Park · ID, US
Craters Of The Moon National Monument
Craters of the Moon National Monument is a lava-field park near Arco, Idaho, certified as an International Dark Sky Park in 2017. It is open every day of the year, though the Loop Road usually closes by mid-November. Lava Flow Campground sits among young lava flows and tends to fill by evening in summer; in winter you can hike in and snow camp with a free permit.
Official site (opens in new tab) View on OpenStreetMap (opens in new tab) Source (opens in new tab)
| Type | Park |
| State / Province | ID |
| Country | United States |
| Nearest town | Arco |
| Certified | 2017 |
| Coordinates | 43.4050, -113.5061 |
| Source | https://darksky.org/places/craters-of-the-moon-national-monument-dark-sky-park/ (opens in new tab) |
Plan Your Night
Tonight’s moon
New Moon
0% illuminated. Rises 8:07 AM MST. Sets 5:11 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
- Ketchum, Idaho · 76 km (47 mi)
- Sun Valley Resort · 76 km (47 mi)
- City of Rocks National Reserve · 149 km (93 mi)
- Bruneau Dunes State Park · 188 km (117 mi)
- Central Idaho · 219 km (136 mi)