Upper Falls — a waterfall in Greenville County, South Carolina at about 268 m (879 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Greenville, about 1.1 km (0.7 mi) away (Upper Falls lies SW of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Upper Falls 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) | 7:34 AM | 90° E | 7:42 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 | 118° ESE | 5:23 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
Waterfalls photograph best in soft, even light: overcast days, deep shade, or the hour after sunrise before direct sun hits the water. Bright sun on white water blows highlights and adds harsh contrast.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:10 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:15 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:42 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 57m |
| March | 7:16 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:15 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:38 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 | 5:47 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:54 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:15 PM | 14h 29m |
| July | 5:59 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:05 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:13 PM | 14h 16m |
| August | 6:24 AM | 6:51 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 | 8:04 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 7:10 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:10 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:22 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 6:38 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:41 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:26 PM | 5:52 PM | 10h 21m |
| December | 7:03 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:10 AM | 4:42 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:49 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 Upper Falls, 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 7 (suburban / urban transition), 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:08 AM – 5:48 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:22 AM – 6:12 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 | 9:04 PM – 10:54 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:21 PM – 9:01 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.39 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 waterfall
- Keep a microfiber cloth handy — spray drifts onto the lens, especially at the plunge pool.
- Bracket shutter speeds: 1/8 s, 1/2 s and 2 s give very different water textures and you can choose later.
- A 3-stop ND filter lets you use slow shutter speeds even when the light is bright.
- Shoot a vertical and a horizontal frame; tall falls often work better in portrait orientation.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Circular polarizer, 3–6 stop ND filter, Lens cloth, Waterproof footwear. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Upper Falls, closest first.
Waterfall
Waterfall
State Park
Botanical GardenWaterfallFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Upper Falls?
What time is golden hour at Upper Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Upper Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Upper Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Upper Falls?
How far is Upper Falls from Greenville?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.