Astrotourism With Purpose
Visitors can plan routes around star parties, park programs, gateway communities, and quiet overnight stays while supporting places that reduce light pollution.
Protected Night Skies Across Utah
Utah Dark Sky Trail
A statewide journey through the world’s leading collection of protected night skies.
The trail connects national parks, national monuments, state parks, gateway communities, and partner destinations recognized for protecting and sharing natural nightscapes. Plan a route that supports conservation, science education, cultural heritage, and rural communities across Utah.
About The Trail
A connected route for night-sky travel and stewardship.
The Utah Dark Sky Trail brings together certified places and partner destinations that protect dark skies as a shared natural, cultural, scientific, and economic resource.
Conservation And Education
The trail highlights night-sky conservation, astronomy, nocturnal ecosystems, and public programs that help people understand why darkness matters.
Heritage And Local Benefit
Dark skies are part of Utah's rural identity and cultural landscapes. The trail encourages low-impact travel that respects communities, tribal lands, and sacred places.
Explore Destinations
Find Utah Dark Sky Trail destinations.
Explore certified dark sky parks, national monuments, state parks, gateway communities, and partner areas across Utah. Use the category filters to focus the map, then open a marker for visitor-facing details and official planning links.
28 map destinations
No-Script Planning
Featured destinations
If the interactive map is unavailable, these destination records still provide direct planning links. The full dataset powers the map above.
Arches National Park
National Park · International Dark Sky Park
Southeastern Utah
Visit official siteBryce Canyon National Park
National Park · International Dark Sky Park
Southwestern Utah
Visit official siteCapitol Reef National Park
National Park · International Dark Sky Park
Central Utah
Visit official siteCanyonlands National Park
National Park · International Dark Sky Park
Southeastern Utah
Visit official siteZion National Park
National Park · International Dark Sky Park
Southwestern Utah
Visit official siteNatural Bridges National Monument
National Monument · International Dark Sky Park
Southeastern Utah
Visit official siteCedar Breaks National Monument
National Monument · International Dark Sky Park
Southwestern Utah
Visit official siteHovenweep National Monument
National Monument · International Dark Sky Park
Southeastern Utah
Visit official siteEvents Preview
Programs and gatherings under protected skies.
Upcoming listings will feature star parties, ranger-led programs, dark sky festivals, astronomy viewing, night sky photography, and interpretive programming.
Stargazing: Dark Skies Over Dead Horse Point
Meet at the Visitor Center. Ranger presentation, no telescope. Immerse yourself in the dark skies over Dead Horse Point! Naked-eye stargazing only! Bring an outdoor blanket and red light!
- Host
- Dead Horse Point State Park
- Type
- Ranger Program
Goblin Valley Dark Sky Junior Ranger Day
Participants can attend both parts of the program and gain a Goblin Valley Junior Ranger badge! Schedule: 8:45pm : Fun astronomy crafts at the Observation Point! 9:45pm : Stars and Constellations! Join rangers to learn about the stars, the constellations and mythology associated with them. We will view various...
- Host
- Goblin Valley State Park
- Type
- Ranger Program
Constellation Quest
Meet at the Visitor Center. Telescope viewing. Explore the constellations of the Zodiac with the aid of a telescope. Bring an outdoor blanket and a red light!
- Host
- Dead Horse Point State Park
- Type
- Star Party
Scorpion Hunt
Join a Park Ranger for a nighttime adventure among glowing arachnids. Enjoy a 1/4 mile loop walk starting at our OHV staging area. Please wear closed toed shoes, bring your own UV flashlights if you have them, and be ready to be amazed.
- Host
- Sand Hollow State Park
- Type
- Ranger Program
Scorpion Quest
Join our quest to find as many scorpions we can in our scorpion quest. We will have a short ranger-led program where you can learn about scorpions, how they live, what makes them glow, and much more. After the program we will drive out to our questing grounds. UV lights will be provided but you can bring your own...
- Host
- Fremont Indian State Park and Museum
- Type
- Ranger Program
America250 Lunar Exploration
Join us for a star party. Boat Parking lot.
- Host
- Steinaker State Park
- Type
- Star Party
Responsible Travel
Travel Lightly After Dark
Dark-sky travel works best when visitors protect the places and communities that make the experience possible. Plan ahead, keep light low, and leave the night better than you found it.
- Use red lights instead of white lights.
- Stay on designated roads, trails, and viewing areas.
- Respect tribal lands, private lands, cultural places, and sacred landscapes.
- Check weather, moon phase, seasonal road conditions, and official park guidance before visiting.
- Support communities and businesses that protect the night sky.
Project Partners
Built through statewide partnership
The Utah Dark Sky Trail brings together conservation, tourism, science, and public-land partners working to protect and share Utah’s internationally recognized night skies.
The Utah Dark Sky Trail is a collaborative project of the Dark Sky Cooperative within the Institute of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism at Utah State University, the Utah Chapter of DarkSky, the Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division of the National Park Service, and the Utah Office of Tourism and Film.
Together, these partners support responsible astrotourism, night-sky conservation, public education, and the long-term stewardship of Utah’s exceptional natural nightscapes.
