35 Top US Spots for Summer Stargazing

Not one, but two parks in far West Texas are designated as International Dark Sky Parks-Big Bend National Park, plus nearby Big Bend Ranch State Park. The combination makes this one of the largest dark spots in the country.

Copper Breaks is a little-known park at the edge of the Texas Panhandle with trails and campsites and plenty of big black starry sky.

This Texas Hill Country park is ideal for camping, kayaking, floating, biking, and stargazing on more than 2,600 acres with skies that rate a Class 3 on the Bortle Dark-Sky Scale, where Class 1 is the darkest sky on Earth.

Like a miniature Uluru rising from the rolling countryside of the Texas Hill Country, Enchanted Rock is a great stargazing spot to include on a visit to San Antonio.

Cosmic Campground is one of only two designated Dark Sky sanctuaries in the U.S.-offering some of the darkest skies in the world. Located in the Gila National Forest in Southwestern New Mexico, the campground offers limited amenities, but other campgrounds nearby offer full service camping.

Not far from Albuquerque, the Salinas Missions are closed at night except for supervised programs, so make plans to coordinate a visit with the National Park Service.

In Northwestern New Mexico, the Chaco Culture Park is fascinating by day and by night. Educational programs and events celebrate both the culture and the stars overhead.

In the opposite corner of the state, Capulin Volcano National Monument is listed as a Gold Tier, International Dark Sky Park, one of only a handful of national parks with the gold designation. Daytime activities include hiking the rim and a scenic road for driving to the top.

Rent a cabin at Kartchner Caverns, hike the cavern, enjoy the evening bat flight, then settle into a lounge chair for a star-studded show at this IDA Silver Tier park.

Yup, all 1.2 million acres of the Grand Canyon National Park are designated as a Provisional Dark Sky Park, so after a day of looking down at the canyon, spend your evening looking up at the Milky Way.

It will take some hiking to get to the darkest side of Joshua Tree; the eastern side is affected by the lights glowing from Palm Springs, but the entire park was awarded Silver Tier IDA status in 2017.

Anza-Borrego State Park is the country's second largest state park, part of the Mojave and Colorado Deserts UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and is a Silver Tier IDA Park. Hike, bike and camp during the day, but save energy for some late-night stargazing.

Want to escape the bright lights of Las Vegas? Drive west into the desert to Death Valley to enjoy the natural beauty of a dark sky. Last year the park hosted 52 night sky programs.

Also, in Nevada, Great Basin National Park, holds a coveted Gold Tier IDA Status, offering some of the darkest skies in the Southwest. Home to the 13,000-foot Wheeler Peak, the park has camping facilities and tours of Lehman Cave.

Last year, park rangers at Capitol Reef held 26 nighttime astronomy programs, and 27 full moon hikes and stargazing programs. Don't miss out on the fun this year.

The second U.S. IDA Certified Dark Sky Sanctuary is at Rainbow Bridge. Nighttime access to the monument is extremely limited do to its remoteness but camping at the nearby Echo Camp is one option. A second would be a houseboat rental on nearby Lake Powell.

Only 18 communities in the U.S. meet the strict IDA standards to earn certification as Dark Sky Communities. Torrey, Utah is one of them. It makes a terrific spot from which to base your explorations of Utah, including the nearby Capitol Reef.

Far Northeastern Utah is home to the Steinaker State Park, designated as a Silver Tier IDA Dark Sky Park earlier this year. There are campgrounds and cabin rentals to make your stargazing comfy in this remote park.

Gold Tier Dark Sky status is difficult to achieve, but the remote four-corners location of Hovenweep helps a great deal. There are campgrounds, but stargazing is also allowed from the park's visitor center parking lot.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison has been known as a stargazer paradise for years. In 2015, it became the ninth national park to earn Dark Sky Park status. Last year park rangers presented 50 night sky programs. Reserve your campsite early to enjoy the show.

Sometimes it takes a mountain range to block city lights, in the case of these two communities, it takes two mountain ranges. Westcliffe and Silver Cliff boast of being the highest Certified IDA Dark Sky Communities.

What more appropriate park from which to enjoy a nightly sky show than one that looks like you could be on the moon? Check with officials at Craters of the Moon for ranger-led hikes or night sky programs.

There is only one IDA Certified Dark Sky Reserve in the U.S. The reserve encompasses 1,416 square miles and includes the Sawtooth National Forest. Easy access to the reserve is from the Sun Valley area.

Another IDA Dark Sky Community, Ketchum is ideally located for night sky watching in Central Idaho.

In 2017, these two national parks: Waterton in Canada and Glacier in the U.S., became the first IDA Dark Sky Parks to straddle an international border. They also hold the distinction as the world's first Peace Park and encompass two UNESCO Biospheres and one UNSECO World Heritage Site.

Kiss the bright city lights behind for a night and head to Central Florida for some prime sky watching at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve. They even have special astronomy campsites.

Farther south in Florida, look to the sky at Big Cypress, adjacent to the Everglades. There are plenty of camping facilities and trails for hiking and biking.

Swim, boat, hike, fish, and watch the show in the night sky. It's yours for the taking at this pair of parks. There are campgrounds and cabins for rent.

The Obed offers paddling, hiking, climbing and biking by day. Contact the park for scheduled night sky events and park access.

The Blue Ridge Observatory and Star Park is near enough to Asheville to make it a perfect part of your North Carolina vacay.

Stay the night in historic CCC-built cabins at Staunton River State Park and watch the night sky unfold from dusk to dawn.

What's one of the best places in the entire Eastern U.S. to stargaze? Designated as an IDA Gold Tier Dark Sky Park in 2008, Cherry Springs could be the place to escape the city glow for fun in the dark.

One more reason to visit Door County (as if you needed more) is Newport State Park, Wisconsin's only IDA Dark Sky Park.

Besides an abundance of daytime activities, Observatory Park hosts night sky events weekly throughout the summer.

The Headlands Park earned its IDA Dark Sky Park designation in 2011, well ahead of most of the other parks on the list. Trails and sky viewing areas are open 24 hours a day.