Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site — a state park in Aiken County, South Carolina — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Clearwater, about 9.0 km (5.6 mi) away (Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site lies S of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site is a state park in Aiken County, South Carolina, United States. The state park includes: 369 acres of land Redcliffe Plantation, which is a historic house museum with artifacts from four generations of the Hammond family from 1859-1975 Two historic circa 1857 slave cabins that interpret the lives of the approximately 300 people Hammond enslaved across his plantations The site is part of the Reconstruction Era National Historic Network. The former plantation was not only the home of the Hammonds, but also numerous African-American families like the Henleys, Goodwins, and Wigfalls who worked at the site as enslaved laborers and later as free men and women.From the Wikipedia article “Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site 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) | 7:32 AM | 90° E | 7:39 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:19 AM | 61° ENE | 8:41 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 22m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:16 AM | 89° E | 7:26 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:28 AM | 118° ESE | 5:24 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 56m |
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 | 7:05 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:09 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:43 PM | 6:10 PM | 10h 11m |
| February | 6:47 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:38 PM | 11h 00m |
| March | 7:14 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:12 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:01 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:32 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:31 AM | 7:25 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 00m |
| May | 6:01 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:49 PM | 13h 53m |
| June | 5:49 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:55 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 21m |
| July | 6:01 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:05 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 10m |
| August | 6:25 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:41 PM | 13h 24m |
| September | 6:47 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:45 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:01 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 7:08 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:20 PM | 11h 23m |
| November | 6:33 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:36 AM | 4:50 PM | 5:26 PM | 5:53 PM | 10h 27m |
| December | 6:57 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:03 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:22 PM | 5:50 PM | 9h 57m |
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 Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 28° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| February | 5:07 AM – 5:47 AM | 0.7 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:09 AM – 6:09 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:16 AM – 5:26 AM | 3.2 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 12:18 AM – 4:48 AM | 4.5 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:23 PM – 4:33 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:20 PM – 3:10 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:46 PM – 1:06 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 9:00 PM – 11:00 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:18 PM – 9:08 PM | 0.8 | 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.6 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 42% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (55%). 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 | 80 | 80 | 83 | 94 | 102 | 106 | 104 | 107 | 101 | 101 | 85 | 80 |
| Low °F | 13 | 20 | 21 | 29 | 44 | 56 | 61 | 59 | 48 | 31 | 20 | 17 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.1 | 3.7 | 5.1 | 5.1 | 4.9 | 3.8 | 3.1 | 2.9 | 3.9 |
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.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- 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 Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site?
What time is golden hour at Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site?
Where does the sun rise and set at Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site?
Can you see the Milky Way from Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site?
How far is Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site from Clearwater?
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.