Dark-sky stargazing parks

The enemy of a dark sky is not the season, it is the moon. A full moon washes out the Milky Way from the darkest certified site in the country, and a new moon delivers a spectacular sky from a merely decent one. Pick the moon phase first and the place second.

The certifications these places carry are awarded against measured sky brightness and a lighting ordinance, so they describe a real and defended condition rather than a claim. They also come with obligations for visitors: red light only after dark, headlights off on arrival, and no white torch anywhere near someone's dark-adapted eyes or exposure.