Crestone, Colorado
Very dark · Milky Way across the sky on clear nights
3 stays nearby →Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, a Dark Sky Park
- How dark?
- Very dark · Milky Way across the sky on clear nights
- Entry
- $25 per vehicle · open all night
- Food & town
- Alamosa · about 25 mi
- Certified
- Dark Sky Park · 2019
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 Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.
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.
We'll email you a link to confirm.
Almost there. Check your email for a link to confirm your address. Once you confirm, we'll email you the dates at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve a few days before each dark window, with the Dark Sky Trip Calendar.
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Getting in after dark
The park and preserve are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round. Camping and overnight parking are by permit only. Sleeping in vehicles or camping outside designated areas is prohibited.
Food, fuel, and supplies
Alamosa, CO is about 25 mi away in a straight line, with groceries (Tienda Latina Guate-Mex, Safeway, City Market and 1 more), 7 gas stations, and 20+ places to eat on the map. The nearest gas is closer: Oasis, about 8 mi away. Nearest places to eat on the map: Desert Sage Restaurant (about 15 mi), Lisa's Grill (about 15 mi, in Hooper, CO), and Cloud Station (about 15 mi, in Crestone, CO).
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) · night permits from National Park Service (Sep 2026) · darkness: Bortle 3, estimated (Sep 2026) · nearest town from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) (Sep 2026)
Dark sky places near Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
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 Westcliffe and Silver Cliff, Colorado
Dark · Milky Way overhead, hazy lower down
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3 stays nearby →