Submitted by Andrea Anton, Kuhl; Outdoor Performance 

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With astro-tourism emerging as a major travel trend for 2025, a new study reveals the best national parks across the U.S. for stargazing.

To determine the rankings, KÜHL analyzed five data points across U.S. national parks — stargazing event frequency, light pollution levels, Dark-Sky Park certification, maximum elevation, and campground availability — and revealed that: 

• Great Basin National Park in Nevada is the best national park in the U.S. for stargazing

• Death Valley, Zion, Big Bend, and Capitol Reef round out the top five stargazing destinations

• Zion National Park hosts the highest number of night sky programs and events

• Denali National Park features the highest peak of all U.S. parks for high-elevation skywatching

• Isle Royale National Park has the most developed campgrounds among top parks for stargazing

Great Basin National Park ranks as the best national park for stargazing. Tucked away in a quiet corner of Nevada, it offers one of the darkest skies in the country—earning a pristine Bortle 1 rating and a IDA Dark-Sky Park certification. With 53 stargazing events a year and high-elevation views from Wheeler Peak (13,000+ ft), it’s a rare place where the night sky still feels ancient—and where you might just feel like you’ve left Earth behind.

Death Valley National Park comes in second with Bortle 1 skies and a Certified Dark-Sky Park status. Unlike others, it takes a self-guided approach—there are no formal stargazing events, but 12 developed campgrounds and endless open desert make it easy to find solitude under the stars or on the 11,049 feet peak.

Zion National Park ranks third overall and leads the nation in night sky programming, hosting 59 stargazing events between July and December. Though its skies are Bortle 2—not the darkest—they’re still impressively clear. With a Dark-Sky Park certification, three campgrounds, and peaks reaching 8,726 feet, Zion offers easy access to stellar views just beyond the canyon walls.

Big Bend and Capitol Reef National Parks—both certified Dark-Sky Parks—rank fourth and fifth respectively. Each provides remote, undeveloped terrain and Bortle 1 skies ideal for self-guided night sky exploration.

America’s 10 best national parks 

for stargazing are:

1. Great Basin National Park, NV

2. Death Valley National Park, CA

3. Zion National Park, UT

4. Big Bend National Park, TX

5. Capitol Reef National Park, UT

6. Grand Canyon National Park, AZ

7. Glacier National Park, MT

8. Great Sand Dunes National Park, CO

9. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, CO

10. Olympic National Park, WA

Several other parks stood out for specific strengths. Zion National Park leads the nation in public programming, offering 59 scheduled stargazing events in a single season. Denali National Park boasts the highest peak of all national parks (20,310 feet), providing optimal sky clarity and atmospheric conditions. Meanwhile, Isle Royale National Park offers the most campground options, with 36 developed sites—allowing more visitors to roll out of their tents and straight into starlit views.

Oded Gross, from KÜHL, comments, “As more travelers look to the night sky for awe and inspiration, our research helps find the parks where that connection is still possible. Stargazing is more than a pastime—it’s a return to something ancient and wild.”