Capitol Reef National Park
Exceptional darkness · Milky Way obvious
3 stays nearby →Goblin Valley State Park, a Dark Sky Park
A valley of sandstone hoodoos at the edge of the San Rafael Swell, where the National Park Service measured one of the darkest night skies on earth.
- How dark?
- Exceptional darkness · Milky Way obvious
- Entry
- $20 per vehicle · day use until 10 pm
- Food & town
- Green River · about 40 mi
- Certified
- Dark Sky Park · 2016
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 Goblin Valley State 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
Goblin Valley is a field of thousands of hoodoos, the sandstone "goblins" that give the park its name, in a remote corner of the Colorado Plateau far from any city. When the National Park Service's Night Sky Team visited in June 2015, it found one of the darkest night skies on earth, comparable to the Gold Tier parks nearby, such as Capitol Reef and Canyonlands. The park's own lighting meets DarkSky International standards.
Day-use hours are 6 am to 10 pm, so to stay out late you'll want a site in the park's campground or one of its yurts. The park recommends its sky for the Milky Way, constellations, astrophotography, and telescope viewing. Rangers lead moonlit hikes and telescope tours through the year.
Use as little light as you can, including in the campground, and switch to red if you have it. Don't use spotlights or shine lights on the rock walls. The park links a Dark Sky Forecast from its page to help you pick a clear night. The park can be very busy on weekends and during spring break.
Getting in after dark
Park hours are 6 am to 10 pm every day.
Food, fuel, and supplies
Green River, UT is about 40 mi away in a straight line, with groceries (Melon Vine Food Store and 1 more), 9 gas stations, and 11 places to eat on the map. The nearest gas is closer: Sinclair, about 15 mi away in Hanksville, UT. Nearest places to eat on the map: Duke's Slickrock Grill (about 15 mi, in Hanksville, UT), Outlaw's Roost (about 15 mi, in Hanksville, UT), and Stan's Burger Shak (about 15 mi, in Hanksville, UT).
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 Utah State Parks (Sep 2026) · after-dark access from Utah State Parks (Sep 2026) · darkness: Bortle 1–2, estimated (Sep 2026) · nearest town from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) (Sep 2026)
Dark sky places near Goblin Valley State 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 Torrey, Utah
Very dark · Milky Way across the sky on clear nights
3 stays nearby →Dark Sky Park Canyonlands National Park
Exceptional darkness · Milky Way obvious
3 stays nearby →Dark Sky Park Dead Horse Point State Park
Very dark · Milky Way across the sky on clear nights
3 stays nearby →