Dead Horse Point State Park
Very dark · Milky Way across the sky on clear nights
3 stays nearby →Canyonlands National Park, a Dark Sky Park
Utah's largest national park, split by the Green and Colorado rivers into three districts under some of the darkest skies left in the lower 48.
- How dark?
- Exceptional darkness · Milky Way obvious
- Entry
- $30 per vehicle · open all night
- Food & town
- Moab · about 15 mi
- Certified
- Dark Sky Park · 2015
How dark is it, really?
Dark enough that the Milky Way is obvious the moment you look up, with no town glow worth mentioning on any horizon. (For the detail-minded: Bortle class 1–2, 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 2–9 | Thin crescent, rises late | The Milky Way core |
| Apr 1–7 | Thin crescent, rises late | The Milky Way core |
| May 1–7 | Mostly none · thin crescent on the edge nights | 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 Canyonlands 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
The complete darkness of a moonless night in Canyonlands surprises many visitors. The naked eye is enough to see a wealth of stars here, and under the right conditions ordinary binoculars may show the rings of Saturn. The park is part of the Colorado Plateau Dark Sky Cooperative, which works across the region to keep outdoor lighting in check.
Pick your district before you go. The Green and Colorado rivers divide the park into Island in the Sky, the Needles, and the Maze, and no road inside the park crosses the rivers to join them. Driving from one to another takes two to six hours, so most people see one or two in a trip. Each has its own visitor center or ranger station with its own hours.
Wherever you are, look for a high viewpoint or a wide-open area away from roads and buildings. Check the Canyonlands Clear Sky Chart for cloud cover, and aim for a new moon or a night when the moon is down, since even a thin crescent hides the fainter stars. Give your eyes 20 to 30 minutes, and use a red light. Rangers run night sky programs through the season, and the Southeast Utah Astrofest adds more.
Getting in after dark
The park is normally open year-round, 24 hours a day.
Food, fuel, and supplies
Island in the Sky: Moab, UT, about 15 mi away, with groceries (Village Market, City Market, Moonflower Community Cooperative), 9 gas stations, and 20+ places to eat on the map. Nearest places to eat on the map: Bar M Chuckwagon, Domino's, and Snake Oil Coffee Company.
The Needles: Moab, UT, about 30 mi away, with groceries (Village Market, City Market, Moonflower Community Cooperative), 9 gas stations, and 20+ places to eat on the map. Nearest places to eat on the map: Line Camp Steakhouse, Branding Iron Bar & Grill, and Hiddin.
The Maze: no town nearby; Hanksville, UT, a small community about 30 mi away, has 3 places to eat and gas on the map. Nearest places to eat on the map: Stan's Burger Shak, Outlaw's Roost, and Duke's Slickrock Grill.
Canyonlands is remote with few services, so plan on bringing everything you'll need for your whole trip.
Distances are straight-line and approximate. Places on the map may not be open. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
✓ 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 1–2, estimated (Sep 2026) · nearest town from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) (Sep 2026)
Dark sky places near Canyonlands 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 Community The City of Moab, Utah
Dark · Milky Way overhead, hazy lower down
3 stays nearby →Dark Sky Park Arches National Park
Dark · Milky Way overhead, hazy lower down
3 stays nearby →Dark Sky Community Town of Castle Valley, Utah
Very dark · Milky Way across the sky on clear nights
3 stays nearby →