Big Bend National Park

The darkest national park in the lower 48 states and the first certified dark sky park in Texas, designated in 2012. Bortle 1. The park sits in the remote Trans-Pecos region of far West Texas, surrounded by hundreds of miles of empty desert and mountain terrain with almost no artificial light in any direction. On a moonless night the Milky Way is bright enough to cast shadows and the zodiacal light is visible both before dawn and after dusk. The Chisos Basin, accessible by paved road, offers camping at elevation with cooler temperatures than the desert floor. The Rio Grande Village and Persimmon Gap areas offer the flattest, most open horizons. Summer temperatures exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit regularly. October through April is the practical window for overnight visits.