
NPS/Chris Wonderly
Thing to Do
Explore the night sky with a ranger in southeast Utah! Arches and Canyonlands national parks and Hovenweep and Natural Bridges national monuments occasionally offer ranger-led stargazing programs spring through fall. Check out program details below. Bring a chair or a blanket to sit on, a red flashlight (if you have one), and warm clothes.
Can't make it for a ranger-led stargazing program? Don't worry! All the parks offer incredible night skies and excellent places to stargaze on your own.
During the spring and fall, Arches rangers sometimes team up with rangers from Canyonlands National Park's Island in the Sky district and Dead Horse Point State Park to introduce visitors to the wonders of the night sky. Programs rotate among the three parks and may occur around the new moon. A ranger program is typically followed by stargazing and telescope viewing. Programs at Arches begin at either the visitor center or Panorama Point. Check at the visitor center for details. Programs will take place in good weather or bad.
During the spring and fall, Island in the Sky district rangers sometimes team up with rangers from Arches National Park and Dead Horse Point State Park to introduce visitors to the wonders of the night sky. Locations will rotate among the three parks and the start time will vary with the time of sunset. Programs at Island in the Sky begin at Grand View Point. Check at the visitor center for details. A ranger program is typically followed by stargazing and telescope viewing. Programs will take place in good weather or bad.
Stargazing events at The Needles district occur occasionally in spring and fall. They include a night sky program, followed by a constellation tour or telescope viewing. Programs begin at The Needles Visitor Center. Start times will vary based on the time of sunset. Programs will take place in good weather or bad.
Stargazing events at The Maze district occur occasionally in spring and fall. Programs will take place in good weather or bad.
Rangers offer occasional stargazing programs at Hovenweep National Monument. Programs begin at the visitor center.
Rangers offer occasional stargazing programs at Natural Bridges National Monument. Programs begin at the visitor center.
Stargazing programs are usually held in parking lots and paved areas that are accessible to wheelchairs.
Programs take place in low-light conditions.
Service animals are welcome. What is a service animal?
NPS/Chris Wonderly
Last updated: July 14, 2022