Winter sunrise on Le'ahi

What time is sunrise at Diamond Head from November 2026 to March 2027?

Between 6:34 a.m. on 1 November and 7:11 a.m. in mid January, the latest of the year, then back to 6:25 a.m. by 31 March.

The times below come from the US Naval Observatory's sun and moon table for 21.26 N, 157.81 W, Hawaii time, and match our own run of the NOAA solar equations to the minute. "First light" is the start of civil twilight, when the sky is bright enough to walk without a lamp.

Look at the right-hand column. That is how long you have between the gate opening and the sun clearing the horizon. Under 40 minutes is a race; over 50 is a stroll with a wait at the top.

Can you reach the summit before sunrise if the gate opens at 6 a.m.?

Yes, from about 3 November to 20 March, when sunrise is after 6:35. Between about 20 November and 9 March it is after 6:45, and you do not need to rush.

The state describes the trail as 0.8 mile each way with 560 feet of climbing, and allows 1.5 to 2 hours for the round trip (DLNR). Most people reach the top in 30 to 60 minutes. Start the clock at the trailhead on the crater floor, not at the tunnel.

In December and January you start in the dark. First light is not until 6:28 to 6:47, so the switchbacks and the first set of stairs are in near darkness, and only the tunnel is lit. Bring a headlamp or use your phone. The early hike tour lists flashlights as available.

Expect company. The 6 a.m. group walks up together, and on a winter morning many stop to photograph the pink sky on the way. One guest on the circle-island day, which starts with this hike, wrote: "Almost stopped several times but made it to the top just in time for sunrise."

Which time slot or tour should you book for a winter sunrise?

The 6 a.m. entry window if you go on your own, or the early hike tour with a 5:30 a.m. pickup. Both put you on the trail when the gate opens.

On your own: book the 6 a.m. slot on gostateparks.hawaii.gov, up to 30 days ahead. Walk-ins and bus riders get a one-hour entry window; drivers get a two-hour parking slot and must leave by 8 a.m. Arrive in the first 30 minutes. A 7 a.m. slot is too late for a summit sunrise even in January.

With a tour: the 5:30 a.m. early hike ($50) picks up across Waikiki, enters at opening, and its own listing promises only "a chance to see a sunrise vista" from November to March. Honest wording. The hike and circle island day also picks up at 5:30 to 5:45 a.m. and starts with the crater. The cheaper shuttles do not fix a sunrise time: Kaimana asks you to confirm your pickup, and one E Noa guest found the ticket said 6 to 9 a.m. If sunrise is the point, book the tour built around it.

For the full picture, including where to stand, read our sunrise hike guide.

A 5:30 a.m. pickup, entry at the 6 a.m. opening, water and flashlights. From November to March, a real shot at sunrise from the top.

★ 4.7 · 3 hours · from $50

Explore the 5:30 a.m. early hike → Tour details

What does a "sunrise hike" in summer really get you?

Daylight and cooler air, not a sunrise. In June and July the sun rises around 5:49 to 5:57, before the gate opens.

Plenty of tours use "sunrise" in the name all year. The park does not open early for anyone, so between about May and August the sun is already up when the first group walks through the tunnel. A guest on the 5:30 a.m. tour in late June wrote: "it was already daylight by the time the park opened at 6am."

An early start is still worth it in summer. The trail has little shade and the morning is the coolest part of the day. Just do not pay extra for a view of the sun coming up. April and September to October are the in-between months: sunrise around 6:00 to 6:30, enough for a glowing sky from the trail but rarely the disc from the top.

Where does the sun come up, and what do you see from the top?

In winter it rises out of the ocean in the east-southeast, to the right of Koko Head. Behind you, Waikiki and Honolulu catch the first light.

At this latitude the winter sun rises well south of due east, at a compass bearing of roughly 100 to 115 degrees. From the summit platform that puts it over open water beyond the Kahala shoreline, a little to the right of Koko Head. Turn around after it clears the horizon: the light runs along the high-rises of Waikiki and up into the Ko'olau.

Clouds on the horizon are common in the wetter months and can hide the disc for a few minutes, or for the whole morning. The state does not refund reservations for weather, and a tour only cancels when conditions are bad enough to call it off, so a grey sunrise is part of the deal. If it happens, stay a while. The crater floor goes gold when the sun finally gets over the rim.

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