Park · UT, US
Capitol Reef National Park
Capitol Reef National Park in southern Utah was designated an International Dark Sky Park in 2015. The Milky Way shows in both summer and winter, and good viewing spots include Panorama Point, the end of the Scenic Drive and the Burr Trail. Rangers host monthly moon walks from Fruita Campground, Heritage Starfest is held each year, usually in September, and light painting is not allowed.
Official site (opens in new tab) View on OpenStreetMap (opens in new tab) Source (opens in new tab)
| Type | Park |
| State / Province | UT |
| Country | United States |
| Nearest town | Torrey |
| Certified | 2015 |
| Coordinates | 38.0670, -111.1553 |
| Source | https://darksky.org/places/capitol-reef-national-park-dark-sky-park/ (opens in new tab) |
Plan Your Night
Tonight’s moon
New Moon
1% illuminated. Rises 6:36 AM MST. Sets 4:47 PM MST. Times are local to the park.
Next new moon
November 9, 2026
The darkest, best-for-stargazing night in the current lunar cycle. See the full trip planner for the next 12 months of new-moon windows.
Upcoming meteor showers
- Leonids Meteor Shower Peak 2026, November 17, 2026
- Geminids Meteor Shower Peak 2026, December 13, 2026
- Ursids Meteor Shower Peak 2026, December 22, 2026
5 nearest dark sky places
- Torrey, Utah · 35 km (22 mi)
- Goblin Valley State Park · 71 km (44 mi)
- Under Canvas Bryce Canyon · 81 km (50 mi)
- Bryce Canyon National Park · 106 km (66 mi)
- Canyonlands National Park · 110 km (68 mi)