Traveling in the daytime is amazing, but exploring the night sky can be even more magical. That’s why astrotourism—traveling to places with the best stargazing views—is becoming a big trend.
According to outdoor brand Kühl, most Americans don’t get to see the Milky Way anymore because of light pollution. In fact, 80% of people can’t see it from their homes, and almost everyone lives under skies affected by artificial light.
To bring back the beauty of the night sky, Kühl studied five things: stargazing events, light pollution, dark-sky certification, park elevation, and campgrounds. Based on this, Great Basin National Park in Nevada was named the best stargazing spot in the U.S.
Why Great Basin?
Great Basin is a Certified Dark-Sky Park with skies so dark they are rated Bortle 1, the darkest level possible. The park also hosts 53 stargazing events every year. Visitors can head to Wheeler Peak to see stars so clear, it feels like stepping into the cosmos.
Other Top Parks for Stargazing
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2nd Place: Death Valley National Park, California – Also has Bortle 1 skies and Dark-Sky Park status. While it doesn’t hold stargazing events, it offers 12 campgrounds and wide-open desert views.
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3rd Place: Zion National Park, Utah – A Certified Dark-Sky Park with 59 night sky events a year. Its skies are rated Bortle 2 but still offer amazing starry views over its sandstone cliffs.
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