Certified Dark Sky Parks
Southeastern Utah
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Arches National Park
After the sun sets and the sandstone has cooled you can see countless stars set against a pitch black night sky. See the night sky like you may never have before after dark in Arches National Park.
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Canyonlands National Park
Wave after wave of deep canyons, towering mesas, pinnacles, cliffs and spires stretch across 527 square miles. Outfitters in and around Canyonlands National Park offer one-day to multi-day stargazing expeditions.
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Dead Horse Point State Park
Dead Horse Point State Park was the first Utah State Park to achieve IDA certification. Except in winter, the park offers multiple evening events each month, such as night hikes, telescope programs and constellation tours. Even in poor weather conditions, multimedia astronomy talks can be held inside the visitor center.
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Goblin Valley State Park
Fun and goofy by day, slightly spooky at night, Goblin Valley sits on a remote corner of the Colorado Plateau and inside the San Rafael Swell, which means its location attracts a lot less crowds. But, don’t be fooled, it’s one of the most spectacular — and ghoulish — places in the world to view the Milky Way.
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Hovenweep National Monument
In 2014, the International Dark-Sky Association designated Hovenweep an International Dark Sky Park. Hovenweep trails are open sunrise to sunset daily. Stargazing and exploring the night sky is allowed from the visitor center parking lot and campground. Rangers present stargazing programs in spring and summer.
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Natural Bridges National Monument
Natural Bridges National Monument was the world's first Dark Sky Park due to its remoteness and dedication to zero light pollution. The park’s visitor center, exhibits and campground are open year-round.
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Rainbow Bridge National Monument
Rainbow Bridge National Monument is the first International Dark Sky Sanctuary in the National Park Service. The monument itself can only be accessed by boat on Lake Powell or by backpacking from Navajo Mountain, but the entire Glen Canyon National Recreation Area boasts dark skies.
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"The stars we are given. The constellations we make. That is to say, stars exist in the cosmos, but constellations are the imaginary lines we draw between them, the readings we give the sky, the stories we tell."
– Rebecca Solnit
Southwestern Utah
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Bryce Canyon National Park
Far from the light pollution of civilization, and protected by a special force of park rangers and volunteer Utah astronomy enthusiasts, Bryce Canyon is known as the last grand sanctuary of natural darkness and has one of the nation’s oldest astronomy programs. For families visiting from the city, staying up for the star show is quite a reward. During moonless and clear nights, 7,500 stars will welcome you to their domain. Bryce Canyon also has an annual Astronomy Festival.
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Capitol Reef National Park
Utah’s hidden gem of a national park, Capitol Reef, is almost like a planet unto itself. Here you get a real feel for what the earth might have been like millions of years before life appeared, when nothing existed but earth and sky. Stay up for night skies in a land like no other. Pair your visit with a visit to Torrey, a certified Dark Sky Community.
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Cedar Breaks National Monument
Far from any metro light pollution and high in altitude makes sleeping under the stars at Cedar Breaks National Monument's updated campground first class. Rangers holds stargazing programs throughout the summer months.
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Kodachrome Basin State Park
Pillars shaded red, pink, white, yellow and gray are only the start to the greatness of Kodachrome Basin State Park. Due to its geographical remoteness, superb air quality, high elevation, low humidity and distance from urban areas, the park boasts one of the darkest skies remaining in the continental United States. Exquisite detail in the Milky Way can be observed with the naked eye. Staff and volunteers offer astronomy events multiple times per year.
Northern Utah
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Antelope Island State Park
Antelope Island beckons you to stargaze from the salty remnants of an ancient lake. The closest certified park to Salt Lake City, Antelope Island offers fantastic sunset viewing from Buffalo Point and Frary Peak. Plan a quick escape from the city for a weekend camping trip that combines bison sightings, sunset hikes and incredible dark skies for astrophotography or getting lost in.
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Dinosaur National Monument
Dinosaur National Monument boasts some of the most magnificent Dark Skies in the state as a designated International Dark Sky Park, perfect for stargazing and connecting with the monument's primordial foundation. Look for Dark Sky programs at the Split Mountain Campground.
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East Canyon State Park
Although East Canyon State Park is just 28 miles from Salt Lake City, the mountains provide a blockade for light pollution. At night, visitors are treated to an array of black skies and starry constellations. The park hosts dark sky star parties throughout the year, with scopes set up for night viewing.
