Merritt Reservoir State Recreation Area
Exceptional darkness · Milky Way obvious
3 stays nearby →Badlands National Park, a Dark Sky Park
Dramatic rock formations and mixed-grass prairie in western South Dakota under a dry, dark sky, certified as a Dark Sky Park in 2025.
- How dark?
- Very dark · Milky Way across the sky on clear nights
- Entry
- $30 per vehicle, 7 days · open all night
- Food & town
- Wall · about 20 mi
- Certified
- Dark Sky Park · 2025
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, 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 | Mostly none · thin crescent on the edge nights | 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 Badlands National 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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Almost there. Check your email for a link to confirm your address. Once you confirm, we'll email you the dates at Badlands National Park a few days before each dark window, with the Dark Sky Trip Calendar.
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What it's like
Badlands sits in a rural stretch of western South Dakota, and its remote country, dry air, and lack of nearby light open up broad views of the Milky Way over the formations and prairie. It became an International Dark Sky Park in 2025, after the park retrofitted its outdoor lighting to cut light pollution and began monitoring the quality of its night sky.
The park is open all night. In the North Unit, the two main roads are the Badlands Loop Road and Sage Creek Rim Road. The South Unit has no road running through it, though you can drive up Sheep Mountain Table or take a scenic drive around its edge. Roads may close in winter or in extreme weather, and park alerts post closures on the park website.
Rangers lead night sky programs through the year, and the park holds an Astronomy Festival every July that draws astronomers, photographers, and educators. Lakota star knowledge is part of how the park and its partners talk about this sky. Pack for the forecast, whatever the season: that might mean sunscreen and a hat, or a warm winter jacket and snow pants.
Getting in after dark
The park is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Roads may close in winter or extreme weather.
Food, fuel, and supplies
Northeast Entrance: Wall, SD, about 20 mi away, with groceries (Wall Food Center), 3 gas stations, and 5 places to eat on the map. Nearest places to eat on the map: Cook Shack, Two Bit Saloon & Steakhouse, and Sunset Grill.
Pinnacles Entrance: Wall, SD, about 7 mi away, with groceries (Wall Food Center), 3 gas stations, and 5 places to eat on the map. Nearest places to eat on the map: Subway, DQ Grill & Chill, and Wakin' Bacon.
Cell service isn't always available and GPS directions aren't always reliable here, so learn the park map before you go, and check the forecast, since the weather is unpredictable and runs from 116°F to -40°F.
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 National Park Service (Sep 2026) · after-dark access from National Park Service (Sep 2026) · darkness: Bortle 3, estimated (Sep 2026) · nearest town from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) (Sep 2026)
Dark sky places near Badlands National Park
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