Best US Spots to See the Perseids
You don't need to fly across the country for this one; dark sky is dark sky, and plenty of US spots deliver it within a few hours of major cities. That said, if you're building a trip around it, these are the standouts:
Great Basin National Park, Nevada: Consistently ranked as one of the best stargazing parks in the country, with Bortle 1 skies (as dark as it gets) and regular ranger-led astronomy nights. Wheeler Peak's elevation gives you a wide-open, unobstructed view.
Death Valley National Park, California: Also Bortle 1, also a certified Dark Sky Park. Badwater Basin and Dante's View are the go-to spots locals recommend, mostly because there's nothing around to block the horizon.
Zion National Park, Utah: Slightly more light pollution than the two above, but it's much easier to combine with an actual vacation, and the park runs dozens of stargazing events between July and December.
Big Bend National Park, Texas: One of the most remote parks in the Lower 48, which is exactly why it works. Certified Dark Sky Park status, minimal crowds even in peak season.
Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado: Dark Sky Park since 2019, and watching meteors streak over the dunes is its own reason to make the trip.
Cherry Springs State Park, Pennsylvania: The East Coast's answer to the desert parks above. If you're not near the West, this is the closest thing to those Bortle 1 skies without a cross-country flight.
If none of those are within reach, the honest advice is: get 30-60 minutes outside your nearest city, away from streetlights, and look up. You'll see meaningfully more than you would from your backyard, even without hitting a national park.
🏴☠️Pirate Tips: Planning a trip around it? Campsites at the parks above fill up fast for peak Perseid weekend, so it's worth locking in a site or a nearby hotel now rather than waiting until the week of.
