Cathedral Gorge absolutely stuns at any time of day with its unfolding amphitheater of maze-like slot canyons and the ever-eroding fins, “hoodoos,” and spires that earned the place its name; but at night, hours from any kind of light pollution, these dramatic features all glow and dance in the starlight. Cozy beds await ten minutes north at Pioche’s historic Overland Hotel & Saloon, or at several motels 15 minutes south in Caliente.
Cathedral Gorge State Park
Massacre Rim Dark Sky Sanctuary
BLM Nevada
BLM Nevada
Dark Sky Destinations: Get Starstruck in Northern Nevada
Nighttime has always been when Nevada really lights up. And we’re not just talking about all the classic neon signs and dazzling marquees in Reno and Las Vegas. Go beyond the glow of our metros, look up at the Nevada night sky, and you’ll be face to face with the brightest stars in some of the darkest skies in the Lower 48. Simply put, there’s just no better place for stargazing than the Silver State.
The northern half of the state brings a multitude of charms: ghost towns, outdoor adventures, small cities, and seemingly endless dark skies offering a mesmerizing view of the heavens.
Nevada’s night skies are jaw-dropping any time of year, especially around a new moon. But for one of the greatest shows on Earth (or rather, above it), head to these spots in the summertime. In July, massive Sagittarius and Scorpio are in full effect, while the Perseids meteor shower rains countless streaks across the night sky between mid-July and early August.
Get starstruck with this stellar lineup of Nevada dark sky destinations
BLM Nevada
BLM Nevada
Massacre Rim Dark Sky Sanctuary
Northwestern Nevada
Distance from Reno: 4 hr / 225 mi
Find it off of the Burner Byway road trip
The northwestern edge of Nevada is about as far away from light pollution as it gets in the contiguous United States. So much so that, in March 2019, DarkSky (pretty much the United Nations of starry skies) designated a portion of Massacre Rim Wilderness Study Area as one of its International Dark Sky Sanctuaries—one of only a handful on the entire planet with skies star-studded enough to earn this distinction. In fact, it gets so dark out here that, during a moonless night, even the stars can cast shadows. This stretch of stunning, wide-open sagebrush valleys and volcanic plateaus in northern Washoe County is rugged and remote, so brush up on Travel Nevada’s Dirt Road Code before you venture this way. And for a night of sleeping under the stars, you can visit the neighboring Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge for public campgrounds and boondocking under the dark Nevada night sky. You’ll find this area off of the Burner Byway road trip.
Grab Grub: You’re pretty much on your own out here, so pack some good camp meals. If you need supplies, a couple small markets and a few solid country cafés can be found about an hour west in Cedarville, CA.
Bed Down: Old Yella Dog Ranch (Vya)
Great Basin National Park
Baker
Distance from Reno: 6 hr / 385 mi
Find it on the Loneliest Road in America and Great Basin Highway road trips
Great Basin is one of the Lower 48’s most crowd-free parks because it’s so far from any major city (and their lights)—which also makes it a world-renowned destination for astronomers, astro-photographers, and stargazers. Since earning an International Dark Sky Park designation by DarkSky in 2016, the stargazing park has converted facility lighting to red bulbs (which don’t compete with stars for your eyes’ attention) and built an Astronomy Amphitheater where visitors can listen to a “Dark Sky Ranger” talk while gazing at constellations, planets, and other heavenly bodies through high-powered scopes.
By day, explore the park’s alpine lakes, peak-bagging trails, ancient bristlecone pine groves, and Lehman Caves system; but nighttime is when you discover why “half the park is after dark.”
By night, you’ll find the coolest parties west of the Mississippi right here in Baker. Geek out with some serious astro-pros and swing by in September for the Great Basin Astronomy Festival. Alternatively, take in the Silver State’s dazzling skies aboard a historic Nevada Northern Railway locomotive. The Sunset, Stars & Champagne Train shows off kaleidoscopic sunsets that give way to thousands of stars, constellations, planets, and even galaxies. Plan well in advance if you want to experience the Star Train, as it regularly sells out a year in advance!
Find these stargazing spots on the Loneliest Road in America and Great Basin Highway road trips.
Grab Grub: If you’re staying in Ely, rock into Racks Bar & Grill, home to one of our favorite chorizo burgers in the state.
Bed Down: Stargazer Inn, Hidden Canyon Retreat, Whispering Elms Campground, Motel & RV Park (all in Baker); Hotel Nevada & Gambling Hall, Prospector Hotel & Gambling Hall (both in Ely).
