Dark Sky Parks
Natural Bridge State Park
Natural Bridge, VirginiaBortle 3 Best in Fall
Rural sky, where the Milky Way shows complex structure.
Natural Bridge State Park preserves a 215-foot natural limestone arch that Thomas Jefferson once owned, set in 1,500 acres of western Virginia karst landscape. The park holds a Silver Tier International Dark Sky Park designation and runs monthly Dark Sky Nights events from April through October. Bortle 3 skies are slightly affected by distant glow from Roanoke and Lynchburg but remain excellent. The dramatic arch and canyon terrain make for a foreground unlike anything else in Virginia.
What's here
On the map
What to bring
Our picks for a good night under the stars.
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