Located in Maui County, Hawaii, Keālia Pond National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge. It sits roughly 5.0 km (3.1 mi) NW of Kīhei.
Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge is a coastal salt marsh along the south-central coast of Maui, Hawaiʻi. The refuge is located between the towns of Kihei and Maalaea, on both sides of North Kihei Road, Route 31. The wetland is also a 691-acre (2.80 km2) bird sanctuary, home to 30 species of waterfowl, shorebirds, and migratory ducks, including the ʻaukuʻu (black-crowned night heron, Nycticorax nycticorax hoactli) and the endangered āeʻo (Hawaiian stilt, Himantopus mexicanus knudseni) and ʻalae keʻokeʻo (Hawaiian coot, Fulica alai). Kealia Pond was selected as a wildlife refuge in 1953, protecting an initial 300 acres (1.2 km2) of land. The refuge joined the National Wildlife Refuge System in 1992.From the Wikipedia article “Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Keālia Pond National Wildlife Refuge 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 296° (WNW) in June to 245° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 87° in summer but only 46° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:31 AM | 90° E | 6:38 PM | 270° W | 69° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:47 AM | 65° ENE | 7:10 PM | 296° WNW | 87° | 13h 24m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:16 AM | 89° E | 6:23 PM | 271° W | 69° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:59 AM | 115° ESE | 5:51 PM | 245° WSW | 46° | 10h 52m |
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
Wildlife is most active in the first and last two hours of daylight — exactly when the light is warmest.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:42 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:34 PM | 6:06 PM | 6:30 PM | 11h 00m |
| February | 6:34 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:27 AM | 5:55 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:48 PM | 11h 28m |
| March | 6:13 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:04 AM | 6:07 PM | 6:36 PM | 6:58 PM | 12h 01m |
| April | 5:45 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:37 AM | 6:16 PM | 6:45 PM | 7:08 PM | 12h 38m |
| May | 5:26 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:26 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:21 PM | 13h 08m |
| June | 5:21 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:34 PM | 13h 23m |
| July | 5:30 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:26 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:35 PM | 13h 17m |
| August | 5:43 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:36 AM | 6:27 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:20 PM | 12h 51m |
| September | 5:52 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:43 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:52 PM | 12h 16m |
| October | 6:00 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:52 AM | 5:33 PM | 6:03 PM | 6:25 PM | 11h 41m |
| November | 6:14 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:08 AM | 5:15 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:09 PM | 11h 09m |
| December | 6:32 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:28 AM | 5:16 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:12 PM | 10h 53m |
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 Keālia Pond National Wildlife Refuge, 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 5 (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 | 4:10 AM – 5:40 AM | 1.5 | 26° | SE → SE |
| March | 2:20 AM – 5:20 AM | 3.0 | 37° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:21 AM – 4:41 AM | 4.3 | 40° | SE → S |
| May | 10:18 PM – 4:28 AM | 6.2 | 40° | SE → SSW |
| June | 8:34 PM – 4:14 AM | 7.7 | 40° | SE → SW |
| July | 8:34 PM – 2:54 AM | 6.3 | 40° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:14 PM – 12:44 AM | 4.5 | 40° | S → SW |
| September | 7:44 PM – 10:44 PM | 3.0 | 37° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:17 PM – 8:47 PM | 1.5 | 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.95 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 36% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (53%). 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 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 81 | 83 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 84 | 83 | 80 |
| Low °F | 64 | 62 | 63 | 65 | 68 | 69 | 71 | 72 | 71 | 71 | 69 | 66 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.8 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 2.6 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 3.2 |
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 national wildlife refuge
- Fast shutter speeds (1/2000 s+) freeze wingbeats; raise ISO rather than lose the shot.
- Migration peaks bring the largest concentrations — see the birding calendar for this state.
- Use auto-loop roads as mobile blinds; animals often tolerate vehicles more than people on foot.
- Stay on designated routes and keep a respectful distance — if an animal changes behavior, you are too close.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Spring and autumn migration are the highlights; winter brings waterfowl to many southern refuges.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens (400 mm+), Bean bag for car window, Binoculars. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Launching or landing drones on National Wildlife Refuge lands generally requires a special use permit from the refuge manager, and wildlife disturbance rules apply everywhere.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Keālia Pond National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
State Park
Volcano
Botanical Garden
Waterfall
State ParkWaterfall
LakeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Keālia Pond National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Keālia Pond National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Keālia Pond National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Keālia Pond National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Keālia Pond National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Keālia Pond National Wildlife Refuge from Kīhei?
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.