National parks have some of the darkest skies, offering the most breathtaking
celestial views in the United States.
These 25 locations provide stargazers with unparalleled opportunities to explore the
night sky, from remote desert landscapes to mountain peaks.
Death Valley National Park, California
As the largest Dark Sky Park in the U.S., Death Valley offers incredibly dark skies
and clear air for stargazing. Badwater Basin and Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes provide
excellent vantage points for observing the Milky Way and meteor showers.
Big Bend National Park, Texas
Big Bend boasts the least light pollution of any National Park unit in the lower 48
states. The Chisos Basin and Rio Grande Village offer spectacular views of the Milky
Way and the opportunity to spot the Andromeda Galaxy.
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Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah
Natural Bridges, the world’s first International Dark Sky Park, provides exceptional
stargazing opportunities. Owachomo Bridge serves as a dramatic foreground for
astrophotography, framing the Milky Way in stunning compositions.
Great Basin National Park, Nevada
Great Basin’s high elevation and low humidity create ideal conditions for stargazing.
The Astronomy Amphitheater near the Lehman Caves Visitor Center hosts regular
star parties and telescope viewing sessions.
Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
Bryce Canyon’s high elevation and clean air offer excellent visibility of the night sky.
The park’s popular astronomy program includes star parties at the visitor center and
full moon hikes through the hoodoos.
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Joshua Tree National Park, California
Joshua Tree’s desert landscape provides a stunning backdrop for stargazing. Keys
View and Skull Rock are popular spots for night sky photography, offering unique
foregrounds of iconic Joshua trees and rock formations.
Glacier National Park, Montana
Glacier’s remote location and vast wilderness areas create perfect dark sky conditions. Logan Pass and Lake McDonald offer unobstructed views of the Milky Way reflecting in alpine lakes.
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
The Grand Canyon’s North Rim provides some of the darkest skies in the park. Desert View Watchtower and Lipan Point offer dramatic vistas for observing the stars above the canyon’s depths.
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Acadia National Park, Maine
Acadia’s coastal location provides unique opportunities for stargazing over the Atlantic Ocean. Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the U.S. East Coast, offers panoramic views of the night sky.
Canyonlands National Park, Utah
Canyonlands’ remote location and diverse landscapes create numerous stargazing
opportunities. The Island in the Sky District and Grand View Point Overlook provide
expansive views of the starry sky above deep canyons.
Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota
Voyageurs’ abundance of lakes offers perfect reflective surfaces for stargazing. The
Rainy Lake Visitor Center boat launch and Ash River Visitor Center provide excellent
vantage points for observing the northern lights.
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Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado
Great Sand Dunes’ high elevation and isolation from major light sources create ideal
stargazing conditions. The dune field offers a unique foreground for astrophotography, with the Milky Way arching over the sand mountains.
Capitol Reef National Park, Utah
Capitol Reef’s remote location in south-central Utah provides exceptionally dark
skies. The Fruita Campground and Panorama Point offer easily accessible stargazing locations with minimal light pollution.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota
Theodore Roosevelt’s vast prairies provide unobstructed views of the night sky. The
Peaceful Valley Ranch and Painted Canyon Overlook offer excellent stargazing opportunities in the park’s quieter North Unit.
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Chaco Culture National Historical Park, New Mexico
Chaco Culture, an International Dark Sky Park, combines ancient astronomy with
modern stargazing. The park’s Night Sky Program offers telescope viewing sessions
and tours of ancient Puebloan astronomical markers.
Arches National Park, Utah
Arches’ iconic rock formations create stunning silhouettes against the starry sky. The
Windows Section and Balanced Rock parking lot offer easily accessible locations for
night sky photography.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado
Black Canyon’s deep, narrow gorge creates a natural frame for the night sky. The
South Rim’s Lunar View and Sunset View overlooks provide excellent stargazing
opportunities with minimal light pollution.
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Denali National Park, Alaska
Denali’s subarctic location offers unique opportunities to view the northern lights and
midnight sun. The Eielson Visitor Center and Wonder Lake campground provide
unobstructed views of the Alaska Range and night sky.
Crater Lake National Park, Oregon
Crater Lake’s high elevation and clear air create ideal conditions for stargazing.
Watchman Overlook and Rim Village offer stunning views of the starry sky reflecting
in the lake’s calm waters.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee/North
Carolina
While not known for dark skies, certain areas of the Smokies offer good stargazing
opportunities. Clingmans Dome and the Oconaluftee Valley Overlook provide higher-
elevation viewing points above the tree line.
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Zion National Park, Utah
Zion’s towering cliffs create dramatic framing for the night sky. The Pa’rus Trail and
Canyon Overlook offer easily accessible stargazing locations with minimal light
pollution.
Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
Shenandoah’s Skyline Drive provides numerous overlooks for stargazing along the
Blue Ridge Mountains. Big Meadows and Skyland are popular spots for observing
meteor showers and constellations.
Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
Rocky Mountain’s high-elevation alpine environments offer clear, crisp views of the
night sky. Trail Ridge Road and Bear Lake provide excellent vantage points for stargazing and astrophotography.
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Olympic National Park, Washington
Olympic’s diverse landscapes offer varied stargazing experiences, from coastal
beaches to mountain peaks. Hurricane Ridge and Rialto Beach provide stunning
locations for observing the stars over mountains and sea.
Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
Mesa Verde combines ancient astronomical knowledge with modern stargazing
opportunities. The Far View Lodge area and Morefield Campground offer excellent
views of the night sky above ancient Puebloan dwellings.
Your Ideal Stargazing Park Awaits
These national parks provide some of the best stargazing opportunities in the United
States, offering visitors a chance to connect with the natural world and the cosmos.
Whether for amateur astronomers or casual stargazers, these locations promise
unforgettable experiences under the vast canopy of the night sky.
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