Cedar Breaks National Monument
Dark · Milky Way overhead, hazy lower down
3 stays nearby →Bryce Canyon National Park, a Dark Sky Park
A high, remote plateau with thin, clean air, where the Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxy show to the naked eye on a clear new-moon night.
- How dark?
- Very dark · Milky Way across the sky on clear nights
- Entry
- $35 per vehicle · open all night
- Food & town
- Tropic · about 6 mi
- Certified
- Dark Sky Park · 2019
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 | Mostly none · thin crescent on the edge nights | A sky full of stars, and extra shooting stars (Leonids) |
| Dec 5–11 | Thin crescent, sets early | 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 1–8 | Mostly none · thin crescent on the edge nights | A sky full of stars |
| Mar 3–9 | None · darkest skies | The Milky Way core |
| Apr 1–7 | Thin crescent, rises late | The Milky Way core |
| May 1–7 | Thin crescent, rises late | The Milky Way core, and a meteor shower peak (Eta Aquariids) |
| Jun 1–6 | Thin crescent, sets early | The Milky Way core |
| Jul 1–6 | None · darkest skies | The Milky Way core |
| Jul 30–Aug 6 | Mostly none · crescent on the edge nights | The Milky Way core, and a meteor shower peak (Southern Delta Aquariids) |
| Aug 29–Sep 4 | Crescent, sets early | 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: Mid Feb to mid Oct. Out of season until mid Feb. In season now, through mid 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 Bryce Canyon 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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What it's like
Bryce Canyon's high elevation, clean and dry air, and distance from cities give it some of the darkest skies in the country; it became an International Dark Sky Park in 2019. On a clear night near the new moon you can see thousands of stars and the band of the Milky Way running across the sky.
Start watching before the stars come out. After the last sunlight leaves the highest clouds, a purple band appears just above the eastern horizon: the edge of Earth's own shadow. It fades quickly. The first point of light may be a planet, followed by Vega, Arcturus, and other bright stars, and about two hours after sunset the Milky Way is fully out.
Then look north. Draw a line from Mizar, the middle star in the Big Dipper's handle, through the North Star and past the zigzag of Cassiopeia, and you'll reach a small fuzzy cloud: the Andromeda Galaxy, 2.2 million light-years away and the most distant object you can see with the naked eye.
Through the summer season, rangers run night sky telescope programs and full moon hikes, and the park hosts an Astronomy Festival. Check the park calendar or ask at the visitor center.
Getting in after dark
The park is open 24 hours a day throughout the year. Roads can close temporarily during and after winter storms until plowed.
Food, fuel, and supplies
Tropic, UT is about 6 mi away in a straight line, with groceries (Clarke's), 1 gas station, and 5 places to eat on the map. The nearest gas is closer: Sinclair, about 5 mi away in Bryce Canyon City, UT. Nearest places to eat on the map: Valhalla Pizzeria (about 2 mi), The Lodge at Bryce Canyon (about 2 mi), and Ebenezer's Barn and Grill (about 5 mi, in Bryce Canyon City, UT). The park keeps its lights to a minimum, so expect to need a flashlight, red if you have one, even around the visitor center, campgrounds, and lodge after dark.
Distances are straight-line and approximate. Places on the map may not be open. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Night sky tours near Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon Stargazing Adventure
Bryce Canyon Stargazing · starts in Bryce Canyon City, about 5 min · checked Sep 2026
These are affiliate links: we earn a commission if you book a tour through them.
✓ Certification verified Jun 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 Bryce Canyon National Park
For a trip with more than one dark night: the closest within 150 miles, nearest first. Distances are straight-line, not driving.
Dark Sky Park Dark Sky Park Zion National Park
Dark · Milky Way overhead, hazy lower down
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Dark · Milky Way overhead, hazy lower down
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