Lake Fork Earth and Sky Center
Exceptional darkness · Milky Way obvious
3 stays nearby →Chimney Rock National Monument, a Dark Sky Park
- How dark?
- Very dark · Milky Way across the sky on clear nights
- Entry
- $20 per vehicle, 5 days · day use only; closes 4:30 pm
- Food & town
- Pagosa Springs · about 15 mi
- Certified
- Dark Sky Park · 2025
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 | 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 | None · darkest skies | 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 1–6 | Thin crescent, sets early | The Milky Way core |
| Jul 1–6 | None · darkest skies | The Milky Way core |
| Jul 31–Aug 6 | Crescent, sets early | The Milky Way core, and extra shooting stars (Southern Delta Aquariids and Perseids) |
| 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 Chimney Rock 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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Getting in after dark
The monument is day use only, open May 15 to October 15 from 9 am to 4:30 pm; road access to the upper mesa closes at 3:15 pm.
Food, fuel, and supplies
Pagosa Springs, CO is about 15 mi away in a straight line, with groceries (City Market, Walmart Supercenter, Natural Grocers), 7 gas stations, and 20+ places to eat on the map. The nearest gas is closer: Turkey Springs Trading Post, about 8 mi away. Nearest places to eat on the map: Two Rivers Cafe (about 10 mi, in Arboles, CO), Two Chicks and a Hippie Bakery and Coffee House (about 15 mi), and Shanghai Asian Cuisine (about 15 mi).
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 and after-dark access from USDA Forest Service (Sep 2026) · darkness: Bortle 3, estimated (Sep 2026) · nearest town from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) (Sep 2026)
Dark sky places near Chimney Rock 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 Park Dark Sky Park Mesa Verde National Park
Dark · Milky Way overhead, hazy lower down
3 stays nearby →Dark Sky Park Top of the Pines
Very dark · Milky Way across the sky on clear nights
3 stays nearby →Dark Sky Community Ridgway, Colorado
Very dark · Milky Way across the sky on clear nights
3 stays nearby →