The Darkest Skies
in Minnesota
Access the definitive rankings of the top 10 National Park Service Champions and International Dark Sky Parks in Minnesota. Explore our comprehensive directory of 149 Minnesota cities to find the perfect dark sky spot with verified scientific data.
National Park Service Reports
The darkest verified spots in the state. Pro Tip: Dark sky reports reveal their best details through precision optics.
Little Sand Bay West Jetty
Apostle Islands NS
Local Relevance
For observers in Minnesota, Little Sand Bay West Jetty serves as the definitive baseline for high-altitude transparency and localized skyglow data.
"Sky quality measurements were recorded at Little Sand Bay West Jetty in Apostle Islands NS on 9/18/2012. The site demonstrated a scientific darkness reading of 22.06 SQM."
Rainy Lake Voyageurs National Park
Voyageurs NP
Local Relevance
For observers in Minnesota, Rainy Lake Voyageurs National Park serves as the definitive baseline for high-altitude transparency and localized skyglow data.
"Mostly clear night, decent extinction, and low airglow. Some lake effect low clouds from north, slowly clearing."
Norden Bridge
Niobrara NSR
Local Relevance
The scientific findings at Norden Bridge provide Minnesota residents with the most reliable data on regional atmospheric stability.
"Only one light dome visible from Valentine, NE but it was very small and extremely faint. Otherwise a pristine site with natural night sky conditions."
Voyageurs National Park
Voyageurs NP
Local Relevance
For observers in Minnesota, Rainy Lake Visitor Center serves as the definitive baseline for high-altitude transparency and localized skyglow data.
"SQM 21.03. High extinction. Main light from International Falls, scatteing on moisture in the air, increasing all sky pollution"
Heritage Center
Homestead NM
Local Relevance
For observers in Minnesota, Heritage Center serves as the definitive baseline for high-altitude transparency and localized skyglow data.
"Sky quality measurements were recorded at Heritage Center in Homestead NM on 9/27/2005. The site demonstrated a scientific darkness reading of 21.37 SQM."
Voyageurs Forest Overlook
Voyageurs NP
Local Relevance
For observers in Minnesota, Voyageurs Forest Overlook serves as the definitive baseline for high-altitude transparency and localized skyglow data.
"Milky Way was bright with defined edge. Dark lanes very visible on Cygnus region. Extended beyond Casseopia to Perseus where it breaks up. To the south, the Milky Way is lost to skyglow, which is brighter than the Sagittarius region. M33 just visible, M13 easily visible, M31 highly visible."
W. Kabetogama Lake Jetty
Voyageurs NP
Local Relevance
For observers in Minnesota, W. Kabetogama Lake Jetty serves as the definitive baseline for high-altitude transparency and localized skyglow data.
"Clouds but clearing. SQM 21.35."
Hawk Ridge
Duluth
Local Relevance
For observers in Minnesota, Hawk Ridge serves as the definitive baseline for high-altitude transparency and localized skyglow data.
"According to the weather record, it rained in the previous days. Duluth light dome is clearly visible. Zodiacal light is visible. Milky Way is visible overhead and to the north, and it spans about 50 degrees across the sky."
Certified Dark Sky Parks
International Dark Sky Association certified locations. Visiting a park? Don't forget a red-light flashlight to preserve the dark.
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is a federally designated wilderness management area located in the northern third of the Superior National Forest in…
Official Details →Hawthorn Woods, Illinois
Located 65 kilometers northwest of Chicago, IL, the Village of Hawthorn Woods prides itself as an upscale yet friendly community which places a high value on…
Official Details →Merritt Reservoir State Recreation Area
Merritt Reservoir State Recreation Area (SRA) is situated in the north-central portion of the state of Nebraska, United States – a region known for its vast…
Official Details →Newport State Park
Newport State Park is situated on 960 hectares (2,373 acres) of publicly-owned land at the tip of the Door Peninsula, a geographic feature extending 130…
Official Details →Palos Preserves
The Forest Preserve District of Cook County (the “Forest Preserves”) is one of our nation’s oldest and largest conservation districts containing nearly 70,000…
Official Details →Thousand Hills State Park
Thousand Hills State Park is situated in northeast Missouri just a few miles west of the city of Kirksville. The park consists of 3,086 acres with Forest Lake…
Official Details →Voyageurs National Park
Voyageurs National Park’s name commemorates the voyageurs—French-Canadian fur traders who were the first European settlers to frequently travel through the area.
Official Details →Gearing Up for Minnesota Nights
"Staging for Minnesota nights requires a versatile kit that can handle anything from high-altitude thinning air to the humid coastal gradients found across the state."
The Minnesota Field Kit
Across the breadth of Minnesota, the transition from major light domes to protected scientific zones creates a unique challenge for the modern observer.
Browse Cities
Find detailed scientific reports for 149 unique locations across Minnesota.