Pipe Spring National Monument
Very dark · Milky Way across the sky on clear nights
3 stays nearby →Grand Canyon National Park, a Dark Sky Park
A park that has worked to cut its own light pollution, so nearly anywhere along the rim makes a fine place to stargaze.
- How dark?
- Exceptional darkness · Milky Way obvious
- Entry
- $35 per vehicle, 7 days · South Rim open all night
- Food & town
- Grand Canyon Village · about 4 mi
- Certified
- Dark Sky Park · 2016
How dark is it, really?
Dark enough that the Milky Way is obvious the moment you look up, with no town glow worth mentioning on any horizon. (For the detail-minded: Bortle class 1–2, 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 | 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 1–7 | Thin crescent, rises late | The Milky Way core, and a meteor shower peak (Eta Aquariids) |
| Jun 1–5 | None · darkest skies | 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 Grand Canyon National Park.
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
Grand Canyon has worked to reduce its own light pollution, so almost anywhere in the park is a good place to look up. The South Rim is open all night. Plan for at least an hour and a half after sunset, give your eyes a good 30 minutes to adjust, and bring a red light: it is very dark out on the rim.
Mather Point, behind the Grand Canyon Visitor Center, is the easy choice in the South Rim village. Along Desert View Drive to the east, Desert View, Moran Point, and Lipan Point are excellent. On the North Rim, the park names Cape Royal as the best spot, and Bright Angel Point beside the Grand Canyon Lodge is also excellent. For photographers, the park notes that the Milky Way's core sits to the south, which makes the North Rim easier for framing it over the canyon; from the South Rim, the Desert View Watchtower works as a foreground.
Avoid the first quarter and full moon and aim for the third quarter or new moon. Bring a camp chair, a blanket, and a star map. Rangers lead free night sky programs, and during the park's annual week-long Star Party, amateur astronomers share their telescopes each night at no extra charge.
Getting in after dark
The South Rim, including Grand Canyon Village and Desert View, is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Food, fuel, and supplies
South Entrance: Grand Canyon Village, AZ, about 4 mi away, with groceries (Canyon Village Market & Deli), no gas station, and 7 places to eat on the map. Nearest places to eat on the map: We Cook Pizza & Pasta, Starbucks, and Yippee-ei-o! Steakhouse.
East Entrance (Desert View): Grand Canyon Village, AZ, about 15 mi away, with groceries (Canyon Village Market & Deli), no gas station, and 7 places to eat on the map. Nearest places to eat on the map: Yavapai Dining Hall, We Cook Pizza & Pasta, and Starbucks.
North Rim Entrance: no town or small community with food nearby. Nearest places to eat on the map: Cliff Dwellers Restaurant, Lonley Jackrabbit and Lodge Front desk, and C & R Diner. Nearest store: North Rim Country Store, about 5 mi away.
Temperatures swing widely between day and night and drop quickly after sunset, so dress warmly even on summer nights.
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 1–2, estimated (Sep 2026) · nearest town from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) (Sep 2026)
Dark sky places near Grand Canyon National Park
For a trip with more than one dark night: the closest within 150 miles, nearest first. Distances are straight-line, not driving.
Dark Sky Park Dark Sky Community Thunder Mountain Pootsee Nightsky
Very dark · Milky Way across the sky on clear nights
3 stays nearby →Dark Sky Community Flagstaff, Arizona
Some light pollution · Constellations, not much Milky Way
3 stays nearby →Dark Sky Park Flagstaff Area National Monuments
Dark · Milky Way overhead, hazy lower down
3 stays nearby →