Okefenokee State Park, a Dark Sky Park
- How dark?
- Dark · Milky Way overhead, hazy lower down
- Entry
- ParkPass plus $5 refuge fee · gates lock at 10 pm
- Food & town
- Folkston · about 20 mi
- Certified
- Dark Sky Park · 2016
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 | Mostly none · thin crescent on the edge nights | 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 | The Milky Way core |
| Mar 3–9 | Thin crescent, rises late | The Milky Way core |
| Apr 2–8 | Mostly none · thin crescent on the edge nights | The Milky Way core |
| May 2–7 | Thin crescent, rises late | 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 31–Aug 5 | Thin crescent, sets early | The Milky Way core, and extra shooting stars (Southern Delta Aquariids and Perseids) |
| Aug 29–Sep 3 | None · darkest skies | 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 Okefenokee State 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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Getting in after dark
The park is open 7 am to 10 pm. Because it sits inside a National Wildlife Refuge, the gates lock at closing (10 pm).
Food, fuel, and supplies
Folkston, GA is about 20 mi away in a straight line, with groceries (Harvey's), 6 gas stations, and 14 places to eat on the map. The nearest gas is closer: Marathon, about 15 mi away in Fargo, GA. Nearest places to eat on the map: Whistlin Dixie (about 20 mi), Chester's (about 20 mi), and Los 3 Mariachis (about 20 mi).
Distances are straight-line and approximate. Places on the map may not be open. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
✓ Certification verified Sep 2026 against DarkSky International registry (Internet Archive capture) · entry fee and after-dark access from Georgia State Parks · darkness: Bortle 4, estimated · nearest town from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
Dark sky places near Okefenokee State Park
No other dark sky place on this site is within 150 miles of Okefenokee State Park. The closest is Groveland, Florida, about 160 mi south in Florida. Or browse every place by state.