Located in Hawaii County, Hawaii, Hawaii Volcanoes Wilderness is a wilderness area. It lies in or next to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Pāhala, about 17.9 km (11.1 mi) away (Hawaii Volcanoes Wilderness lies ENE of town).
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is a national park of the United States, located on the island of Hawaiʻi in the state of Hawaii. The park encompasses two active volcanoes: Kīlauea, one of the world's most active volcanoes, and Mauna Loa, the world's largest shield volcano. The park provides scientists with insight into the development of the Hawaiian Islands and access for studies of volcanism. For visitors, the park offers dramatic volcanic landscapes, glimpses of rare flora and fauna, and a view into the traditional Hawaiian culture connected to these landscapes. The indigenous people of the park, Kanaka Maoli, believed in living a life that did not take up resources. Volcanic eruptions are seen as sacred.From the Wikipedia article “Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Hawaii Volcanoes Wilderness 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) | 6:26 AM | 90° E | 6:33 PM | 270° W | 71° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:45 AM | 65° ENE | 7:03 PM | 295° WNW | 86° | 13h 18m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:11 AM | 89° E | 6:19 PM | 271° W | 71° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:51 AM | 115° ESE | 5:49 PM | 245° WSW | 47° | 10h 58m |
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
Wilderness areas reward those who camp: being on location at sunrise and in the dark is the main advantage over day visitors.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:35 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:30 AM | 5:33 PM | 6:04 PM | 6:28 PM | 11h 06m |
| February | 6:28 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:20 AM | 5:52 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:44 PM | 11h 31m |
| March | 6:08 AM | 6:30 AM | 6:59 AM | 6:03 PM | 6:32 PM | 6:54 PM | 12h 01m |
| April | 5:42 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:34 AM | 6:10 PM | 6:39 PM | 7:02 PM | 12h 35m |
| May | 5:24 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:19 PM | 6:50 PM | 7:13 PM | 13h 03m |
| June | 5:20 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:26 PM | 13h 17m |
| July | 5:28 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:27 PM | 13h 11m |
| August | 5:40 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:33 AM | 6:20 PM | 6:50 PM | 7:13 PM | 12h 47m |
| September | 5:48 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:39 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:47 PM | 12h 15m |
| October | 5:54 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:46 AM | 5:30 PM | 5:59 PM | 6:21 PM | 11h 43m |
| November | 6:07 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:01 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:07 PM | 11h 14m |
| December | 6:24 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:20 AM | 5:15 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 59m |
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 Hawaii Volcanoes Wilderness, 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| February | 4:06 AM – 5:36 AM | 1.5 | 27° | SE → SE |
| March | 2:14 AM – 5:14 AM | 3.0 | 38° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:14 AM – 4:44 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 | 8:25 PM – 2:55 AM | 6.5 | 42° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:07 PM – 12:47 AM | 4.7 | 42° | S → SW |
| September | 7:38 PM – 10:48 PM | 3.2 | 39° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:12 PM – 8:52 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: 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 ≈ 21.89 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 wilderness area
- Group size limits and permits may apply; check with the managing agency.
- Practice Leave No Trace — camp on durable surfaces away from lakes and streams.
- Pack weight matters: a single zoom and a light tripod cover most situations.
- Night skies are often among the darkest in the country.
- Motorized and mechanized equipment, including drones, is prohibited in designated wilderness.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Most high wilderness is snow-free from July to September; lower deserts are best in spring and autumn.
Suggested gear: Lightweight tripod, Spare batteries, Headlamp, Navigation. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Hawaii Volcanoes Wilderness, closest first.
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Do you need a permit to photograph at Hawaii Volcanoes Wilderness?
How far is Hawaii Volcanoes Wilderness from Pāhala?
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.