Stargazing Destinations

Find the most jaw-dropping night skies

Winter is one of the best times to do some quality stargazing. It may be colder outside, but the longer nights mean the odds of spotting far away stars and planets are in your favor. To up your chances even more, head to a place with little to no light pollution. The International Dark-Sky Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting night skies, has a designated list of "dark sky places" ideal for serious nighthawks. From national parks in California to cypress forests in Florida, here are some of the country's best locations to see some glittering night skies.

1. Joshua Tree National Park, California
Aside from being one of the most beautiful national parks in the country, Joshua Tree National Park also happens to be a designated International Dark Sky Park. Plan to camp out for the night, preferably toward the eastern edge of the park where the light pollution is at its absolute lowest, and be prepared to marvel at the Milky Way above your head.

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2. Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve, Idaho
If you thought there wasn’t much to do in central Idaho, think again. In 2017, a 1,416-square-mile stretch of land near the Sawtooth National Recreation Area was designated a gold-tier dark sky reserve—the first in the United States. The night skies here are said to be so pristine that you can see planets, meteors, comets, and even interstellar dust clouds in the Milky Way.

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3. Headlands International Dark Sky Park, Michigan
One of the northernmost dark sky parks in the U.S., Headlands County Park offers nighttime viewing opportunities you won’t find in many other places. Reaching the park requires a somewhat long walk from the parking lot, but that’s how you know you’re going somewhere really removed from the lights of civilization. Once you arrive, you can snuggle up with a blanket at the Observatory and listen as a staff member points out constellations and planets. However, the real draw here is the ability to see the Northern Lights in the winter.

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4. Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida
The Big Cypress National Preserve is one of the southernmost dark sky parks in the United States. Located 45 miles west of Miami, the Everglades-adjacent preserve contains the unique flora and fauna associated with the state, like mangroves, cypress trees, and even the elusive Florida panther. Those surroundings are part of what make a stargazing trip here so exciting, not to mention the opportunity to see the Milky Way and thousands of stars with the naked eye.

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5. Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado
While the Rocky Mountains tend to steal most of the spotlight in Colorado, the Great Sand Dunes National Park equally deserves a spot on your bucket list. Consisting of the tallest sand dunes in North America, the park is an excellent place to hike and explore during the day. Come nighttime, the area transforms into an otherworldly panorama of countless dazzling stars, thanks to the park’s high elevation and dry air. Seeing that star-scape set against the massive sand dunes—and maybe hearing the howl of coyotes at the same time—make this an experience you won’t want to miss.

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