Clear Air and Magnificent Skies (Utah) -
A short video featuring the dark night skies and scenic views of southern Utah.
See the Milky Way!
Can you see the Milky Way from your home? Most Americans can't. But in the parks of southern Utah, people can get spectacular views of the night sky. Arches, Canyonlands, and Capitol Reef national parks and Hovenweep and Natural Bridges national monuments are located far from the bright lights of large urban areas, which gives visitors excellent opportunities to see stars, constellations, galaxies, and other night sky phenomena they might never see at home.
Because of these pristine night skies three parks in southern Utah have been designated International Dark Sky Parks by the International Dark Sky Association. These parks are dedicated to preserving dark night skies and helping people appreciate what they can see with natural darkness.
The park is open 24 hours a day. Many viewpoints provide unobstructed views of the night sky. The farther north into the park you drive, the better your night sky viewing will be, because you will be farther from the lights of Moab.
Canyonlands National Park is open 24 hours a day. Many overlooks offer clear, unobstructed views of the night sky.
Canyonlands rangers sometimes partner with staff at Dead Horse Point State Park to offer star parties and other night sky programs. Check the Stargazing page or the Calendar for special programs and events.
Hovenweep trails are open sunrise to sunset daily. Stargazing is easiest from the visitor center parking lot and campground, although no ruins or ancient structures are visible from there. To photograph any of the structures at night, you must obtain a permit. (Fee applies.)
