Park · NM, US
Fort Union National Monument
Fort Union National Monument is a National Park Service historic site near Watrous, New Mexico, certified as a Dark Sky Park in 2019. Daytime hours are 8 am to 4 pm year-round with no entrance fee, and it closes on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. It runs special programs in summer, so call 505-425-8025 ext. 1 about evening events and after-hours access.
Official site (opens in new tab) View on OpenStreetMap (opens in new tab) Source (opens in new tab)
| Type | Park |
| State / Province | NM |
| Country | United States |
| Nearest town | Watrous |
| Certified | 2019 |
| Coordinates | 35.9074, -105.0121 |
| Source | https://darksky.org/places/fort-union-national-monument-dark-sky-park/ (opens in new tab) |
Plan Your Night
Tonight’s moon
Waning Crescent
1% illuminated. Rises 5:01 AM MST. Sets 3:57 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
- Capulin Volcano National Monument · 135 km (84 mi)
- Valles Caldera National Preserve · 135 km (84 mi)
- Trinchera Ranch · 167 km (104 mi)
- Clayton Lake State Park · 170 km (106 mi)
- Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge · 183 km (114 mi)