Beaver Island State Wildlife Research Area
Very dark · Milky Way across the sky on clear nights
3 stays nearby →Newport State Park, a Dark Sky Park
- How dark?
- Very dark · Milky Way across the sky on clear nights
- Entry
- Vehicle admission pass required · open until 11 pm
- Food & town
- Sister Bay · about 7 mi
- Certified
- Dark Sky Park · 2017
How dark is it, really?
Dark enough to see the Milky Way stretch across the sky on a clear night, with only a faint glow from distant towns low on the horizon. (For the detail-minded: Bortle class 3, 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 | None · darkest skies | A sky full of stars, and extra shooting stars (Leonids) |
| Dec 5–11 | None · darkest skies | A sky full of stars, and extra shooting stars (Geminids) |
| Jan 3–9 | None · darkest skies | 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 | Thin crescent, sets early | A sky full of stars |
| Mar 2–9 | Thin crescent, rises late | A sky full of stars |
| Mar 31–Apr 7 | Crescent, rises late | The Milky Way core |
| Apr 30–May 7 | Crescent, rises late | The Milky Way core, and a meteor shower peak (Eta Aquariids) |
| May 31–Jun 6 | None · darkest skies | The Milky Way core |
| Jul 1–8 | None · darkest skies | The Milky Way core |
| Jul 30–Aug 7 | Thin crescent, rises late | The Milky Way core, and a meteor shower peak (Southern Delta Aquariids) |
| Aug 29–Sep 5 | None · darkest skies | The Milky Way core |
| Sep 27–Oct 4 | Crescent, sets early | A sky full of stars |
Computed from public astronomical data for this location. Updated monthly. How it's computed
Milky Way season here: Mid Mar to mid Sep. Out of season until mid Mar. In season now, through mid Sep. Out of season until mid Mar.
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 (none · darkest skies)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 Newport 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.
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 Newport State 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 6 am to 11 pm year-round.
Food, fuel, and supplies
Sister Bay, WI is about 7 mi away in a straight line, with groceries (Piggly Wiggly), 3 gas stations, and 8 places to eat on the map. Nearest places to eat on the map: Kick Ash (about 4 mi, in Ellison Bay, WI), Blue Bear (about 4 mi, in Ellison Bay, WI), and shoreline Restaurant (about 4 mi).
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) · entry fee and after-dark access from Wisconsin DNR (Sep 2026) · darkness: Bortle 3, estimated (Sep 2026) · nearest town from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) (Sep 2026)
Dark sky places near Newport 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 Sanctuary State Dark Sky Preserve Wilderness State Park
Dark · Milky Way overhead, hazy lower down
3 stays nearby →Dark Sky Park Headlands
Dark · Milky Way overhead, hazy lower down
3 stays nearby →