Polihale State Park is a state park in Kauai County, Hawaii. The nearest town is Kekaha, about 14.5 km (9.0 mi) away (Polihale State Park lies NNW of town).
Polihale State Park is a remote wild beach on the western side of the Hawaiian island of Kauaʻi. It is the most western publicly accessible area in Hawaii, although the privately owned island of Niʻihau is farther west. The park is miles away from the town of Kekaha, and it can only be reached via a poorly marked, dirt sugarcane road, making a four-wheel drive vehicle preferable. The beach is several miles long, yet only the area known as "Queen's Pond" offers safe swimming.From the Wikipedia article “Polihale State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Polihale 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) | 6:44 AM | 90° E | 6:51 PM | 270° W | 68° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:57 AM | 64° ENE | 7:26 PM | 296° WNW | 89° | 13h 29m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:29 AM | 89° E | 6:36 PM | 271° W | 68° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:15 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 | 5:45 PM | 6:17 PM | 6:41 PM | 10h 56m |
| February | 6:48 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:42 AM | 6:06 PM | 6:37 PM | 7:00 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 | 5:57 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:50 AM | 6:30 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:22 PM | 12h 40m |
| May | 5:36 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:32 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:36 PM | 13h 12m |
| June | 5:31 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:28 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:50 PM | 13h 29m |
| July | 5:40 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:37 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:51 PM | 13h 21m |
| August | 5:54 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:48 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:35 PM | 12h 54m |
| September | 6:04 AM | 6:27 AM | 6:56 AM | 6:14 PM | 6:43 PM | 7:06 PM | 12h 17m |
| October | 6:13 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:06 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:15 PM | 6:37 PM | 11h 39m |
| November | 6:28 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:24 AM | 5:25 PM | 5:57 PM | 6:21 PM | 11h 05m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:26 PM | 5:59 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 Polihale 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 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 – 5:33 AM | 2.8 | 36° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:36 AM – 4:56 AM | 4.3 | 39° | SE → S |
| May | 10:34 PM – 4:34 AM | 6.0 | 39° | SE → SSW |
| June | 8:50 PM – 4:30 AM | 7.7 | 39° | SE → SW |
| July | 8:50 PM – 3:00 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 | — | 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 ≈ 21.73 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.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- 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 Polihale State Park, closest first.
Beach
WaterfallWaterfall
Scenic Viewpoint
Canyon
State Park
Natural ArchWaterfallScenic ViewpointFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Polihale State Park?
What time is golden hour at Polihale State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Polihale State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Polihale State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Polihale State Park?
How far is Polihale State Park from Kekaha?
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.