Rockport State Park
Some light pollution · Constellations, not much Milky Way
3 stays nearby →Jordanelle State Park, a Dark Sky Park
A reservoir park on the east side of the Wasatch Range, where surrounding hills screen the light of Park City and Heber City.
- How dark?
- Some light pollution · Constellations, not much Milky Way
- Entry
- Day use until 10 pm
- Food & town
- Park City · about 5 mi
- Certified
- Dark Sky Park · 2021
How dark is it, really?
The Milky Way is hard to make out here, though the main constellations and bright planets are easy to find. (For the detail-minded: Bortle class 5–6, 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 | Thin crescent, rises late | The Milky Way core, and a meteor shower peak (Eta Aquariids) |
| May 31–Jun 6 | Mostly none · thin crescent on the edge nights | The Milky Way core |
| Jul 1–7 | Thin crescent, sets early | 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 | None · darkest skies | The Milky Way core |
| Sep 27–Oct 3 | None · darkest skies | The Milky Way core |
Computed from public astronomical data for this location. Updated monthly. How it's computed
Milky Way season here: Late Feb to early Oct. Out of season until late Feb. In season now, through early Oct. Out of season until late 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)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 Jordanelle 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
Jordanelle is a reservoir park on the east side of the Wasatch Range, close to Park City, Midway, and Heber City. That sounds like a bright neighborhood, but the hills and mountains around the park blunt the glow from those towns, and in January 2021 it became an International Dark Sky Park. Its Nature Area has the darkest skies in the park, and the park has hosted dark sky events for more than a decade.
The park has three main areas. Hailstone is the developed one, with the marina, RV and tent campgrounds, and hot showers. Rock Cliff, on the eastern shore among the cottonwoods of the Upper Provo River, is the natural one, with boardwalks over the wetlands, a nature center, and a campground that reopened in June 2025. At night there you might hear rushing water, raccoons, or a great horned owl. Ross Creek, at the north end, is a trailhead for walkers, riders, and paddlers.
Day-use hours end at 10 pm, so plan to camp if you want the late sky. For a quieter night, Phostan Bay is a hike-in tent campground half a mile to a mile from the car, mostly first come, first served. Quiet hours run 10 pm to 7 am.
Getting in after dark
Park hours are 6 am to 10 pm; quiet hours for campers run 10 pm to 7 am.
Food, fuel, and supplies
Hailstone Recreation Area: Park City, UT, about 5 mi away, with groceries (The Fresh Market, Park City Market), 1 gas station, and 20+ places to eat on the map. Nearest places to eat on the map: Snowshoe Tommy's, Grappa Italian Cafe, and Big Dipper.
Rock Cliff Recreation Area: Francis, UT, about 4 mi away, with groceries (Joe's Country Store) and no gas station on the map. Nearest places to eat on the map: Subway, Route 32 Bistro, and El Tigre Mexican Grill.
Ross Creek Recreation Area: Park City, UT, about 5 mi away, with groceries (The Fresh Market, Park City Market), 1 gas station, and 20+ places to eat on the map. Nearest places to eat on the map: Grappa Italian Cafe, Big Dipper, and Firewood.
Distances are straight-line and approximate. Places on the map may not be open. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
✓ Certification verified Jun 2026 against DarkSky International registry (Internet Archive capture) · after-dark access from Utah State Parks (Sep 2026) · darkness: Bortle 5–6, estimated (Sep 2026) · nearest town from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) (Sep 2026)
Dark sky places near Jordanelle State Park
For a trip with more than one dark night: the closest within 150 miles, nearest first. Distances are straight-line, not driving.
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