Mauna Kea State Recreation Area — a state park in Hawaii County, Hawaii — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Waimea, about 34 km (21 mi) away (Mauna Kea State Recreation Area lies SSE of town).
Mauna Kea State Recreation Area also known as Mauna Kea State Park, is a state of Hawaii protected area at the southern base of Mauna Kea. The 20.5-acre (8.3 ha) park is administered by the Hawai'i Department of Land and Natural Resources. The park is located on Saddle Road (Route 200) 35 miles (56 km) west of Hilo, at 19°44′57″N 155°31′35″W with about 6,500 feet (2,000 m) elevation. Facilities include restrooms, cabins and camping, trash cans, and a picnic area. As of 2010 water improvements are planned. Wild pigs and sheep can be hunted in the area. The dry shrublands get cold at night due to the elevation. The nearby Bradshaw Field, a military airstrip on the Pohakuloa Training Area, and artillery practices can disturb the quiet of the site. On August 18, 2009 Senator Daniel Inouye and other officials held a ceremony at the park marking the third phase of the realignment of the...From the Wikipedia article “Mauna Kea State Recreation Area”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Mauna Kea State Recreation Area 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) | 6:27 AM | 90° E | 6:34 PM | 270° W | 70° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:45 AM | 65° ENE | 7:04 PM | 295° WNW | 86° | 13h 19m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:12 AM | 89° E | 6:19 PM | 271° W | 70° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:53 AM | 115° ESE | 5:49 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 | 6:37 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:32 AM | 5:33 PM | 6:04 PM | 6:28 PM | 11h 04m |
| February | 6:29 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:22 AM | 5:52 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:45 PM | 11h 31m |
| March | 6:09 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:00 AM | 6:03 PM | 6:32 PM | 6:54 PM | 12h 01m |
| April | 5:42 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:34 AM | 6:11 PM | 6:41 PM | 7:03 PM | 12h 36m |
| May | 5:24 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:51 PM | 7:15 PM | 13h 04m |
| June | 5:19 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:28 PM | 13h 19m |
| July | 5:28 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:29 PM | 13h 13m |
| August | 5:40 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:33 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:15 PM | 12h 48m |
| September | 5:48 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:40 AM | 5:57 PM | 6:26 PM | 6:48 PM | 12h 15m |
| October | 5:55 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:47 AM | 5:30 PM | 6:00 PM | 6:22 PM | 11h 42m |
| November | 6:08 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:03 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:07 PM | 11h 12m |
| December | 6:26 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:22 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 57m |
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 Mauna Kea State Recreation Area, 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| February | 4:06 AM – 5:36 AM | 1.5 | 27° | SE → SE |
| March | 2:15 AM – 5:15 AM | 3.0 | 38° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:16 AM – 4:46 AM | 4.5 | 41° | SE → S |
| May | 10:11 PM – 4:21 AM | 6.2 | 41° | SE → SSW |
| June | 8:27 PM – 4:17 AM | 7.8 | 41° | SE → SW |
| July | 8:27 PM – 2:47 AM | 6.3 | 41° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:09 PM – 12:49 AM | 4.7 | 41° | S → SW |
| September | 7:39 PM – 10:49 PM | 3.2 | 38° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:13 PM – 8:53 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.85 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
- 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.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Mauna Kea State Recreation Area, closest first.
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Volcano
Mountain Peak
Volcano
National Wildlife Refuge
Volcano
Botanical Garden
WaterfallWaterfallFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Mauna Kea State Recreation Area?
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Where does the sun rise and set at Mauna Kea State Recreation Area?
Can you see the Milky Way from Mauna Kea State Recreation Area?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Mauna Kea State Recreation Area?
How far is Mauna Kea State Recreation Area from Waimea?
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.