Clayton Lake State Park, a Dark Sky Park

How dark?
Exceptional darkness · Milky Way obvious
Entry
$10 day use ($5 NM residents) · open all night
Food & town
Clayton · about 10 mi
Certified
Dark Sky Park · 2010

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 6–12.

Best nightsMoonlightWorth staying up for
Nov 6–12Thin crescent, sets earlyA sky full of stars, and extra shooting stars (Leonids)
Dec 5–11Thin crescent, sets earlyA sky full of stars, and extra shooting stars (Geminids)
Jan 3–9Thin crescent, rises lateA sky full of stars, and a meteor shower peak (Quadrantids)
More dark windows, through Oct 2027
Feb 1–8Mostly none · thin crescent on the edge nightsA sky full of stars
Mar 3–9None · darkest skiesThe Milky Way core
Apr 1–7Thin crescent, rises lateThe Milky Way core
May 1–7Thin crescent, rises lateThe Milky Way core, and a meteor shower peak (Eta Aquariids)
Jun 1–6Thin crescent, sets earlyThe Milky Way core
Jul 1–6Thin crescent, sets earlyThe Milky Way core
Jul 31–Aug 5None · darkest skiesThe Milky Way core, and extra shooting stars (Southern Delta Aquariids and Perseids)
Aug 29–Sep 4Crescent, sets earlyThe Milky Way core
Sep 27–Oct 3Thin crescent, sets earlyThe 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.

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).

Email me before the next dark window at Clayton Lake 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.

We'll email you a link to confirm.

Almost there. Check your email for a link to confirm your address. Once you confirm, we'll email you the dates at Clayton Lake State Park a few days before each dark window, with the Dark Sky Trip Calendar.

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Getting in after dark

The park is open 24/7.

Food, fuel, and supplies

Clayton, NM is about 10 mi away in a straight line, with groceries (Ranch Market), 7 gas stations, and 5 places to eat on the map. Nearest places to eat on the map: Mock's Crossroads Coffee Mill (about 10 mi), Pizza Hut (about 10 mi), and Chester's (about 10 mi).

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) · entry fee from New Mexico State Parks (Sep 2026) · after-dark access from New Mexico State Parks (Sep 2026) · darkness: Bortle 1–2, estimated (Sep 2026) · nearest town from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) (Sep 2026)

Dark sky places near Clayton Lake State Park

For a trip with more than one dark night: the closest within 150 miles, nearest first. Distances are straight-line, not driving.

The Dark Sky Trip Calendar

About one email a month: the new-moon windows, the meteor showers worth a drive, and the parks at their best. Nothing else.

We'll email you a link to confirm.

Almost there. Check your email for a link to confirm your address. Nothing else is sent until you confirm, and if you already have, you're all set.

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