Paris Mountain State Park is a state park in Greenville County, South Carolina. The nearest town is Wade Hampton, about 3.8 km (2.4 mi) away (Paris Mountain State Park lies NW of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Paris Mountain State Park is a state park in the U.S. state of South Carolina, located five miles (8 km) north of Greenville. Activities available in the 1,540-acre (6 km2) park include hiking, biking, swimming and picnicking. The 13-acre (52,609 m2) Lake Placid offers swimming and fishing. Canoes, kayaks, and pedal boats are seasonally available for rental; private boats are not permitted. Camping is allowed and campsites range from rustic, back country sites to paved sites with water and electricity hook-ups. The park's Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) structures, including the Camp Buckhorn lodge, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.From the Wikipedia article “Paris Mountain State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Paris Mountain State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (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) | 7:34 AM | 90° E | 7:41 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:17 AM | 60° ENE | 8:47 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 30m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:18 AM | 89° E | 7:28 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:34 AM | 119° ESE | 5:22 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 48m |
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 | 7:10 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:15 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 04m |
| February | 6:51 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:51 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:39 PM | 10h 56m |
| March | 7:16 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:15 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:03 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:32 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:32 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 04m |
| May | 5:59 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:54 PM | 13h 59m |
| June | 5:46 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:53 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:15 PM | 14h 29m |
| July | 5:59 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:04 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:13 PM | 14h 17m |
| August | 6:24 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:46 PM | 13h 29m |
| September | 6:48 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:47 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:03 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 7:10 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:10 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:21 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 6:38 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:41 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:52 PM | 10h 21m |
| December | 7:03 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:10 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:20 PM | 5:48 PM | 9h 49m |
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 Paris Mountain State Park, 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 6 (bright 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:07 AM – 5:47 AM | 0.7 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:21 AM – 6:11 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:21 AM – 5:21 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 12:25 AM – 4:45 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:32 PM – 4:22 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:27 PM – 2:57 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:52 PM – 1:02 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 9:03 PM – 10:53 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:20 PM – 9:00 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.22 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 43% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (57%). 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 | 74 | 77 | 83 | 89 | 98 | 109 | 108 | 107 | 101 | 101 | 84 | 77 |
| Low °F | 11 | 11 | 16 | 24 | 39 | 52 | 59 | 56 | 44 | 29 | 21 | 17 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.8 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 5.0 |
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
- 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.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Paris Mountain State Park, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Waterfall
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfall
Covered BridgeWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Paris Mountain State Park?
What time is golden hour at Paris Mountain State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Paris Mountain State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Paris Mountain State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Paris Mountain State Park?
How far is Paris Mountain State Park from Wade Hampton?
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.