Ketchum, Idaho
Dark · Milky Way overhead, hazy lower down
3 stays nearby →Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve
About 1,400 square miles of Sawtooth mountain country around Stanley and Ketchum, the first gold-tier International Dark Sky Reserve in America, with a new public observatory in Stanley.
- How dark?
- Exceptional darkness · Milky Way obvious
- Food & town
- Stanley · about 20 mi
- Certified
- Dark Sky Reserve · 2017
How dark is it, really?
Dark enough that the Milky Way is obvious the moment you look up, with no town glow worth mentioning on any horizon. (For the detail-minded: Bortle class 1–2, an estimate.)
When should I go?
Pick a night when the moon is down. The next stretch of moonless evenings is Nov 5–12.
| Best nights | Moonlight | Worth staying up for |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 5–12 | Thin crescent, rises late | A sky full of stars, and extra shooting stars (Leonids) |
| Dec 5–11 | None · darkest skies | A sky full of stars, and extra shooting stars (Geminids) |
| Jan 3–9 | None · darkest skies | 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 | Thin crescent, sets early | A sky full of stars |
| Mar 2–9 | Thin crescent, rises late | The Milky Way core |
| Mar 31–Apr 7 | Crescent, rises late | The Milky Way core |
| Apr 30–May 7 | Crescent, rises late | The Milky Way core, and a meteor shower peak (Eta Aquariids) |
| May 31–Jun 6 | None · darkest skies | The Milky Way core |
| Jul 1–8 | Crescent, sets early | The Milky Way core |
| Jul 30–Aug 7 | Mostly none · crescent on the edge nights | The Milky Way core, and a meteor shower peak (Southern Delta Aquariids) |
| Aug 29–Sep 5 | Crescent, sets early | The Milky Way core |
| Sep 27–Oct 4 | Crescent, sets early | A sky full of stars |
Computed from public astronomical data for this location. Updated monthly. How it's computed
Milky Way season here: Early Mar to late Sep. Out of season until early Mar. In season now, through late Sep. Out of season until early Mar.
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 (none · darkest skies)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 Central Idaho.
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
The Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve covers 906,000 acres, about 1,416 square miles, most of it public land in the Sawtooth National Forest. Ketchum, Sun Valley, Stanley, Lower Stanley, and Smiley Creek all lie inside it, and its core reaches into three designated wilderness areas inside the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. Steep terrain kept power lines out of much of it, which is a large part of why the nights stay so dark.
For a first look with help, start in Stanley. The Idaho Dark Sky Alliance, which runs the reserve day to day, holds public stargazing at its new Sawtooth Observatory in Sawtooth Valley Pioneer Park, and summer brings events such as an August Perseid gathering in Stanley and Ketchum. The alliance's programs page lists what's next.
On your own, know the Forest Service rule for the recreation area. Between 10 pm and 6 am you may be at a developed recreation site only if you're camping in a developed campground, visiting someone who is, or the site is signed as a Dark Sky viewing area. Camping is the simplest way to stay out late, with stays in developed campgrounds limited to 10 days in any 30.
There's plenty to fill the days: more than 700 miles of trails, 40 peaks above 10,000 feet, and over 300 high alpine lakes.
Food, fuel, and supplies
Stanley, ID is about 20 mi away in a straight line, with groceries (Mountain Village Mercantile), 1 gas station, and 4 places to eat on the map. Nearest places to eat on the map: Smiley Creek Lodge (about 7 mi), Stanley Baking Company (about 20 mi), and Papa Brunee’s Pizza and Subs (about 20 mi). Large parts of the reserve have neither electricity nor cell service, so plan to be out of reach once you leave town.
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) · darkness: Bortle 1–2, estimated (Sep 2026) · nearest town from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) (Sep 2026)
Dark sky places near Central Idaho
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 Craters Of The Moon National Monument
Exceptional darkness · Milky Way obvious
1 stay nearby →Dark Sky Park Bruneau Dunes State Park
Dark · Milky Way overhead, hazy lower down
2 stays nearby →Dark Sky Park City of Rocks National Reserve
Very dark · Milky Way across the sky on clear nights
1 stay nearby →