Poinsett State Park — a state park in Sumter County, South Carolina — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Congaree National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 8.9 km (5.5 mi) SSW of Wedgewood.
Poinsett State Park is located in Sumter County, South Carolina. The park is best known for its botanical oddities, combining flora from the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Piedmont region of Upstate South Carolina, the xeric Sandhills, and the Atlantic coastal plain. Poinsett State Park contains mountain laurels draped with Spanish moss. The park is named after Joel Roberts Poinsett, former United States Secretary of War, the first American ambassador to Mexico and the popularizer of the poinsettia. The park is surrounded by the Manchester State Forest and provides access to the Palmetto Trail, as well as linked hiking and mountain bike trails. Manchester State Forest also features designated equestrian trails. Poinsett State Park is located in the High Hills of Santee, a nearly 25-mile-long upland region with hills up to 5 miles wide. Formed from the erosion of an...From the Wikipedia article “Poinsett State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Poinsett 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 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 80° in summer but only 33° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:27 AM | 90° E | 7:34 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:13 AM | 61° ENE | 8:37 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 24m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:11 AM | 89° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:24 AM | 118° ESE | 5:18 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 54m |
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 | 7:01 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 09m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:32 PM | 6:07 PM | 6:32 PM | 10h 59m |
| March | 7:09 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:07 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:55 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:26 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:26 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:19 PM | 13h 01m |
| May | 5:54 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:44 PM | 13h 55m |
| June | 5:43 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 23m |
| July | 5:55 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 11m |
| August | 6:18 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 25m |
| September | 6:41 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:39 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:55 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 7:02 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:16 PM | 6:50 PM | 7:15 PM | 11h 22m |
| November | 6:29 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:31 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:20 PM | 5:47 PM | 10h 25m |
| December | 6:53 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:43 PM | 9h 55m |
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 Poinsett State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° 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 | 5:00 AM – 5:40 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:13 AM – 6:03 AM | 1.8 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:11 AM – 5:21 AM | 3.2 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 12:13 AM – 4:43 AM | 4.5 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:19 PM – 4:19 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:15 PM – 2:55 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:41 PM – 1:01 AM | 3.3 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:54 PM – 10:54 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:12 PM – 8:52 PM | 0.7 | 17° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.47 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 43% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (56%). 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 | 81 | 81 | 85 | 95 | 103 | 106 | 106 | 107 | 101 | 101 | 86 | 81 |
| Low °F | 13 | 20 | 22 | 29 | 44 | 55 | 61 | 58 | 49 | 31 | 21 | 12 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.6 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 3.1 | 3.7 | 5.1 | 5.3 | 5.1 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 2.9 | 3.7 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Poinsett State Park, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Bluff Hike In Camping26 km (16 mi) · reservable
- Congaree Picnic Shelter26 km (16 mi) · reservable
- Longleaf Campground27 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Poinsett State Park?
What time is golden hour at Poinsett State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Poinsett State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Poinsett State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Poinsett State Park?
How far is Poinsett State Park from Wedgewood?
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.