Flagstaff, Arizona
Some light pollution · Constellations, not much Milky Way
3 stays nearby →Flagstaff Area National Monuments Dark Sky Park
- How dark?
- Dark · Milky Way overhead, hazy lower down
- Entry
- $25 per vehicle, 7 days · Sunset Crater open day and night
- Food & town
- Flagstaff · about 5 mi
- Certified
- Dark Sky Park · 2016
How dark is it, really?
Dark enough to see the Milky Way overhead on a clear night, though glow from nearby towns washes out the sky near the horizon. (For the detail-minded: Bortle class 4, measured at 21.68 mag/arcsec².)
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 | Thin crescent, sets early | 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 1–8 | Mostly none · thin crescent on the edge nights | A sky full of stars |
| Mar 3–9 | Thin crescent, rises late | The Milky Way core |
| Apr 1–7 | Thin crescent, rises late | The Milky Way core |
| May 2–7 | None · darkest skies | The Milky Way core, and a meteor shower peak (Eta Aquariids) |
| Jun 1–6 | Mostly none · thin crescent on the edge nights | The Milky Way core |
| Jul 1–6 | Thin crescent, sets early | The Milky Way core |
| Jul 30–Aug 5 | Thin crescent, rises late | The Milky Way core, and a meteor shower peak (Southern Delta Aquariids) |
| Aug 29–Sep 4 | Crescent, sets early | 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: Mid Feb to mid Oct. Out of season until mid Feb. In season now, through mid 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 Flagstaff Area National Monuments.
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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Getting in after dark
At Sunset Crater Volcano the scenic drive and all trails are open year-round, day and night, unless heavy snow or weather makes them impassable.
Food, fuel, and supplies
Walnut Canyon: Flagstaff, AZ, about 5 mi away, with groceries (Safeway, Walmart Supercenter, Fry's Food and Drug and 8 more), 20+ gas stations, and 20+ places to eat on the map. Nearest places to eat on the map: Oregano’s, McDonald's, and Starbucks.
Sunset Crater Volcano: Flagstaff, AZ, about 10 mi away, with groceries (Safeway, Walmart Supercenter, Bashas’ and 8 more), 20+ gas stations, and 20+ places to eat on the map. Nearest places to eat on the map: Mary's Cafe, Matador Coffee Roasting Co., and McDonald's.
Wupatki: Flagstaff, AZ, about 25 mi away, with groceries (Safeway, Walmart Supercenter, Bashas’ and 8 more), 20+ gas stations, and 20+ places to eat on the map. Nearest places to eat on the map: Mary's Cafe, Matador Coffee Roasting Co., and Burger King.
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 4, measured (Sep 2026) · nearest town from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) (Sep 2026)
Dark sky places near Flagstaff Area National Monuments
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 Community Sedona, Arizona
Dark · Milky Way overhead, hazy lower down
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