Bisbee, Arizona
Dark · Milky Way overhead, hazy lower down
3 stays nearby →Chiricahua National Monument, a Dark Sky Park
An always-open monument in the Chiricahua Mountains, where Massai Point looks up into a sky with very little light pollution.
- How dark?
- Very dark · Milky Way across the sky on clear nights
- Entry
- Free · always open
- Food & town
- Willcox · about 35 mi
- Certified
- Dark Sky Park · 2021
How dark is it, really?
Dark enough to see the Milky Way stretch across the sky on a clear night, with only a faint glow from distant towns low on the horizon. (For the detail-minded: Bortle class 3, an estimate.)
When should I go?
Pick a night when the moon is down. The next stretch of moonless evenings is Nov 6–12.
| Best nights | Moonlight | Worth staying up for |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 6–12 | Thin crescent, sets early | A sky full of stars, and extra shooting stars (Leonids) |
| Dec 5–11 | Mostly none · thin crescent on the edge nights | A sky full of stars, and extra shooting stars (Geminids) |
| Jan 3–9 | Thin crescent, rises late | A sky full of stars, and a meteor shower peak (Quadrantids) |
More dark windows, through Oct 2027
| Best nights | Moonlight | Worth staying up for |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 2–8 | Thin crescent, sets early | The Milky Way core |
| Mar 3–9 | Thin crescent, rises late | The Milky Way core |
| Apr 2–8 | Mostly none · thin crescent on the edge nights | The Milky Way core |
| May 2–7 | Thin crescent, rises late | The Milky Way core, and a meteor shower peak (Eta Aquariids) |
| Jun 1–5 | Thin crescent, rises late | The Milky Way core |
| Jul 1–6 | Thin crescent, sets early | The Milky Way core |
| Jul 30–Aug 5 | Mostly none · thin crescent on the edge nights | The Milky Way core, and a meteor shower peak (Southern Delta Aquariids) |
| Aug 29–Sep 3 | None · darkest skies | The Milky Way core |
| Sep 27–Oct 3 | Thin crescent, sets early | The Milky Way core |
Computed from public astronomical data for this location. Updated monthly. How it's computed
Milky Way season here: Early Feb to late Oct. Out of season until early Feb. In season now, through late Oct.
Meteor showers ahead: Leonids on Nov 17–18 (half moon, sets around midnight), Geminids on Dec 13–14 (thin crescent, sets early), Ursids on Dec 22–23 (full moon, up all night), and Quadrantids on Jan 3–4 (thin crescent, rises late)Lyrids on Apr 22–23 (bright moon for most of the night)Eta Aquariids on May 5–6 (none · darkest skies)Southern Delta Aquariids on Jul 30–31 (thin crescent, rises late)Perseids on Aug 12–13 (bright moon for most of the night).
Email me before the next dark window at Chiricahua National Monument.
About one email a month, a few days before the moon goes dark: the dates here, the moonlight, and what's worth staying up for. Unsubscribe in one click.
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What it's like
The Chiricahua Mountains lie under dark night skies, which is why some of the world's largest telescopes stand on nearby mountains. Out here, away from cities, the night fills with more stars than you could count, and meteors are worth watching for.
The monument never closes, so you can come up after dinner and stay as late as you like. The park suggests three places: Massai Point, where very few light sources mar the sky; the Echo Canyon Trailhead; and the campground. National Park Service night sky imaging here picks out just three main domes of artificial light, from Tucson, Phoenix, and Las Cruces, while at Massai Point the Milky Way itself supplies much of the light in the sky. The same imaging caught it arching over the Sugarloaf fire lookout.
For the darkest nights, plan your visit away from the full moon. Check the park calendar to see whether a ranger night sky program falls during your visit.
Getting in after dark
The monument is always open; the park suggests Massai Point, the Echo Canyon Trailhead or the campground for dark skies.
Food, fuel, and supplies
Willcox, AZ is about 35 mi away in a straight line, with groceries (Safeway), 11 gas stations, and 20 places to eat on the map. The nearest gas is closer: a gas station, about 15 mi away. Nearest places to eat on the map: Dining Room (about 15 mi), Subway (about 20 mi, in San Simon, AZ), and Little Caesars (about 20 mi, in San Simon, AZ).
Distances are straight-line and approximate. Places on the map may not be open. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
✓ Certification verified Jun 2026 against DarkSky International registry (Internet Archive capture) · entry fee from National Park Service (Sep 2026) · after-dark access from National Park Service (Sep 2026) · darkness: Bortle 3, estimated (Sep 2026) · nearest town from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) (Sep 2026)
Dark sky places near Chiricahua National Monument
For a trip with more than one dark night: the closest within 150 miles, nearest first. Distances are straight-line, not driving.
Dark Sky Community Dark Sky Park Kartchner Caverns State Park
Dark · Milky Way overhead, hazy lower down
3 stays nearby →Dark Sky Park Oracle State Park
Dark · Milky Way overhead, hazy lower down
3 stays nearby →Dark Sky Sanctuary Cosmic Campground
Exceptional darkness · Milky Way obvious
3 stays nearby →