El Morro National Monument
Very dark · Milky Way across the sky on clear nights
3 stays nearby →Chaco Culture National Historical Park, a Dark Sky Park
- How dark?
- Very dark · Milky Way across the sky on clear nights
- Entry
- $25 per vehicle, 7 days · loop road closes 5 to 9 pm by season
- Food & town
- Crownpoint · about 25 mi
- Certified
- Dark Sky Park · 2013
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, measured at 21.9 mag/arcsec².)
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 | Thin crescent, rises late | 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 | Thin crescent, sets early | The Milky Way core |
| Jul 30–Aug 5 | Thin crescent, rises late | The Milky Way core, and a meteor shower peak (Southern Delta Aquariids) |
| 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 Chaco Culture National Historical 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 loop road and archaeological sites close at 5 pm (November to February), 7 pm (March and April) or 9 pm (May to October); the entry gate closes 30 minutes earlier.
Food, fuel, and supplies
Crownpoint, NM is about 25 mi away in a straight line, with groceries (Bashas), 1 gas station, and 2 places to eat on the map. The nearest gas is closer: Sinclair, about 20 mi away. Nearest places to eat on the map: Grandma's Restaurant (about 25 mi), Victoria's PIZZA (about 25 mi), and Grandma's Kitchen Restaurant (about 45 mi, in Bloomfield, NM).
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 3, measured (Sep 2026) · nearest town from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) (Sep 2026)
Dark sky places near Chaco Culture National Historical 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 Park Valles Caldera National Preserve
Dark · Milky Way overhead, hazy lower down
3 stays nearby →Dark Sky Park Chimney Rock National Monument
Very dark · Milky Way across the sky on clear nights
3 stays nearby →Dark Sky Park Mesa Verde National Park
Dark · Milky Way overhead, hazy lower down
3 stays nearby →