Big Park / Village of Oak Creek, Arizona
Dark · Milky Way overhead, hazy lower down
3 stays nearby →Sedona, Arizona Dark Sky Community
A red rock town of more than 10,000 people that became the world's eighth International Dark Sky Community in 2014.
- How dark?
- Dark · Milky Way overhead, hazy lower down
- Food & town
- Sedona · in town
- Certified
- Dark Sky Community · 2014
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, 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 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: Early Feb to late Oct. Out of season until early 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 Sedona, Arizona.
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
Sedona is best known for its red rock country, the backdrop to generations of Western films, and it is also a place that has chosen to keep its nights dark. In 2014 it became an International Dark Sky Community, the eighth in the world and the sixth in the United States, backed by a city lighting ordinance and yearly reports to DarkSky International. The Big Park and Village of Oak Creek community later earned its own designation.
This is a town of more than 10,000 people, so you're stargazing from the edge of a community rather than a wilderness, but the night sky is part of what the town offers visitors, and local groups have run star parties at places like Red Rock State Park. The park also leads full moon hikes.
Sedona sits at about 4,350 feet. Spring and fall bring the most comfortable weather and clear skies; summer days can top 100°F, and winter can bring snow to the higher ground. If you drive out to a trailhead in the surrounding Coconino National Forest to get away from town lights, most trailheads require a Red Rock Pass, sold online and by local vendors.
Food, fuel, and supplies
Sedona, AZ is right here, with groceries (Whole Foods Market, Natural Grocers, Bashas' and 2 more), 5 gas stations, and 20+ places to eat on the map. Nearest places to eat on the map: Whole Foods Market Cafe (under 1 mi), ChocolaTree Organic Oasis (under 1 mi), and Heartline Cafe (under 1 mi).
Distances are straight-line and approximate. Places on the map may not be open. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Night sky tours near Sedona, Arizona
PRIVATE Sedona Jeep Tour 4X4 Stargazing Tour at Night
Red Rock Jeep Tours · starts in Sedona, about 5 min · checked Sep 2026
Private Stargazing at Your Hotel in Flagstaff or Sedona
Arizona Private Tours LLC · starts in your hotel in Flagstaff or Sedona, about 5 min · checked Sep 2026
Sedona Dark Sky Sunset and Night Hike Private Adventure
Trail Lovers Excursions · starts in Sedona, about 5 min · checked Sep 2026
The Night Sky Star Story, Galaxy, and Sedona Story Tour
Adventure Explore and Soar · starts in West Sedona, about 5 min · checked Sep 2026
Stargazing Tour with Telescopes and Video Astronomy in Sedona
Night Owl Tours · starts in Sedona, about 10 min · checked Sep 2026
A nighttime stargazing tour outside Sedona
Sedona Stargazing Tours LLC · starts in Village of Oak Creek, about 15 min · checked Sep 2026
These are affiliate links: we earn a commission if you book a tour through them.
✓ Certification verified Jun 2026 against DarkSky International registry (Internet Archive capture) · darkness: Bortle 4, estimated (Sep 2026) · nearest town from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) (Sep 2026)
Dark sky places near Sedona, Arizona
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 Cottonwood, Arizona
Dark · Milky Way overhead, hazy lower down
3 stays nearby →Dark Sky Community Camp Verde, Arizona
Dark · Milky Way overhead, hazy lower down
3 stays nearby →Dark Sky Community Flagstaff, Arizona
Some light pollution · Constellations, not much Milky Way
3 stays nearby →