Sacred Falls State Park — a state park in Honolulu County, Hawaii — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Hauʻula-Punaluʻu, about 3.3 km (2.1 mi) away (Sacred Falls State Park lies SSW of town).
Sacred Falls State Park (traditionally named Kaliuwaʻa in Hawaiian) is a closed state park located in Hauʻula on the North Shore of the Hawaiian island of Oʻahu. It has been closed since the rockfall that occurred on Mother's Day in 1999. Although people caught entering the park are subject to hefty fines, hikers continue to trespass into the park. The park encompasses Kaluanui gulch and the waterfalls at its end. It is a wahi pana in the district (moku) of Koʻolauloa, with much associated Hawaiian lore: "Kaliuwaa (sic) is the most famous of all the valleys in the district of Koolauloa." According to Hawaiian beliefs, visitors were encouraged to lay leaves and place stones on them, as they entered the valley, gorge, and falls to show respect to the demigod associated with the location.From the Wikipedia article “Sacred Falls State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Sacred Falls 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 | 68° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:51 AM | 64° ENE | 7:18 PM | 296° WNW | 88° | 13h 27m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:21 AM | 89° E | 6:29 PM | 271° W | 69° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:06 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 | 6:49 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:34 PM | 10h 58m |
| February | 6:41 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:53 PM | 11h 27m |
| March | 6:19 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:10 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:42 PM | 7:04 PM | 12h 01m |
| April | 5:50 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:43 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:14 PM | 12h 39m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:25 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:28 PM | 13h 10m |
| June | 5:25 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:41 PM | 13h 26m |
| July | 5:34 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:30 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:42 PM | 13h 19m |
| August | 5:48 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:41 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:26 PM | 12h 53m |
| September | 5:57 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:49 AM | 6:07 PM | 6:36 PM | 6:58 PM | 12h 16m |
| October | 6:06 AM | 6:28 AM | 6:58 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:08 PM | 6:30 PM | 11h 40m |
| November | 6:20 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:15 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:51 PM | 6:14 PM | 11h 07m |
| December | 6:39 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:20 PM | 5:53 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 Sacred Falls 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 6 (bright suburban sky), 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 | 4:16 AM – 5:46 AM | 1.5 | 25° | SE → SE |
| March | 2:26 AM – 5:26 AM | 3.0 | 36° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:28 AM – 4:48 AM | 4.3 | 40° | SE → S |
| May | 10:26 PM – 4:26 AM | 6.0 | 40° | SE → SSW |
| June | 8:42 PM – 4:22 AM | 7.7 | 40° | SE → SW |
| July | 8:42 PM – 2:52 AM | 6.2 | 40° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:22 PM – 12:52 AM | 4.5 | 40° | S → SW |
| September | 7:51 PM – 10:51 PM | 3.0 | 37° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:23 PM – 8:53 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.23 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
- 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 Sacred Falls State Park, closest first.
Waterfall
State Park
National Wildlife Refuge
Botanical Garden
National Wildlife Refuge
VolcanoWaterfall
Botanical Garden
BeachFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Sacred Falls State Park?
What time is golden hour at Sacred Falls State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Sacred Falls State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Sacred Falls State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Sacred Falls State Park?
How far is Sacred Falls State Park from Hauʻula-Punaluʻu?
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.