Certified dark sky parks in the United States
22 places in 21 states, from a county forest preserve in Illinois to more than 13,000 square kilometers of Death Valley.
The list is grouped by region and sorted by the year of designation, oldest first. It covers 21 Dark Sky Parks and one Dark Sky Sanctuary. Years, sizes and descriptions come from each site’s page at DarkSky International, the body that awards the certification. Sizes are converted from square kilometers.
West
- 2007Natural Bridges National MonumentUtah, 12 sq miPark
The world’s first International Dark Sky Park, on the Colorado Plateau, and among the darkest Park Service units in the lower 48 states. Rangers run astronomy programs in summer.
- 2013Death Valley National ParkCalifornia, 5,347 sq miPark
Holds the Gold Tier, the highest rating in the program, across more than 13,000 square kilometers of desert.
- 2015Black Canyon of the Gunnison National ParkColorado, 48 sq miPark
Night-sky events with a local amateur astronomy society have run here since 1998 and draw thousands of visitors a year.
DarkSky’s page for Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
- 2016Grand Canyon National ParkArizona, 1,904 sq miPark
Received full status in June 2019 after retrofitting more than 5,000 light fixtures. The Park Service’s line here: half the park is after dark.
- 2016Great Basin National ParkNevada, 121 sq miPark
Remote basin-and-range country that blocks the light of distant cities, below 13,063-foot Wheeler Peak and groves of ancient bristlecone pines.
- 2017Joshua Tree National ParkCalifornia, 1,242 sq miPark
The eastern wilderness has some of the darkest skies left in the region. The park has no utility-supplied outdoor lighting and runs on solar power.
- 2017Craters of the Moon National MonumentIdahoPark
Lava fields bordering one of the largest remaining areas of natural night darkness in the lower 48 states.
Midwest
- 2011HeadlandsMichigan, 0.8 sq miPark
An Emmet County park with star parties, astrophotography nights, and an observatory and event center that opened in 2017.
- 2011Geauga Observatory ParkOhio, 1.7 sq miPark
An observatory, two telescopes and permanent astronomy exhibits in Montville Township.
- 2017Newport State ParkWisconsin, 3.7 sq miPark
About 25 years of astronomy outreach, and site lighting that meets the program’s guidelines. Europe Bay is one of the viewing spots.
- 2018Middle Fork River Forest PreserveIllinois, 2.7 sq miPark
A county forest preserve where “Starwatch” programs are run with the Champaign-Urbana Astronomical Society.
- 2020Voyageurs National ParkMinnesota, 341 sq miPark
Night sky programs on the Canadian border, with chances to see the aurora borealis and meteor showers.
South
- 2012Big Bend National ParkTexas, 1,252 sq miPark
Skies among the darkest in North America, over the largest protected area of Chihuahuan Desert in the United States.
- 2015Staunton River State ParkVirginia, 3.7 sq miPark
Home of the Staunton River Star Party, first held in 2011, with campgrounds and 1930s cabins.
- 2016Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State ParkFlorida, 91 sq miPark
Florida’s first Dark Sky Place: about 58,000 acres of dry prairie with more than 110 miles of trails and firebreaks.
- 2016Okefenokee State ParkGeorgia, 0.1 sq miPark
Formerly Stephen C. Foster State Park. An 80-acre park with very little lighting, inside the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.
- 2017Obed Wild and Scenic RiverTennessee, 7.8 sq miPark
No permanent outdoor lighting at all, and a commitment not to install any. The winter Milky Way stands over Nemo Bridge.
- 2019Buffalo National RiverArkansas, 153 sq miPark
A free-flowing river corridor in the Ozarks managed by the National Park Service.
- 2021Mammoth Cave National ParkKentucky, 80 sq miPark
Certified at the Bronze Tier. Night sky programs have been offered since 2017.
- 2021Watoga State ParkWest Virginia, 31 sq miPark
Cabin guests and campers may use the designated night sky viewpoints at any hour. The park also has synchronous fireflies.
Northeast
- 2008Cherry Springs State ParkPennsylvania, 1.7 sq miPark
An astronomy field with a 360-degree view at about 2,300 feet, open all year. Roughly 60 to 85 nights a year offer ideal conditions.
- 2020Katahdin Woods and Waters National MonumentMaine, 137 sq miSanctuary
A Sanctuary, the category for the most remote sites, east of Baxter State Park and Mount Katahdin.
DarkSky’s page for Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument
What this list leaves out
DarkSky International has certified well over 200 places worldwide, and many more in the United States than appear here — including towns certified as Dark Sky Communities and urban sites. We add a place once we have read its certification page, so the list grows over time. The complete register is on the organization’s website.
Source: DarkSky International — International Dark Sky Places. As of October 2026.
Before you visit
Certification says the sky is dark and the lighting is managed; it does not say the gates are open. State parks in particular may close at dusk to day visitors or require a camping stay for night access. Watoga State Park, for example, opens its night sky viewpoints at any hour to cabin guests and campers. Check the park’s own website for night access before a long drive, then use the planner to choose a moonless night.