Go Stargazing in Canyonlands National Park, Utah

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The utter dark of a moonless night in Canyonlands surprises many visitors. As few as one in ten Americans live in areas where they can see the estimated 2,500 stars that should be visible under normal conditions. In many cities, the night sky is completely obscured by the glow of urban settlement. At Canyonlands, the naked eye is sufficient to witness a wealth of stars. Under the right conditions, common binoculars may even reveal the rings of Saturn. Canyonlands preserves a wealth of resources. Many, like natural darkness, have become more significant as they become increasingly rare outside the park. Even the light from a thin crescent moon can make it more difficult to see fainter stars or even the Milky Way. You'll see the darkest skies during a new moon or when the moon is below the horizon. Check sunrise and sunset times and moon phases at discovermoab.com. Night skies at Canyonlands are so pristine that the International Dark Sky Association designated Canyonlands as a Gold-Tier International Dark Sky Park in 2015. Canyonlands is one of many parks in southern Utah with the International Dark Sky Park designation. Visitors come from all over the world to attend night sky ranger programs and to experience the dark skies they never see at home. In many national parks these night sky programs are the most popular ranger-led activities.

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