There aren’t too many places where you can view other planets and the curvature of your own at the same time. This 1.2 million-acre wonderland of the Black Rock Desert is home to remote hot springs, craggy canyons, and its famous centerpiece: the Black Rock Desert playa, one of the longest, flattest, openest stretches of land on Earth. The skyward vistas from the 200-square-mile playa go on forever, with a distant rim of rocky mountains offering a shadowy frame. One glimpse of this unbelievable landscape confirms why people love coming here during Burning Man. But trust us—it’s even better without radiating space lasers, pulsing EDM beats, and 70,000 LED-illuminated bikes rolling around it. (Well, when it comes to stargazing, that is…). Find it on the Burner Byway road trip, where you can also gaze at the Reno night sky during your visit.
Grab Grub: The wilderness gateway of small, funky Gerlach has you covered at Bruno’s Country Club for full meals (and famous ravioli) and the Miners Club for small pizzas, smoothies, good coffee, and occasional baked goods. Several minutes back down the highway, the Empire Store has a full deli and shelves full of snacks.
Bed Down: Bruno’s Country Club, Motel & RV Park, Iveson Ranch (all in Gerlach)
Travel Nevada Pro Tip
The Silver State’s night skies are jaw-dropping any time of year, especially around a new moon. But for one of the greatest shows on Earth (or rather, above it), head to these spots in the summertime. In July, massive Sagittarius and Scorpio are in full effect, while the Perseids meteor shower rains countless streaks across the sky between mid-July and early August.
The Loneliest Road in America
North Central Nevada
375 to 500 mi
Learn more about the Loneliest Road in America road trip
This famous stretch of Highway 50 earned its name for being a wide-open road trip through the heart of Nevada with only a handful of thinly populated towns dotting its 375-mile expanse. Spend the day exploring ghost towns, Sagebrush Saloons, wildlife areas, and more on your way to celestial vantage points. Some of our favorite spots to stargaze include the old ruins of Fort Churchill State Historic Park, Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge, Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park, Spencer Hot Springs, and—of course—aforementioned Great Basin National Park. It’s all found on the Loneliest Road in America road trip.
Grab Grub: This depends where you are. But here are some of our faves: The Slanted Porch (Fallon), Middlegate Station (40 min. east of Fallon), Owl Club Bar & Steakhouse (Eureka), Racks Bar & Grill (Ely).
Bed Down: Same deal! But again, faves: Holiday Inn Express (Fallon), Paradise Ranch Castle B&B (Austin), Union Street Lodging (Austin), Jackson House Hotel & Tea Room (Eureka), Eureka Doll House (Eureka), Hotel Nevada & Gambling Hall (Ely), Stargazer Inn (Baker)
The Rubies Route
Northern Nevada
30 to 375 mi (seriously, the choice is yours!)
Learn more about the Rubies Route road trip
This northeastern Nevada, Elko-based road trip on the Rubies Route offers a three-part package deal for anyone whom the mountains have called. The byway up glacier-carved Lamoille Canyon carries you to a network of choose-your-own-distance trails to several alpine lakes perched at about 10,000 feet along the spine of the towering, breathtaking Ruby Mountains. Meanwhile, an easy twelve-mile road out of Wells parks you at the edge of Angel Lake, a cliff-lined glacial cirque that makes a dramatic setting for staring straight up.
However, if it’s absolute off-grid solace you seek, hop in something with four-wheel-drive and head for the Jarbidge Wilderness, Nevada’s most untamed mountain landscape where larger-than-life, lake-dotted bowls meet towering, nearly 11,000-foot peaks and aspen-studded mountainsides. Out here in Nevada’s wild public lands, it’s just you, the elk, and more stars than you could ever shake a telescope at.
Grab Grub: Dig into Basque family feasts at The Star Hotel (Elko), juicy steaks at the Pine Lodge Dinner House (Lamoille), eclectic everything at Bella’s Restaurant & Espresso (Wells), and hearty burgers and homemade milkshakes at the Outdoor Inn (Jarbidge).
Bed Down: Red Lion Hotel & Casino (Elko), Ruby Yurts (Lamoille), Outdoor Inn (Jarbidge)
Southern Nevada’s starry skies aren’t to be missed, either. Scope out this slideshow for even more dazzling views in the Silver State.
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