Borrego Springs, California
Dark · Milky Way overhead, hazy lower down
3 stays nearby →Joshua Tree National Park, a Dark Sky Park
Some of the darkest nights in Southern California, where many visitors see the Milky Way for the first time.
- How dark?
- Dark · Milky Way overhead, hazy lower down
- Entry
- $30 per vehicle, 7 days · open all night
- Food & town
- Joshua Tree · about 5 mi
- Certified
- Dark Sky Park · 2017
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 2–8 | Thin crescent, sets early | A sky full of stars |
| Mar 3–9 | Thin crescent, rises late | The Milky Way core |
| Apr 1–8 | Mostly none · thin crescent on the edge nights | The Milky Way core |
| May 2–7 | Thin crescent, sets early | 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 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 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 Joshua Tree 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
Joshua Tree has some of the darkest nights in Southern California, and many people get their first real look at the Milky Way here. The park never closes. If the entrance stations are unstaffed when you arrive, drive in and pay on the way out.
Four parking lots are set aside for stargazing: Quail Springs, Hidden Valley, Cap Rock, and Ryan Mountain. Stay awake and within 20 feet of your car. Glow from surrounding towns reaches into the park, so some areas are darker than others. Pinto Basin Road between the Cholla Cactus Garden and Cottonwood has the least traffic and the darkest sky, and Cottonwood has the darkest of the park's nine campgrounds. You can't sleep along roadsides or in parking lots, and day-use areas close from dusk to dawn.
Bring a folding chair, because you'll be looking up for a long time, and use only red light. Cactus, uneven ground, and nocturnal animals are hard to see at night; wear closed-toe shoes and check the ground around you. Light painting isn't permitted. The park holds an annual Night Sky Festival, and rangers lead night sky programs listed on the park calendar.
Getting in after dark
The park is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and you can drive in and out at any time.
Food, fuel, and supplies
West Entrance: Joshua Tree, CA, about 5 mi away, with groceries (JT Trading Post), 2 gas stations, and 10 places to eat on the map. Nearest places to eat on the map: Joshua Tree Saloon Bar & Grill, Castañeda's Mexican Food, and Country Kitchen.
North Entrance: Twentynine Palms, CA, about 5 mi away, with groceries (Stater Bros., Grocery Outlet, Commissary), 10 gas stations, and 20+ places to eat on the map. Nearest places to eat on the map: Dining Room and Bar 29 Palms Inn, Rocky's New York Pizzeria, and Las Palmas.
South Entrance (Cottonwood): Coachella, CA, about 20 mi away, with groceries (Save-A-Lot, Cardenas, Food 4 Less and 2 more), 17 gas stations, and 20+ places to eat on the map. Nearest places to eat on the map: Chiriaco Summit Coffee Shop, Plaza Garibaldi Taqueria, and Pizza Milano.
There is no running water in most of the park and temperatures drop quickly after dark, so bring water, food, and extra warm layers.
Distances are straight-line and approximate. Places on the map may not be open. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Night sky tours near Joshua Tree National Park
Professional Stargazing Tour in Joshua Tree
Stargazing Joshua Tree · starts in Joshua Tree, near the West Entrance, about 5 min · checked Sep 2026
These are affiliate links: we earn a commission if you book a tour through them.
✓ Certification verified Aug 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, estimated (Sep 2026) · nearest town from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) (Sep 2026)
Dark sky places near Joshua Tree 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 Community Dark Sky Park Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Dark · Milky Way overhead, hazy lower down
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