< dark sky directory

UT dark sky places

List of darkest parks and places in Utah for stargazing, astrophotography, astrotourism, star parties, and astronomy club events. Often these are national and state parks and forests that are either remote or "protected" against light pollution.

National and state parks often let you stay overnight under the stars, hence their motto - "Half the park is after dark".

Bortle scale for sites is given where known. Also ask your local astronomy club for guidance as they will know the darkest places.

DARK PARK BORTLE
Anasazi State Park Museum 1
Antelope Island State Park 2
Arches National Park 2
Ashley National Forest
Bear Lake State Park 2
Bryce Canyon National Park 2
Canyonlands National Park 1
Capitol Reef National Park 1
Castle Valley
Cedar Breaks National Monument 2
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park 2
Dead Horse Point State Park
Dixie National Forest
East Canyon State Park 2
Fishlake National Forest
Fremont Indian State Park
Goblin Valley State Park 1
Goosenecks State Park 1
Green River State Park 2
Helper
Hovenweep National Monument 2
Jordanelle State Park 2
Kodachrome Basin State Park 2
Manti-La Sal National Forest
Moab
Monte Cristo
Natural Bridges National Monument 2
North Fork State Park 2
Otter Creek Reservoir 1
Piute State Park 2
Rainbow Bridge National Monument 2
Rockport State Park 2
Springdale
Steinaker State Park 2
Timpangogos National Monument
Torrey
Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest
Wedge Overlook
Wolf Creek Pass
Yuba State Park 2
Zion National Park


Light pollution map w/ Bortle

On the left is a 2023 satellite image of UT showing light pollution from the NOAA National Geophysical Data Center. On the right is a 2015 light pollution map showing sky brightness at the zenith from World Atlas data. Colors correspond approximately to the Bortle scale. Use as a guide to find the darkest sky locations near you.

UT night sky light pollution map