Hovenweep National Monument
Very dark · Milky Way across the sky on clear nights
3 stays nearby →Mesa Verde National Park, a Dark Sky Park
The world's 100th International Dark Sky Park, where the night sky looks much as it did to the Ancestral Pueblo people a thousand years ago.
- How dark?
- Dark · Milky Way overhead, hazy lower down
- Entry
- $30 per vehicle, 7 days (May to Oct) · you can arrive any time
- Food & town
- Cortez · about 9 mi
- Certified
- Dark Sky Park · 2021
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 | 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 Mesa Verde 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
Mesa Verde became the world's 100th International Dark Sky Park in 2021. It sits in the middle of some of the darkest skies left in the lower 48, and high elevation, dry air, few people, and clear weather make for a sky much like the one the Ancestral Pueblo people saw here a thousand years ago.
The cliff dwellings and other ancestral sites, the trails, and the backcountry all close at night, so plan to watch from the road and the developed areas. The overlooks along the park road, including many unnamed pullouts, stay open all night and have wide views. Far View Lodge and the land around it are good for stargazing, and from May through October you can camp at Morefield Campground and walk to evening programs at its amphitheater.
Rangers lead a night sky program there on Wednesday evenings through the season: a 30-minute talk, then a laser tour of the constellations and telescope viewing, weather permitting. Aim for a new moon or a night when the moon is down, give your eyes 20 to 30 minutes, and use red light only. Mesa Verde Association park stores sell star charts if you'd like help finding your way around the sky.
Getting in after dark
The park is open daily, year-round, and you can arrive at any time. Wetherill Mesa is the exception: its gate closes at 4 pm.
Food, fuel, and supplies
Cortez, CO is about 9 mi away in a straight line, with groceries (Walmart Supercenter, Safeway), 11 gas stations, and 20+ places to eat on the map. The nearest gas is closer: Sinclair, about 5 mi away. Nearest places to eat on the map: Far View Lodge (about 2 mi), Far View Terrace (about 2 mi), and Spruce Tree Terrace (about 4 mi). It gets cool at night here even in summer, so bring warm layers and a flashlight with a red setting.
Distances are straight-line and approximate. Places on the map may not be open. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
✓ 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 Mesa Verde 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 Bluff, Utah
Very dark · Milky Way across the sky on clear nights
3 stays nearby →Dark Sky Community Norwood, Colorado
Very dark · Milky Way across the sky on clear nights
3 stays nearby →Dark Sky Park Chimney Rock National Monument
Very dark · Milky Way across the sky on clear nights
3 stays nearby →