Voyageurs National Park
Dark · Milky Way overhead, hazy lower down
3 stays nearby →Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Dark Sky Sanctuary
More than a million acres of lakes, rock, and forest along Minnesota's border with Canada, named the largest Dark Sky Sanctuary when it was designated in 2020.
- How dark?
- Dark · Milky Way overhead, hazy lower down
- Food & town
- Ely · about 25 mi
- Certified
- Dark Sky Sanctuary · 2020
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 5–13.
| Best nights | Moonlight | Worth staying up for |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 5–13 | Mostly none · thin crescent on the edge nights | 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 1–9 | Crescent, rises late | A sky full of stars |
| Mar 30–Apr 7 | Crescent, rises late | The Milky Way core |
| Apr 29–May 7 | Crescent, rises late | The Milky Way core, and a meteor shower peak (Eta Aquariids) |
| May 29–Jun 7 | Crescent, rises late | The Milky Way core |
| Jun 30–Jul 10 | Crescent, sets early | The Milky Way core |
| Jul 30–Aug 8 | Thin crescent, rises late | The Milky Way core, and a meteor shower peak (Southern Delta Aquariids) |
| Aug 29–Sep 6 | Crescent, sets early | A sky full of stars |
| Sep 27–Oct 4 | None · darkest skies | A sky full of stars |
Computed from public astronomical data for this location. Updated monthly. How it's computed
Milky Way season here: Early Apr to mid Aug. Out of season until early Apr. In season now, through mid Aug. Out of season until early Apr.
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 Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
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
Night viewing here happens from your campsite, one of about 2,000 designated sites scattered across more than 1,098,000 acres of wilderness. When DarkSky made the Boundary Waters an International Dark Sky Sanctuary in 2020, it was only the 13th in the world, the largest, and the first certified site in Minnesota. DarkSky's announcement spoke of starry nights and northern lights displays long enjoyed here.
The land stretches nearly 150 miles along the border with Canada, across the upper third of the Superior National Forest. Glaciers scoured it into cliffs, crags, and beaches around a maze of lakes and streams, and you travel it on more than 1,200 miles of canoe routes or 12 hiking trails.
Check the fire closures first. Wildfires sparked by lightning on July 7, 2026 shut the entire wilderness, which reopened in stages. An emergency order in force since October 1 still closes parts of it, and areas on the Echo Trail north of Ely, until April 1, 2027 or until it is lifted.
Every visit needs a permit. From May 1 to September 30, overnight trips need a quota permit for one entry point, booked on Recreation.gov or taken as a walk-up permit on the entry day or the day before, when available. The rest of the year, overnight visitors fill out a self-issued permit, as day visitors do in every season. Winter brings ice fishing, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. For swimmers, the Forest Service warns that cold lake water can cause hypothermia.
Food, fuel, and supplies
Ely, MN is about 25 mi away in a straight line, with groceries (Zup's, Ely Northland Market), 4 gas stations, and 15 places to eat on the map. Nearest places to eat on the map: Justine's at Gunflint Lodge (about 25 mi), Subway (about 25 mi), and DQ Grill & Chill (about 25 mi). Parts of the wilderness remain closed after the July 2026 wildfires, so check the Superior National Forest alerts page for current closures before you plan a route.
Distances are straight-line and approximate. Places on the map may not be open. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
✓ Certification verified Jul 2026 against DarkSky International registry (Internet Archive capture) · darkness: Bortle 4, estimated (Sep 2026) · nearest town from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) (Sep 2026)
Dark sky places near Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
For a trip with more than one dark night: the only other place within 150 miles. The distance is straight-line, not driving.
Dark Sky Park