Published on May 6, 2021. This area is praised for some of the lowest light pollution measured on the Great Lakes. Additionally, they do not have major cities. Visitors can explore the parks numerous trails, with opportunities to hike, rock climb, and stargaze. USE THE BUTTON ABOVE TO VISIT THE RAM HOMEPAGE or go directly to you area of interest below: Visitor Centers across the state provide education programs, field trips, archery, fishing, trails and much more. Spas, shopping, dining, dancing, craft beer yup. Camp at one of the campgrounds or rent a car or moped and head out to one of the dozens of beaches. Tahquamenon Falls State Park (Chippewa County), 906-492-3415 See Painted Hills (John Jay Fossil Bed National Monument). Bortle Scale: 4-5. Don't be fooled by this parks unassuming name and lack of accolades: No, Rappahannock isn't a national park or even a state park. Here are some of the best places for stargazing in Michigans U.P. Hoeft State Park (Presque Isle County), 989-734-2543 From the shores of the islands in Cedarville and Hessel, you may see a faint light glow to the south toward Mackinaw City. Its convenient location between Negwegon State Park and Rockport State Park allows a comfortable stay in the city combined with an unforgettable camping adventure in one of the surrounding dark sky parks. Stacey Leasca. Then hop out, find a clearing in the woods, and spend the night counting how many shooting stars you can see. Most highlights appear between March and early December. Speaking of the latter, the park offers one of the best opportunities in the country for stargazing. WebSet along the shores of Lake Michigan, not far from beautiful Cecil Bay, this almost-600-acre park is home to pure Michigan natural beauty at its best, both on the ground and in the sky. Beaver Island is the only inhabited island in the middle of Lake Michigan. Be sure that you follow the Detroit Free Press on Twitter (@freep) andInstagramand like us on onFacebook. Located in Goodhue County, the Click the box above to see all species, or click the species group below. The skinny: Wilderness State Park is massive. Campsite 26. Make sure your camera is charged for some long exposure photos. Lassen Volcanic National Park in northern California is crisscrossed by a beautiful network of stunning lakes and trails; however, the real showstopper is its namesake volcanoes and jagged peaks that are littered throughout the park. Surrounding the park, youll find acres of towering trees, which naturally block out light. Required fields are marked *. You might even see the brilliant hues of Northern Lights dancing on top of them! Angell Hall also has a planetarium, and this is one of the best ways to go stargazing "in the wild" in Ann Arbor. Free shipping for many products! Michigan thumb area away from villages, towns and cities is good for stargazing.. With its numerous dark sky preserves, the Great Lakes State offers excellent stargazing opportunities throughout the year. The Headlands International Dark Sky Park, 5 Places You Must Go Stargazing In Michigan story, Bells Brewery | 11 Great Things to Know & Do When You Visit, 8 Best Baseball Stadiums in Michigan to Watch a Game, Out of This World (Yet Affordable!) WebBeta The Interactive Night Sky Map simulates the sky above Grand Rapids on a date of your choice. Address: 1900 South Saucedo, Presidio, TX 79845. Its only 30 miles north of Chicago, Expanding metropolitan areas create light pollution. Negwegon State Park (Alpena/Alcona County), 989-724-5126 After all, if you can find a vantage point higher than the height of a corn stalk, theres not much to Classes & Workshops; As a bonus, you can also hop aboard a Night Sky Cruise departing from Mackinaw City dockthese trips are the most impressive in August and September. Emily Bingham covers Michigan life and culture for MLive.com, reporting on history, travel and other aspects of life in the Great Lakes State. Colors correspond approximately to the Bortle scale. Today, the lakewhich also happens to be the deepest in the USboasts a beautiful jewel-toned blue color and ridiculously clear water. Call ahead for observation hours and directions to viewing locations.Port Crescent State Park (about 75 miles northeast of Saginaw)Wilderness State Park (about 12 miles west of Mackinaw City)Negwegon State Park (about 20 miles south of Alpena)Lake Hudson Recreation Area (about 40 miles south of Jackson)Rockport State Recreation Area (about 10 miles north of Alpena)Thompson's Harbor State Park (15 miles southeast of Rogers City). Take a relaxing walk up the RiverWalk and back, or perhaps a bike ride. The Programs run Friday and Saturday evenings, as well as every Saturday and Sunday. The skinny: Designated as a dark sky preserve last year, Negwegon State Park "is a rustic, undeveloped area open for hunting, walk-in camping and hiking" along the coast of Lake Huron, just south of Alpena. Some folks dream of looking up into the night sky to spot bright stars, planets, galaxies, and other celestial objects. Discover and book the best Dark Skies campgrounds in state parks, national parks, Yet, we've pointed out our By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Use the button above to visit the hunting home page, or go directly to your area of interest below: Find ORV license and permit info, maps, rules and regulations and more. Operated by Emmet County, this dark sky park became one of the first 10 such areas in the world when it earned its prestigious international designation in 2011. One of the most optimal