Top 5 US Sites for Stargazing

Few sights challenge the imagination – and at times our sense of romanticism – as a summer night awash with a canvas of stars over a mountain or beach. From the earliest astronomers to current day cuddling couples, the skies have been a source of enhancement, awe, and wonder.

As cities and light pollution have encroached upon our skies over the last century, that left us wondering to ourselves, where can the best places in the US to view the summer night skies be found?

After speaking with our top science officer, we composed a list that covers a gamut of the country, from the northern lights to the Pacific Ocean and back to the contiguous 48 states. 

If you are fortunate enough to live near one of these parks, consider yourself lucky. If not, it’s certainly worth a side trip when planning a vacation.

Luckily the volcano is dormant, but it has the advantage of rising nearly 14,000 feet tall into the sky. The summit is so high it keeps the clouds, moisture and fog below. Another advantage is that the views are spectacular due to the limited amount of lights on the island. And where there is light, they are controlled thanks to the Hawaii light ordinance.

Location: Big Island, Hawaii

Access: You can tour the observatory areas until 7:00 PM. After that you must go down the mountain to the Visitor’s Center, where you will find some telescopes available. At 9,000 feet you will still see an amazing sky and it is one of the best places in the world to stargaze.

Glacier National Park has been certified as an International Dark Sky Park with epic views of the sky made possible by the lack of major city lights polluting the sky. The high elevation and the dry atmosphere allow for even more visibility for the naked eye, even in the summer.

Location: Montana’s Rocky Mountains

Access: At the east entrance to Glacier National Park sits St. Mary and the St. Mary Observatory. This Star Dome is equipped with a 20-inch telescope, one of the largest telescopes in the National Park Service and the largest in Montana, which gives visitors high-resolution views of planets. If you’re not looking through the telescope, you can view the images on one of two 55-inch monitors mounted on the observatory.

In 2019, Great Sand Dunes became certified as an International Dark Sky Park as well. It’s also a great place to observe the magnificence of the Milky Way, which is highest and clearest in the evening sky during late summer and fall. The park also offers summer night programs as a way to experience and understand the night sky and nocturnal ecology.

Location: Colorado’s Rocky Mountains

Access: Great Sand Dunes National Park is open 24-hours-a-day, every day of the year. There is no limit on how long you can enjoy the night sky on the dunes, but if you plan to camp on the dunes all night long, you must obtain a backpacking permit. Plan your visit on a clear moonless night, or after the moon sets, to see the most stars.

This mountain desert park offers easy stargazing. Most of the park’s main roads are treeless and minimal: the landscape provides minimal obstructions to the skyline. There are numerous pullouts and scenic views that are perfect for stargazing.

The staff and volunteers at Big Bend offer several different types of night sky interpretive programs throughout the year. From star parties to moonlight walks, programs encourage discussions about the importance of dark night skies.

You can also visit the McDonald Observatory in Fort Davis for interpretive programs and a peek at the far reaches of space through their 36 inch lens telescope.  These viewing parties are for small groups, so reservations are a must. 

Location: Texas, near the Mexico border

Access: Big Bend National Park is located in southern Texas along the Rio Grande and shares a 118-mile border with Mexico. The best places for stargazing are along River Road, at the West Contrabando Trailhead, Big Hill and the Hoodoos. These spots offer great views and are accessible by any vehicle.

The park is completely free from light pollution and because of its very northern location, it offers you the chance to view something that is on the bucket list of many – the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights. The aurora is a beautiful, if hard to predict, phenomenon, that occurs year-round. No matter where your lodging or campground is located, you should have a good chance to see the aurora if the aurora is occurring.

The only bad news is because Denali is so far north, the summer sun keeps the sky too bright to see any aurora unless you get lucky very late at night.  But spring and fall are great times to see the aurora.

Location: Alaska

Access: There is only one road in Denali. Private vehicles can drive a small part of it, but most of the road is open only to bus traffic. For the best possible stargazing experience, camp overnight so you can spend hours gazing at the star-filled heavens.

Sources

• https://www.attractionsofamerica.com/thingstodo/top-10-best-spots-for-stargazing-in-the-us.php
• https://koa.com/blog/the-12-best-places-to-stargaze-in-america/
• https://www.nps.gov/bibe/planyourvisit/stargazing.htm#:~:text=Big Bend National Park is,human occupation of this region.
• https://www.nps.gov/grsa/planyourvisit/experiencethenight.htm
• https://www.nps.gov/deva/night-exploration.htm
• https://www.darksky.org/our-work/conservation/idsp/parks/cherrysprings/
• https://www.nps.gov/glac/learn/nature/night-sky.htm
• https://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/night-sky.htm