Oconee Station State Historic Site is a state park in Oconee County, South Carolina. It sits roughly 9.1 km (5.7 mi) N of Walhalla. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Oconee Station was established in 1792 as a blockhouse on the frontier of the US state of South Carolina. Troops were removed in 1799. The site also encompasses the Williams Richards House, which was built in the early 19th century as a residence and trading post. The site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 as Oconee Station and Richards House. There is a short spur trail to Station Cove Falls, which is a 60 ft (18 m) waterfall, and the Oconee Passage of the Palmetto Trail. The Oconee Station and the William Richards House were photographed by Jack Boucher of the Historic American Buildings Survey in 1960. Both structures are open for tours on weekends and by appointment. Admission is free.From the Wikipedia article “Oconee Station State Historic Site”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Oconee Station State Historic Site the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:37 AM | 90° E | 7:44 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:20 AM | 60° ENE | 8:50 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 30m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:21 AM | 89° E | 7:31 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:37 AM | 118° ESE | 5:25 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 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 | 7:13 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:18 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:12 PM | 10h 04m |
| February | 6:53 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:16 PM | 6:41 PM | 10h 56m |
| March | 7:19 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:17 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:05 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:35 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:35 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 04m |
| May | 6:02 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:57 PM | 13h 59m |
| June | 5:50 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:56 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:18 PM | 14h 29m |
| July | 6:02 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:07 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:47 PM | 9:16 PM | 14h 17m |
| August | 6:27 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:28 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:49 PM | 13h 29m |
| September | 6:51 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:49 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:06 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 7:13 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:13 AM | 6:25 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:24 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 6:40 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:44 AM | 4:52 PM | 5:28 PM | 5:55 PM | 10h 21m |
| December | 7:05 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:51 PM | 9h 50m |
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 Oconee Station State Historic Site, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:10 AM – 5:50 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:24 AM – 6:14 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:23 AM – 5:23 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 12:27 AM – 4:47 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:34 PM – 4:24 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:29 PM – 2:59 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:54 PM – 1:04 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 9:06 PM – 10:56 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:23 PM – 9:03 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 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 ≈ 21.41 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (59%). 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 72 | 75 | 81 | 86 | 92 | 108 | 107 | 103 | 100 | 100 | 84 | 74 |
| Low °F | 3 | 7 | 20 | 22 | 34 | 49 | 55 | 54 | 40 | 27 | 18 | 12 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.5 | 5.1 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 5.7 |
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
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Oconee Station State Historic Site, closest first.
Waterfall
State ParkWaterfallWaterfall
WaterfallWaterfall
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Twin Lakes Day Use Area8.0 km (4.9 mi) · reservable
- Cherry Hill Campground10.7 km (6.7 mi) · reservable
- Whetstone Horse Camp14.3 km (8.9 mi) · reservable
- Cassidy Bridge Primitive Camp14.4 km (8.9 mi) · reservable
- Willis Knob Horse Camp15.1 km (9.4 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Oconee Station State Historic Site?
What time is golden hour at Oconee Station State Historic Site?
Where does the sun rise and set at Oconee Station State Historic Site?
Can you see the Milky Way from Oconee Station State Historic Site?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Oconee Station State Historic Site?
How far is Oconee Station State Historic Site from Walhalla?
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.