Community · AZ, US
Cottonwood, Arizona
Cottonwood, a Verde Valley city in Yavapai County, Arizona, became an International Dark Sky Community in 2019. Getting there took about four years of public comment on its outdoor lighting rules, and the local club Astronomers of the Verde Valley hosts public sky events. Dead Horse Ranch State Park, a 423-acre preserve with three lagoons, is a common meeting point; skip full-moon nights.
Official site (opens in new tab) View on OpenStreetMap (opens in new tab) Source (opens in new tab)
| Type | Community |
| State / Province | AZ |
| Country | United States |
| Nearest town | Cottonwood |
| Certified | 2019 |
| Coordinates | 34.7476, -112.0272 |
| Source | https://darksky.org/places/cottonwood-arizona-dark-sky-community/ (opens in new tab) |
Plan Your Night
Tonight’s moon
New Moon
0% illuminated. Rises 6:32 AM MST. Sets 4:59 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
- Big Park / Village of Oak Creek, Arizona · 23 km (14 mi)
- Camp Verde, Arizona · 26 km (16 mi)
- Sedona, Arizona · 28 km (17 mi)
- Flagstaff, Arizona · 61 km (38 mi)
- Flagstaff Area National Monuments · 84 km (52 mi)