Sisters, Oregon
Dark · Milky Way overhead, hazy lower down
3 stays nearby →Prineville Reservoir State Park, a Dark Sky Park
A high desert reservoir park in central Oregon, on a 15-mile lake in the Crooked River canyon, where evening visitors can stay after hours with a stargazing permit on the dash.
- How dark?
- Dark · Milky Way overhead, hazy lower down
- Entry
- $10 day parking ($12 non-residents) · after hours with a stargazing permit
- Food & town
- Prineville · about 15 mi
- Certified
- Dark Sky Park · 2021
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 5–12.
| 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 Prineville Reservoir 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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What it's like
Prineville Reservoir is a high desert park where the Crooked River, held back by Bowman Dam, forms a 15-mile lake in its canyon. DarkSky describes it as sitting at the edge of a vast stretch of natural darkness that reaches across much of southeast Oregon.
If you're only coming for the evening, you need the park's Stargazing Permit: print the form from the park's website, complete it, and leave it on the dash. It covers one vehicle and lets you park and watch after closing, but only within the designated day-use area. You can't camp there overnight, and stargazing may be suspended during special events. Evening visitors may also need the park's day-use parking permit, so check its parking-permit rules too. After hours the day-use restrooms may be locked; the campground's stay open all night.
Sleeping over is the easier way to stay up late. The main campground never closes for the season and takes reservations as far as six months out, with full-hookup, electric, and tent sites, five deluxe log cabins, flush toilets, and hot showers. Overnight guests can look for night sky programs on the calendar posted in the park. A lakeside trail leads 3 miles east to Jasper Point, a quieter loop of 28 first-come electric sites that is closed from October through April.
Summer often brings campfire restrictions. In winter the lake can freeze over, and that's when anglers tend to land the largest fish.
Getting in after dark
Evening-only visitors can view the stars after hours in the designated day-use area by printing, completing and displaying the park's Stargazing Permit on the dash. Evening-only stargazers must print, complete and place the Stargazing Permit on the vehicle dash.
Food, fuel, and supplies
Prineville, OR is about 15 mi away in a straight line, with groceries (Grocery Outlet, Ray's Food Place, Thriftway and 3 more), 7 gas stations, and 20+ places to eat on the map. Nearest places to eat on the map: Toni's BBQ (about 15 mi), Taco Bell (about 15 mi), and Domino's (about 15 mi).
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) · entry fee from Oregon State Parks (Sep 2026) · after-dark access and night permits from Oregon State Parks (Sep 2026) · darkness: Bortle 4, estimated (Sep 2026) · nearest town from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) (Sep 2026)
Dark sky places near Prineville Reservoir State Park
For a trip with more than one dark night: the closest within 150 miles, nearest first. Distances are straight-line, not driving.
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