Sunrise at Edisto Beach State Park
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32.5057° N80.3112° WBortle 3New York

Edisto Beach State Park Photography Guide

State Park in Colleton County, South Carolina

  • Bortle 3 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 243°–299°
  • Clearest: October
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct
Photo: Sara Dean from Charleston, SC, USA · CC BY 2.0 · source

Edisto Beach State Park is a state park in Colleton County, South Carolina. It sits roughly 15.4 km (9.6 mi) WSW of Seabrook Island.

Edisto Beach State Park is located on the coast of South Carolina, 50 miles (80 km) south of Charleston, near the town of Edisto Beach in Colleton County. The park offers South Carolina's longest system of handicapped-accessible hiking and biking trails. The trails wind through Edisto Island's maritime forest, leading to sites such as a Native American shell midden dated to 2000 BC, and a survey monument placed by Alexander Bache in 1850. Activities possible at the park include surf fishing for flounder, spottail and whiting, as well as boating, birding, and picnicking. The park's education center, the Edisto Interpretive Center, hosts a number of programs and research services. The center includes an exhibit teaching visitors about the ACE Basin estuarine reserve through interactive displays.From the Wikipedia article “Edisto Beach State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Seabrook Island
15.4 km (9.6 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
October
45% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
6.3 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:17 PM
sunset 6:50 PM

Light at Edisto Beach State Park

Live
Sunrise
7:29 AM
Sunset
6:44 PM
Golden hour AM
7:14 AM – 8:03 AM
Golden hour PM
6:11 PM – 6:59 PM
Blue hour AM
7:05 AM – 7:14 AM
Blue hour PM
6:59 PM – 7:09 PM
Full darkness
8:06 PM – 6:08 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:37 PM / 1:52 AM
Day length
11h 15m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/New York. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Edisto Beach State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 81° in summer but only 34° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:26 AM90° E7:33 PM271° W57°12h 07m
June solstice (Jun 21)6:15 AM61° ENE8:32 PM299° WNW81°14h 17m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:10 AM89° E7:20 PM271° W58°12h 09m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:20 AM118° ESE5:20 PM243° WSW34°10h 01m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:57 AM7:24 AM8:00 AM5:02 PM5:39 PM6:05 PM10h 15m
February6:40 AM7:05 AM7:39 AM5:34 PM6:08 PM6:33 PM11h 02m
March7:08 AM7:32 AM8:05 AM6:57 PM7:30 PM7:54 PM11h 57m
April6:27 AM6:53 AM7:25 AM7:18 PM7:51 PM8:16 PM12h 59m
May5:57 AM6:24 AM6:59 AM7:38 PM8:13 PM8:40 PM13h 49m
June5:46 AM6:14 AM6:50 AM7:55 PM8:31 PM8:59 PM14h 16m
July5:57 AM6:25 AM7:01 AM7:55 PM8:30 PM8:58 PM14h 05m
August6:20 AM6:46 AM7:19 AM7:34 PM8:07 PM8:33 PM13h 22m
September6:41 AM7:06 AM7:38 AM6:57 PM7:29 PM7:54 PM12h 23m
October7:01 AM7:26 AM7:59 AM6:17 PM6:50 PM7:14 PM11h 24m
November6:26 AM6:52 AM7:27 AM4:46 PM5:22 PM5:48 PM10h 30m
December6:49 AM7:16 AM7:54 AM4:41 PM5:18 PM5:45 PM10h 02m

Local time (America/New York), 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 Edisto Beach State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 29° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—1°—
February4:50 AM – 5:40 AM0.817°SE → SE
March4:01 AM – 6:01 AM2.025°SE → SSE
April1:57 AM – 5:17 AM3.328°SE → S
May11:57 PM – 4:47 AM4.829°SE → SSW
June10:12 PM – 4:32 AM6.329°SE → SW
July10:08 PM – 2:58 AM4.829°SSE → SW
August9:36 PM – 12:56 AM3.329°S → SW
September8:52 PM – 11:02 PM2.225°SSW → SW
October8:11 PM – 9:01 PM0.818°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—3°—
DecemberBelow 10° in darkness—-18°—

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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.56 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 45% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (58%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.

Average cloud cover (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F757881909898989795918376
Low °F202529405263696855392925
Precip. (in)2.43.43.23.03.55.65.36.03.93.42.43.4

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.
  • 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 Edisto Beach State Park, closest first.

Lighthouse
Combahee Bank Light12 km away · Beaufort County
Ernest F. Hollings Ace Basin National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge
Ernest F. Hollings Ace Basin National Wildlife Refuge15 km away · Colleton County
Hunting Island LightLighthouse
Hunting Island Light19 km away · Beaufort County
Hunting Island State ParkState Park
Hunting Island State Park20 km away · Beaufort County

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Edisto Beach State Park?
October has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
What time is golden hour at Edisto Beach State Park?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:17 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:50 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:59 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Edisto Beach State Park?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 61° in June to 118° in December; sunset ranges from 299° to 243°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Edisto Beach State Park?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 3 (rural sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Edisto Beach State Park?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Edisto Beach State Park from Seabrook Island?
About 15.4 km (9.6 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.