Stargazing in the Silver State

In search of a heavenly reset? With some of the darkest—and therefore brightest skies—in the country, we can’t blame ya. Share our stellar solitude at Great Basin National Park, whose rallying cry is “Half the Park is After Dark,” or Death Valley National Park—both of which proudly qualify as International Dark Sky Parks—touting Dark Sky Rangers and Astronomy Festivals that speak to everyone from casual stargazers and amateur astronomers to professional scientists alike.

Your typical night stargazing in Nevada? Anything but. On moonless nights, all you’ve gotta do is look up, and you’ll be rewarded with millions of stars, constellations, planets, nebulas, and galaxies, visible to the naked eye. Even in Nevada’s metro areas like Las Vegas or Reno, you’ll find a surprising amount of stars overhead—even places just 30 minutes outside these population centers serve up a starry show. However, the deeper you delve into rural Nevada, you’ll find the best places to stargaze in the Silver State.

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Nevada Magazine, Travel Nevada Visitors Guide, Visitors Guide Fall 2022, Car Forest, International Car Forest, Goldfield NV

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Whether it’s the newest item on your bucket list or the best wrong turn you ever took, whichever corner of this state you venture to, you’re bound to uncover the kind of unexpected encounters, memorable characters, and only-in-Nevada experiences that make this place so damn special. Get your hands on stunning images, surprising stories, colorful characters, do-before-you-die events, and beyond. And just to sweeten the deal, in addition to sending you our official Nevada Visitors Guide, we’ll throw in our swanky state map, too.

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Some of the Darkest Skies in the World

Nevada’s night skies delight in every season. But if you’re craving something truly spectacular, treat yourself to some Milky Way. During the months of May through September each year, the Milky Way’s galactic center is on full display, with swirling kaleidoscopic greens, oranges, yellows, and blues visible from all corners of Nevada. Travel Nevada PRO TIP: Want to really get into your elements? Few things are better than admiring the heart of your own galaxy while soaking in one of Nevada’s natural, wild hot springs, either. There is simply no comparison in this galaxy or the next.

Many visitors look to our skies and think they see, well, other types of visitors—especially another storied Nevada dark sky found along the Extraterrestrial Highway. Keep your eyes peeled for UFOs, satellites, and shooting stars, then cruise a little further west to find another holy grail stargazing favorite at the Tonopah Stargazing Park—ranked as the best place to stargaze by USA Today. No matter where you choose to kick back, stretch out, and look up, our skies are always here—and always open.

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Had an out-of-this world experience in the Silver State? Tag #TravelNevada to help us show off the best stargazing in the USA. If we love your photo, you may find it featured here.