locations to stargaze in the Chicagoland area. Located just east of El Paso, Guadalupe Mountains National Park takes up nearly 87,00 acres of the Lone Star State. Marked nature trails guide hikers, bicyclists, cross-country skiers, and nature photographers to experience the park throughout the changing seasons.". WebHeadlands International Dark Sky Park 15675 Headlands Rd, Mackinaw City, MI 49701 (231) 427-1001 Grounds Open 24/7/365; Admission Free. Use as a guide to find the darkest sky locations near you. The Michigan DNR says the park is protected The sparsely populated Upper Peninsula is a star-gazing mecca. Death Valley National Park, California Cite this Article Did you find this page helpful? Throughout the year it offers workshops to help other companies and lodgings preserve the natural night sky as well as holds classes about the stars and photography. This Lake Huron island in the eastern Upper Peninsula is a natural dark sky park of its own with some of the best stargazing and Northern Lights viewing in the world. Staring into Michigan's night sky can provoke a sense of wonder - but not if you're living around Detroit. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Here are the 15 best things to do in Eastern Oregon: Explore Alvord Desert. California's coast is a nature lover's oasis with gorgeous beaches, redwoods, and stunning national parks up and down the Pacific. Leslie Gulch. Bundle up with warm coats, blankets and plenty of cocoa, and head to one of the following spots around the state: Headlands International Dark Sky Park, Mackinaw CityFree; no recreation passport requiredmidarkskypark.org On nice summer nights, the open lawn along Lake Michigan holds dozens of groups. DNR educators across the state provide fun, educational activities, programs and workshops year-round for adults, families and kids. USE THE BUTTON ABOVE TO VISIT THE CAMPING HOMEPAGE or go directly to you area of interest below: Get all your fishing information here, including rules and regulations, license info, the weekly fishing report and much more. These mind-blowing places for stargazing in the USA offer uninterrupted views of the sparkling night sky. Fayette Historic State Park (Delta County), 906-644-2603 From there you can take off down a random two-track. This blocks a majority of stars around populated areas. Other than that, there is nothing for miles to block out the stars. The 1-mile Dark Sky Discovery Trail takes you straight from the entrance to the official viewing area, where you can see thousands of stars. Located near the Mexican border in southwest Texas, Big Bend's massive surface area (spanning over See Painted Hills (John Jay Fossil Bed National Monument). Port Related:Best Places for Stargazing Near Detroit. / CBS Detroit. Double-check to make sure the moon isnt full, 3. Open houses occur on select Friday nights and include rooftop access for stargazing and planetarium shows. On the right is a 2015 light pollution map showing sky brightness at the zenith from World Atlas data. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Access to the party is available at no cost with park admission. Special "Dark Sky Week" programming here is filled to capacity, but anyone is still welcome to come stargaze; the park is open 24 hours a day, every day of the week. The Upper Peninsula now has its first designated International Dark Sky Park making it the third in all of Michigan. In other words: extremely low light pollution is basically a guarantee. Near the North Shelter. The mighty waves of Lake Superior create a view wholly unique. The Angell Hall Observatory & Planetarium, 435 S. State St., Ann Arbor; 734-764-3440;lsa.umich.edu, Known as the Cape Cod of the Midwest, this warm, sandy campground is located in Tawas Bay on the shores of Lake Huron. Pennsylvanias Chery Creek State Park is on the smaller side at just 82 acres. Stargazing in Chicago. Muncie Home of the Muncie Astronomy Club and the observatory of Ball Light pollution maps, Bortle maps, and list of parks and IDS-certified locations. However, Northern Lower Michigan and the Upper Peninsula are relatively unpopulated. law enforcement, legislation, rules and regulations, Accessible recreation opportunities in Michigan, All DNR-related boards, committees, and advisory groups, Find seasonal, part-time and full-time job openings with the DNR, information about volunteer and donation opportunities. During the summer, you can most likely find me in my hammock on the shore of Lake Michigan. The U.P. Please enter valid email address to continue. The park holds special stargazing events, some of which involve sleep-overs on the beach. Big Bend National Park. Generally, the area is good to visit all year round, but we recommend heading there during the New Moon phase. For a full listing of help desk numbers, field offices, and other ways we can help, please visit our contact page. Admission is no cost and open to all ages. It is, however, an International Dark Sky Park. With the added benefit being so close to home, this 1,140-acre recreation area is perfect for a quick stargazers getaway. However, depending on where you live, that may not be possible. Rockport State Recreation Area (Alpena County), 989-734-2543 A lack of light pollution and proximity to the North Pole make for excellent stargazing and Northern Lights viewing. To home, this 1,140-acre recreation area is praised for some of the dozens of.! Moon isnt full, 3 other than that, there is nothing for miles block. 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