Shield Ranch Barton Creek
Some light pollution · Constellations, not much Milky Way
3 stays nearby →Milton Reimers Ranch Park, a Dark Sky Park
A large Travis County park on the Pedernales River, where the only way to stay after dark is a reserved program at its roll-off-roof observatory.
- How dark?
- Some light pollution · Constellations, not much Milky Way
- Entry
- $5 per person · after dark only with observatory booking
- Food & town
- Lakeway · about 10 mi
- Certified
- Dark Sky Park · 2021
How dark is it, really?
The Milky Way is hard to make out here, though the main constellations and bright planets are easy to find. (For the detail-minded: Bortle class 5–6, an estimate.)
When should I go?
Pick a night when the moon is down. The next stretch of moonless evenings is Nov 6–11.
| Best nights | Moonlight | Worth staying up for |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 6–11 | None · darkest skies | A sky full of stars, and extra shooting stars (Leonids) |
| Dec 5–11 | Mostly none · thin crescent on the edge nights | 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 2–8 | Thin crescent, sets early | The Milky Way core |
| Mar 3–9 | Thin crescent, rises late | The Milky Way core |
| Apr 2–8 | Mostly none · thin crescent on the edge nights | The Milky Way core |
| May 2–7 | Thin crescent, rises late | The Milky Way core, and a meteor shower peak (Eta Aquariids) |
| Jun 1–5 | Thin crescent, rises late | The Milky Way core |
| Jul 1–6 | Thin crescent, sets early | The Milky Way core |
| Jul 31–Aug 5 | Thin crescent, sets early | The Milky Way core, and extra shooting stars (Southern Delta Aquariids and Perseids) |
| Aug 29–Sep 3 | None · darkest skies | 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: Early Feb to late Oct. Out of season until early Feb. In season now, through late 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 Milton Reimers Ranch 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
Reimers Ranch is the largest parkland purchase in Travis County's history: 2,427 acres in the western part of the county, with nearly 3 miles of frontage on the Pedernales River. By day it's a place to swim, climb, hike, and ride mountain bikes. It's open from 7 am until civil twilight, and camping isn't allowed.
Nights here are reserved for Reimers Observatory. To be in the park after dark you need a booking for one of its programs, which number about 100 a year. They go up a few weeks in advance, tend to be fully booked within days, and are kept away from the days around the full moon. Expect about two hours. Staff talk through the astronomy and share some ancient star lore, and then the roof slides back from two large telescopes, 25 and 15 inches across. The building has walls but no roof overhead once it opens, so wear what the night calls for, and bring binoculars if you own some. The 25-inch is reached by a short flight of stairs.
Leave the car in the mountain biking lot and follow the lighted sidewalk about 70 yards to the observatory. Inside, white flashlights and bug spray are off limits. Cloudy nights aren't refunded, but staff stick around in case the clouds part.
Getting in after dark
Being in the park after dark requires a reservation for a Reimers Observatory program; the observatory runs several programs a month. Staying after dark requires a reservation for an observatory program.
Food, fuel, and supplies
Lakeway, TX is about 10 mi away in a straight line, with groceries (H-E-B, Randalls), 10 gas stations, and 20+ places to eat on the map. The nearest gas is closer: Chevron, about 4 mi away. Nearest places to eat on the map: R.O.'s Outpost BBQ (about 4 mi), Angel's Icehouse (about 4 mi), and It's All Good BBQ (about 4 mi). Bring cash: the entrance booth, where observatory program fees are also paid, doesn't take cards.
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 and after-dark access and night permits from Travis County Parks (Sep 2026) · darkness: Bortle 5–6, estimated (Sep 2026) · nearest town from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) (Sep 2026)
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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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