Arches National Park, a Dark Sky Park

Sandstone arches under a sky that grows darker the farther north you drive from Moab.

How dark?
Dark · Milky Way overhead, hazy lower down
Entry
$30 per vehicle · open all night
Food & town
Moab · about 5 mi
Certified
Dark Sky Park · 2019

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 nightsMoonlightWorth staying up for
Nov 5–12Mostly none · thin crescent on the edge nightsA 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 2–9Thin crescent, rises lateThe Milky Way core
Apr 1–7Thin crescent, rises lateThe Milky Way core
May 1–7Mostly none · thin crescent on the edge nightsThe Milky Way core, and a meteor shower peak (Eta Aquariids)
Jun 1–6Thin crescent, sets earlyThe Milky Way core
Jul 1–6None · darkest skiesThe Milky Way core
Jul 30–Aug 6Mostly none · crescent on the edge nightsThe Milky Way core, and a meteor shower peak (Southern Delta Aquariids)
Aug 29–Sep 4Crescent, sets earlyThe Milky Way core
Sep 27–Oct 3None · darkest skiesThe 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 Arches 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 Arches National Park a few days before each dark window, with the Dark Sky Trip Calendar.

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What it's like

The darkness of a moonless night at Arches surprises many visitors. The park became an International Dark Sky Park in 2019, and its distance from city light means your eyes alone are enough for a sky full of stars. Under the right conditions, even ordinary binoculars may show the rings of Saturn.

You can see good stars almost anywhere in the park on a clear night. The best spots are off the main road with little blocking the sky, and the sky gets darker the farther north you drive, away from the lights of Moab. The park suggests the Balanced Rock picnic area, the Windows Section, Garden of Eden Viewpoint, and Panorama Point.

Aim for a new moon, or a night when the moon is below the horizon; even a thin crescent makes the fainter stars and the Milky Way harder to see. Give your eyes 20 to 30 minutes away from bright lights, and use a red light rather than a phone screen or headlamp. Visitor centers carry star charts and stargazing tips, and the park keeps a calendar of ranger stargazing events around southeast Utah.

Getting in after dark

The park is normally open year-round, 24 hours a day.

Food, fuel, and supplies

Moab, UT is about 5 mi away in a straight line, with groceries (Moonflower Community Cooperative, City Market, Village Market), 9 gas stations, and 20+ places to eat on the map. Nearest places to eat on the map: Proper Brewing (about 3 mi), Sunset Grill (about 4 mi), and Coyote's Outpost (about 4 mi).

Distances are straight-line and approximate. Places on the map may not be open. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Night sky tours near Arches National Park

These are affiliate links: we earn a commission if you book a tour through them.

✓ 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 4, estimated (Sep 2026) · nearest town from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) (Sep 2026)

Dark sky places near Arches National 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.

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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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