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From business center: Go 12 mi S on Hwy-44.
Absolutely beautiful. A short Indian summer allowed us to take this adventure and it was worth the wait! Spectacular views can only be seen by the naked eye. We even got to see this giant bird (resembling a raven) fly right below us. My husband got to see big vultures using binoculars. Tomorrow we're biking down by the river below, can't wait!
I had always wanted to visit. I came here on a Sunday night in August with family around 8:30 pm, a little after sunset. It took until around 9 for the sky to truly get dark, and by 10 you could clearly see satellites moving, the milkyway in clear view, shooting stars! The park itself seemed to have such a clearer sky than the sky around it, like a dark portal straight up to the galaxy, it was so cool. Would highly recommend, but just keep in mind that you aren't supposed to use flashlights so getting back to the car was a little daunting.
My first time using Nikon and it turns out really good! This place is fantastic. I went to see the meteor shower. There were quite a few people there, and you should only use red filtered light. The view is amazing and will definitely come back again!
Such a fantastic place to spend the night. If you've never seen the dark night sky before, this is something you need to experience.
The campsites are divided into lots that need to be registered at least 2 days in advance. Registration is completed on their website.
Alternatively there is the astronomy field, which operates on a first come first serve basis. The rules for the astronomy field are strict, and bringing a telescope is a requirement. Both the campground and astronomy field require payment for a spot.
If you want to spend the night gazing at the beautiful sky without concern over the strict rules, payment, or equipment, the observation field is free for public use. Even if you don't have the opportunity to spend the night at the campground, consider staying at the observation field a few hours.
The only negative I could list would be the restrooms at the campground, they are found inside a building but are essentially just outhouses. They do at least provide dispensers for hand sanitizer. Truthfully though you can't expect much luxury in such a remote location.
If anyone is considering heading out and viewing a truly dark sky, I would encourage them to go for it. I can say with confidence that this trip created experiences I will remember my entire life.
Amazing place to hang out. The almost 4 hour drive was 100% worth it. Definitely go during new moon and during the months of May-September, otherwise the Milky Way won’t be as high or bright due to the tilt of the earth. So many beautiful stars and constellations were visible. If you look straight up, all you could see are stars farther than the eye can see. Definitely worth it and definitely will go back up. Take the fam one summer evening, get a blanket and camp out under the stars for a few hours but make sure to also bring a red light because white lights aren’t allowed.
