Great Sand Dunes National Park
Truly dark sky, with the zodiacal light clearly visible.
One of Colorado's gold-tier certified dark sky parks, Great Sand Dunes combines the surreal landscape of North America's tallest dunes with some of the darkest skies in the state. The Milky Way arches directly over the dune field on clear summer nights, and the absence of nearby towns keeps light pollution minimal year-round.
What's here
On the map
What to bring
Our picks for a good night under the stars.
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Nearby in Colorado
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
A natural amphitheater for the night sky with regular ranger-led astronomy programs.
Browns Canyon National Monument
Remote Arkansas River canyon pairing dark skies with world-class whitewater.
Chimney Rock National Monument
Ancestral Puebloan archaeoastronomy site with dramatic twin rock spires.