Located in Hawaii County, Hawaii, Lava Tree State Monument is a state park. It sits roughly 2.3 km (1.4 mi) NE of Leilani Estates.
Lava Tree State Monument is a public park located 2.7 miles (4.3 km) southeast of Pāhoa in the Puna District on the island of Hawaii. It preserves lava molds of the tree trunks that were formed when a lava flow swept through a forested area in 1790.From the Wikipedia article “Lava Tree State Monument”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lava Tree State Monument 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) | 6:24 AM | 90° E | 6:31 PM | 270° W | 70° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:43 AM | 65° ENE | 7:01 PM | 295° WNW | 86° | 13h 18m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:09 AM | 89° E | 6:17 PM | 271° W | 71° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:50 AM | 115° ESE | 5:47 PM | 245° WSW | 47° | 10h 57m |
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 | 6:34 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:31 PM | 6:02 PM | 6:26 PM | 11h 05m |
| February | 6:27 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:19 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:43 PM | 11h 31m |
| March | 6:07 AM | 6:29 AM | 6:58 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:52 PM | 12h 01m |
| April | 5:40 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:32 AM | 6:08 PM | 6:38 PM | 7:00 PM | 12h 35m |
| May | 5:22 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:48 PM | 7:12 PM | 13h 03m |
| June | 5:18 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:24 PM | 13h 18m |
| July | 5:26 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:26 PM | 13h 12m |
| August | 5:38 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:31 AM | 6:19 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:12 PM | 12h 48m |
| September | 5:46 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:37 AM | 5:54 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:45 PM | 12h 15m |
| October | 5:53 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:44 AM | 5:28 PM | 5:57 PM | 6:19 PM | 11h 43m |
| November | 6:06 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:00 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:05 PM | 11h 13m |
| December | 6:23 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:19 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:45 PM | 6:08 PM | 10h 58m |
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 Lava Tree State Monument, 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 42° 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 | 2:13 AM – 5:13 AM | 3.0 | 38° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:13 AM – 4:43 AM | 4.5 | 42° | SE → S |
| May | 10:09 PM – 4:19 AM | 6.2 | 42° | SE → SSW |
| June | 8:24 PM – 4:14 AM | 7.8 | 42° | SE → SW |
| July | 8:24 PM – 2:44 AM | 6.3 | 42° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:06 PM – 12:46 AM | 4.7 | 42° | S → SW |
| September | 7:37 PM – 10:47 PM | 3.2 | 39° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:11 PM – 8:51 PM | 1.7 | 28° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.37 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show January as the clearest month (about 48% 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 | 78 | 78 | 78 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 82 | 83 | 83 | 82 | 82 | 79 |
| Low °F | 69 | 69 | 67 | 70 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 74 | 74 | 75 | 72 | 71 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.7 | 4.4 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 3.6 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 3.9 | 4.7 | 4.5 |
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
- 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.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Lava Tree State Monument, closest first.
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CaveFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lava Tree State Monument?
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Do you need a permit to photograph at Lava Tree State Monument?
How far is Lava Tree State Monument from Leilani Estates?
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.