Go Stargazing in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado

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Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park does not close, allowing nightlong access for sky viewing. Overlooks that are far from the road are shielded from the light of passing cars. These locations are great for stargazing, using a personal telescope, or for astrophotography. Shielded South Rim overlooks include Chasm View, Dragon Point, and Sunset View, among others. Shielded North Rim overlooks include those along the Chasm View Nature Trail or Kneeling Camel View. Areas at the bottom of the canyon, like East Portal, are suitable for viewing, but the amount of visible sky will be reduced. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park was certified as an International Dark Sky Park in September 2015. Visiting in the winter? Enjoy the unique experience of cross country skiing by moonlight or headlamp. Red light-equipped headlamps or flashlights are best to help preserve night vision and reduce light pollution. The Milky Way shines brighter in the summer than the winter. This is because we face the center of our galaxy on summer nights, while we face the edge of our galaxy on winter nights. As we look to the center, we look at the combined light of more stars than when we look toward the edge. In the summer, the Milky Way rises higher and higher throughout the night, resting directly overhead late in the evening. During the fall, the Milky Way appears directly overhead very early in the evening.

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