Gold-Tier Dark Skies Over the Dunes

Dry air, very little light pollution and high elevation all work in the park's favor. Reaching that status meant meeting demanding standards for how dark the sky stays, tightening how outdoor lights are used, and working with nearby communities to cut glare. Much of a visit unfolds after the sun goes down.

Timing the moon is the first step. The sky shows its most stars on a night without a moon, or on a night when the moon rises late, so check a moon calendar before you pick an evening. Plan on at least thirty minutes for your eyes to adjust, and hold off judging the view until the sky has gone fully dark.

August and September are the months when summer constellations and the Milky Way are at their most visible here. On a clear August night without a moon, the Milky Way rises high overhead about ninety minutes after sunset. Late summer and early fall give the galaxy its clearest showing in the evening hours.

Swap a standard flashlight for a red one when you head out after dark. A red light lets you see your footing while keeping the darkness intact for everyone else under the stars. When the moon is full, you can walk the dunes at night without any light at all, a rare kind of outing.

The dunes themselves are the headline. They are the tallest in North America and form a dunefield of about 30 square miles, set against grasslands, wetlands, forests, alpine lakes and tundra. If you want to stay the night, you can camp on the dunes with a backpacking permit, which is required for anyone spending the whole night out there.