Want to see the world at night? Astrotourism is the perfect way to explore the stars. It takes you to places with low light pollution where the night sky shines bright.
According to outdoor brand Kühl, most Americans rarely see the Milky Way. About 80% can’t see it from home because of city lights, and over 99% of U.S. residents live under skies affected by artificial light.
Kühl studied five things: stargazing events, light pollution, dark-sky certification, park elevation, and number of campgrounds. The winner? Great Basin National Park in Nevada.
This park is a certified Dark-Sky Park and has the darkest skies in the country (Bortle 1). It hosts 53 stargazing events a year. Visitors can head to Wheeler Peak and feel like they are “floating between worlds.”
Second place goes to Death Valley National Park in California. It also has dark skies (Bortle 1) but fewer organized events—just 12 campgrounds for visitors to enjoy the stars on their own.
Zion National Park in Utah ranks third. It has clear night skies (Bortle 2) and hosts 59 night sky events from July to December, the most of any park. With its dark-sky status and tall sandstone peaks, it’s a perfect spot for stargazers.
If you love stars, these parks are a must-visit to see the cosmos in all its glory.
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