Astro-tourism is one of 2024’s biggest travel trends, but with so many of the best stargazing places in the U.S. in the nation’s west, a road trip is the easiest way to visit them.
Check With The Moon
Timing is everything. One of the most important factors to remember when planning your stargazing trip is the moon’s phase. Do not arrive at a dark place in the week before the full moon, and expect to see any stars. The night skies are by far the darkest in the week before a new moon and for about four evenings after, giving you a two-week window for a fabulously dark vacation. You can check the moon phase here.
Most Popular Parks For Stargazing
Camping World recently analyzed online search activity around over 50 stargazing locations in the U.S. to identify the top 15 most popular. It’s a good list, but it could be a better list. In fact, for almost all of them, there’s a darker alternative nearby that will help you see more stars—mainly because there will be fewer people—and where it will likely be more accessible to book a campground. You could easily argue that famous places are the ones to stay away from, for wherever there are people, there is light.
So here’s the top five—and an alternative suggestion.
1. Glacier National Park, Montana
Google searches per month: 368,000
Official website/Dark Sky Park
Suggested alternative: Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge (Dark Sky Park)
2. Acadia National Park, Maine
Google searches per month: 246,000
Official website
Suggested alternative: Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument (Dark Sky Sanctuary)
3. Big Bend National Park, Texas
Google searches per month: 201,000
Official website / Dark Sky Park
Suggested alternative: Big Bend Ranch State Park (Dark Sky Sanctuary)
4. Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
Google searches per month: 201,000
Official website
Suggested alternative: Curecanti National Recreation Area (Dark Sky Park)
5. Arches National Park, Utah
Google searches per month: 165,500
Official website/Dark Sky Park
Suggested alternative: Dead Horse Point State Park (Dark Sky Park)
Book Early
The best way to go stargazing in any U.S. national park is to go camping or RVing—but book as soon as you can because campgrounds get booked up months in advance. Some of them have hotels and lodges, but by their very nature, they’re light-polluting and almost always away from the darkest skies.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
