12h 16m |
| October | 6:05 AM | 6:28 AM | 6:57 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:08 PM | 6:30 PM | 11h 40m |
| November | 6:20 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:15 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:14 PM | 11h 07m |
| December | 6:38 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:20 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:17 PM | 10h 50m |
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 He‘eia State Park, 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 7 (suburban / urban transition), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| February | 4:15 AM – 5:45 AM | 1.5 | 25° | SE → SE |
| March | 2:25 AM – 5:25 AM | 3.0 | 36° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:27 AM – 4:47 AM | 4.3 | 40° | SE → S |
| May | 10:25 PM – 4:25 AM | 6.0 | 40° | SE → SSW |
| June | 8:41 PM – 4:21 AM | 7.7 | 40° | SE → SW |
| July | 8:41 PM – 2:51 AM | 6.2 | 40° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:21 PM – 12:51 AM | 4.5 | 40° | S → SW |
| September | 7:50 PM – 10:50 PM | 3.0 | 37° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:22 PM – 8:52 PM | 1.5 | 26° | 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.61 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 47% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (61%). September 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 | 79 | 79 | 80 | 81 | 83 | 83 | 85 | 85 | 84 | 83 | 80 |
| Low °F | 68 | 66 | 66 | 67 | 70 | 74 | 74 | 75 | 75 | 73 | 72 | 69 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.2 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 2.2 | 2.6 | 2.9 |
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
- 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.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 He‘eia State Park, closest first.
Botanical Garden
WaterfallWaterfall
Volcano
Waterfall
Beach
Botanical Garden
Mountain Peak
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph He‘eia State Park?
What time is golden hour at He‘eia State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at He‘eia State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from He‘eia State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at He‘eia State Park?
How far is He‘eia State Park from He‘eia?
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.