Death Valley National Park
Pristine sky, where the Milky Way casts shadows on the ground.
The darkest certified dark sky park in California and one of the darkest places accessible by road in the United States. Gold Tier certified by DarkSky International in 2013. Bortle 1, the highest possible rating. On moonless nights the Milky Way casts a visible shadow on the ground, a threshold almost no location in the continental United States can match. The park spans nearly 3.4 million acres of Mojave and Great Basin desert, which means the horizon is enormous in every direction and the nearest significant light source is hours away. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 120 degrees Fahrenheit, making fall through spring the only practical window for overnight visits. The Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes and Badwater Basin are the most popular astrophotography locations in the park.
What's here
On the map
What to bring
Our picks for a good night under the stars.
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Nearby in USA
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
California's largest state park. Silver Tier desert darkness.
Arches National Park
Gold Tier certified: sandstone arches make iconic Milky Way foregrounds.
Big Bend National Park
The darkest national park in the lower 48 and the first certified dark sky park in Texas.