Nā Pali Coast State Park — a state park in Kauai County, Hawaii — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 17.2 km (10.7 mi) WSW of Princeville.
Nā Pali Coast State Park is a 6,175-acre (2,499 ha) state park in the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the center of the rugged 16-mile (26 km) northwest side of Kauaʻi, the second-oldest inhabited Hawaiian island. The Nā Pali coast itself extends southwest from Keʻe Beach all the way to Polihale State Park. The nā pali (many cliffs) along the shoreline rise as much as 4,000 feet (1,200 m) above the Pacific Ocean. The state park was formed to protect the Kalalau Valley. To the east of the state park is the Hono O Nā Pali State Natural Reserve. It was established in 1983 and later extended to over 3,578 acres (1,448 hectares) in 2009. Hiking trails and hunters' roads provide access to the sharp ridges from Koke'e Road (route 550) in Waimea Canyon.From the Wikipedia article “Nā Pali Coast State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Nā Pali Coast 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 89° in summer but only 44° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:43 AM | 90° E | 6:50 PM | 270° W | 68° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:56 AM | 64° ENE | 7:26 PM | 296° WNW | 89° | 13h 29m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:28 AM | 89° E | 6:36 PM | 271° W | 68° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:14 AM | 115° ESE | 6:01 PM | 245° WSW | 44° | 10h 47m |
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 | 6:57 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:16 PM | 6:40 PM | 10h 56m |
| February | 6:48 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:06 PM | 6:36 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 26m |
| March | 6:26 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:18 AM | 6:19 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:11 PM | 12h 01m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:49 AM | 6:29 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:22 PM | 12h 40m |
| May | 5:36 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:31 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:36 PM | 13h 12m |
| June | 5:30 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:28 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:49 PM | 13h 29m |
| July | 5:40 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:36 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:51 PM | 13h 22m |
| August | 5:54 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:47 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:34 PM | 12h 54m |
| September | 6:04 AM | 6:26 AM | 6:56 AM | 6:13 PM | 6:43 PM | 7:05 PM | 12h 17m |
| October | 6:13 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:05 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:14 PM | 6:37 PM | 11h 39m |
| November | 6:28 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:23 AM | 5:25 PM | 5:56 PM | 6:20 PM | 11h 05m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:25 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:23 PM | 10h 47m |
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 Nā Pali Coast State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 39° 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 | — | 4° | — |
| February | 4:32 AM – 5:52 AM | 1.3 | 25° | SE → SE |
| March | 2:43 AM – 5:23 AM | 2.7 | 35° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:36 AM – 4:56 AM | 4.3 | 39° | SE → S |
| May | 10:44 PM – 4:34 AM | 5.8 | 39° | SE → SSW |
| June | 8:51 PM – 4:21 AM | 7.5 | 39° | SE → SW |
| July | 8:51 PM – 3:01 AM | 6.2 | 39° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:30 PM – 1:00 AM | 4.5 | 39° | S → SW |
| September | 7:58 PM – 10:58 PM | 3.0 | 36° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:29 PM – 8:59 PM | 1.5 | 26° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.79 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 50% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (69%). 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 | 78 | 78 | 78 | 81 | 81 | 83 | 83 | 84 | 83 | 81 | 80 |
| Low °F | 66 | 66 | 65 | 68 | 70 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 74 | 71 | 66 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 3.0 | 3.6 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 3.0 |
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 Nā Pali Coast State Park, closest first.
Beach
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfall
Natural Arch
Scenic Viewpoint
Waterfall
Beach
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Nā Pali Coast State Park?
What time is golden hour at Nā Pali Coast State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Nā Pali Coast State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Nā Pali Coast State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Nā Pali Coast State Park?
How far is Nā Pali Coast State Park from Princeville?
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.