Sky Meadows State Park
Some light pollution · Constellations, not much Milky Way
3 stays nearby →Rappahannock County Park, a Dark Sky Park
- How dark?
- Some light pollution · Constellations, not much Milky Way
- Entry
- Dawn to dusk; registered evenings
- Food & town
- Front Royal · about 15 mi
- Certified
- Dark Sky Park · 2019
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 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 1–8 | Mostly none · thin crescent on the edge nights | 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 | 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: 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 Rappahannock County 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.
We'll email you a link to confirm.
Almost there. Check your email for a link to confirm your address. Once you confirm, we'll email you the dates at Rappahannock County Park a few days before each dark window, with the Dark Sky Trip Calendar.
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Getting in after dark
The park is open every day, dawn to dusk. Open Observation Evenings need registration 24 hours in advance. Open Observation Evenings require registration 24 hours in advance; program events do not.
Food, fuel, and supplies
Front Royal, VA is about 15 mi away in a straight line, with groceries (Better Thymes Natural Foods, Martin's, Walmart Supercenter and 1 more), 19 gas stations, and 20+ places to eat on the map. The nearest gas is closer: Baldwins, under 1 mi away. Nearest places to eat on the map: Ours Noir (under 1 mi, in Washington, VA), The Inn at Little Washington (under 1 mi, in Washington, VA), and Patty O's Cafe (under 1 mi, in Washington, VA).
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 and night permits from Rappahannock County Park (Sep 2026) · darkness: Bortle 5–6, estimated (Sep 2026) · nearest town from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) (Sep 2026)
Dark sky places near Rappahannock County 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 Urban Night Sky Place Observatory Park at Turner Farm
Bright sky · Only the brightest stars
3 stays nearby →Dark Sky Park James River State Park
Dark · Milky Way overhead, hazy lower down
3 stays nearby →Dark Sky Park Natural Bridge State Park
Dark · Milky Way overhead, hazy lower down
3 stays nearby →