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Jordanelle State Park
Jordanelle State Park is situated on the east side of the Wasatch Mountains. Although the park is close to Park City, Midway and Heber City — the surrounding hillsides and mountains provide a blockade for light pollution. The park hosts dark sky events and its Rock Cliff Nature Area boasts the darkest skies in the park.
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North Fork Park
This sprawling county park tucked into a canyon near Ogden is one of the few places you can still see the Milky Way near an urban center — in part because the mountains block light pollution from the Wasatch Front and Cache Valley and because of successful local efforts to limit light pollution in the park.
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Rockport State Park
Rockport State Park sits at a base elevation 6,000 feet above sea level in a rural valley between the Wasatch and Uinta mountain ranges. The surrounding mountains create a protective halo that blocks out light pollution from the nearby communities. Park staff host popular public programs on best dark sky practices and the importance of dark skies for the areas nocturnal species.
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Steinaker State Park
Steinaker State Park is the fourth Utah state park to receive dark sky designation and an ideal place for remote adventure. A reservoir nestled between Ashley National Forest and Dinosaur National Monument, there is no shortage of four-season beauty and exploration. Overnight in Vernal or the heated cabin and campgrounds at Steinaker State Park.
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Timpanogos Cave National Monument
Famous for it’s spectacularly decorated caverns of helictites, stalactites and stalagmites, Timpanogos Cave National Monument has a new designation — the first National Park Service unit to be certified as an Urban Night Sky Place. In partnership with the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest and local astronomy groups, the park offers popular summer night sky programs in American Fork Canyon.
Dark Sky Communities
Helper
Located near Nine Mile Canyon and along the way to more popular Southern Utah adventures, this former mining nad railroad town continues to grow, giving travelers a glimpse into a community of art, history and stories of the power of togetherness. The town rallied its locals to protect and share its natural dark skies, leading to its certification of being an International Dark Sky Community. Helper's nearby Dark Sky Observers lead regular astronomy programs and special events in the area.
Torrey
Located just eight miles from the west entrance of Capitol Reef National Park, Torrey is an idyllic little tree-lined, high-elevation town on the Capitol Reef Country Scenic Byway (S.R. 24) surrounded by rose-colored cliffs and green meadows. The town came together to protect its night skies by improving outdoor lighting ordinances and retrofitting dark-sky compliant outdoor lighting to minimize light pollution and strengthen the town’s already close relationship with nature, place and the universe.
Red Rock & Dark Skies: Stargazing the National Parks
This road trip through southwest Utah takes you to four of Utah’s best places to see the Milky Way — Capitol Reef National Park, Kodachrome Basin State Park, Bryce Canyon National Park and Cedar Breaks National Monument.
Highlights
- Hell's Backbone Grill
- Bryce Canyon Lodge
- Ranger-led Star Programs
Read the Stories
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Capturing the Milky Way: Kodachrome Basin by Night
Need tips on how to take pictures of stars? Utah's Kodachrome Basin State Park is the perfect location to put the tips from an award-winning photographer into action.
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Dark Skies in Capitol Reef National Park
Capitol Reef National Park in Utah is a designated International Dark Sky Park. Make plans to come see the most magnificent night sky ever!
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How to Stargaze in Utah
Tips on what to pack and when and where to go stargazing in Utah.
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Looking Up: Dark Skies of Heber Valley
A trio of state parks in Heber Valley that are seeking International Dark Sky certification offer stellar views of the Utah night sky. Come stargaze here.
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Ogden's Star is Rising: Downtown to Dark Skies
With so many fun things to do in Ogden, include some places to go, activities, events and food to enjoy to your itinerary. What’s happening? Check this out!
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Reclaiming the Stars
The Dark Sky international accreditation designation process is ongoing for 12 of 43 Utah state parks to be the “most dark place” in the US. Come see!
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State Park Stargazing: Interacting With the Galaxy in Real Time
Northern Utah's Camp Floyd State Park offers more than history to those who stick around after dark. With intense dark skies blanketing the atmosphere, stargazers of all ages gather to interact with the galaxy above.
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The World's First Dark Sky Park
On March 6, 2007, Natural Bridges National Monument became the first International Dark Sky Park certified by the International Dark-Sky Association. More than 100,000 people visit Natural Bridges each year to check out the stunning bridges and hike in cool canyons, but only a handful of them stay through the night to see the area’s most amazing and unique feature: dark skies and glistening, bright stars.
