Dark Sky Parks
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Gatlinburg, TennesseeBortle 3 Best in Fall
Rural sky, where the Milky Way shows complex structure.
The most visited national park in the United States is also one of the best dark sky destinations in the Southeast. Clingmans Dome rises to 6,643 feet on the Tennessee-North Carolina border, putting observers above much of the atmospheric haze that affects lower elevation sites. The park is actively working toward DarkSky International certification and already holds ranger-led astronomy programs. Fall brings the most stable skies, the lowest humidity of the year, and the park's renowned leaf color as foreground.
What's here
On the map
What to bring
Our picks for a good night under the stars.
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