Park · CO, US
Curecanti National Recreation Area
Curecanti National Recreation Area is a reservoir and canyon park near Gunnison, Colorado, certified as a Dark Sky Park in 2021. The park is open 24 hours, and overlooks or campgrounds set back from the road shield you best from passing headlights. Rangers run summer telescope programs at the Elk Creek Campground amphitheater, and the Gunnison Valley Observatory joins in.
Official site (opens in new tab) View on OpenStreetMap (opens in new tab) Source (opens in new tab)
| Type | Park |
| State / Province | CO |
| Country | United States |
| Nearest town | Gunnison |
| Certified | 2021 |
| Coordinates | 38.4524, -107.3695 |
| Source | https://darksky.org/places/curecanti-national-recreation-area-dark-sky-park/ (opens in new tab) |
Plan Your Night
Tonight’s moon
Waning Crescent
1% illuminated. Rises 5:16 AM MST. Sets 4:02 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
- Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park · 36 km (22 mi)
- Lake Fork Earth and Sky Center · 47 km (29 mi)
- Ridgway, Colorado · 48 km (30 mi)
- Town of Paonia, Colorado · 50 km (31 mi)
- Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area · 51 km (32 mi)