Bluff, Utah
Very dark · Milky Way across the sky on clear nights
3 stays nearby →Goosenecks State Park, a Dark Sky Park
- How dark?
- Exceptional darkness · Milky Way obvious
- Entry
- $5 per car · open all night
- Food & town
- Oljato-Monument Valley · about 20 mi
- Certified
- Dark Sky Park · 2021
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 6–12.
| Best nights | Moonlight | Worth staying up for |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 6–12 | Thin crescent, sets early | 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 31–Aug 6 | Crescent, sets early | The Milky Way core, and extra shooting stars (Southern Delta Aquariids and Perseids) |
| 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 Goosenecks 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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Getting in after dark
The park is open 24 hours, year-round.
Food, fuel, and supplies
Oljato-Monument Valley, UT is about 20 mi away in a straight line, with groceries (Goulding's Grocery), 1 gas station, and 1 place to eat on the map. The nearest gas is closer: Exxon, about 4 mi away in Mexican Hat, UT. Nearest places to eat on the map: San Juan Inn restaurant (about 4 mi, in Mexican Hat, UT), Swinging Steak (about 4 mi, in Mexican Hat, UT), and Valle's (about 4 mi, in Mexican Hat, UT).
Distances are straight-line and approximate. Places on the map may not be open. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Night sky tours near Goosenecks State Park
Monument Valley Small-Group Guided Stargazing Tour
Monument Valley Tribal Tours · starts in Monument Valley, about 40 min · checked Sep 2026
These are affiliate links: we earn a commission if you book a tour through them.
✓ Certification verified Jul 2026 against DarkSky International registry (Internet Archive capture) · entry fee and 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 Goosenecks 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 Community Dark Sky Park Natural Bridges National Monument
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