Bortle 2 sites in the U.S.

List of Class 2-3 Bortle parks and places in the U.S. Bortle 2 are the second-darkest skies on Earth for stargazing, astrophotography, star parties, and club events. Often these are national and state parks and forests that are remote or "protected" against light pollution.

A Bortle value represents the potential of a location, not what it will be when you are there. Local factors such as dust, wildfire smoke, haze, humidity, clouds, or atmospheric turbulence can diminish the Bortle value that night.

The IDA column indicates if a site is an IDA-certified sanctuary, reserve, or park. Also use your local astronomy club for guidance as they will know the darkest places near you.

NAME STATE
Bladon Springs State Park Alabama
Conecuh National Forest Alabama
Roland Cooper State Park Alabama
Chilkoot Lake State Recreation Area Alaska
Donnelly Creek State Recreation Area Alaska
Eagle Trail State Recreation Area Alaska
Kachemak Bay State Park Alaska
King Mountain State Recreation Area Alaska
Moon Lake State Recreation Area Alaska
Sandspit Point State Marine Park Alaska
Stariski State Recreation Area Alaska
Worthington Glacier State Recreation Area Alaska
Alamo Lake State Park Arizona
Flagstaff Area National Monument Arizona
Kartchner Caverns State Park Arizona
Oracle State Park Arizona
Petrified Forest National Park Arizona
Tonto Monument National Monument Arizona
Tumacacori National Park Arizona
Buffalo National River National Reserve Arkansas
Cossatot River State Park Arkansas
Queen Wilhelmina State Park Arkansas
Admiral William Standley State Recreation Area California
Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park California
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park California
Benbow State Recreation Area California
Caspar Headlands State Natural Reserve California
Castle Crags State Park California
Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park California
Estero Bluffs State Park California
Fort Ross State Park California
Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park California
Grover Hot Springs State Park California
Harry A. Merlo State Recreation Area California
Hendy Woods State Park California
Humboldt Lagoons State Park California
John Little State Natural Reserve California
Joshua Tree National Park California
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park California
Kruse Rhododendron State Natural Reserve California
Limekiln State Park California
Manchester State Park California
McArthur-Burney Falls State Park California
Mendocino National Forest California
Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve California
Navarro River Redwoods State Park California
Patrick's Point State Park California
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park California
Plumas-Eureka State Park California
Point Sur State Park California
Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park California
Richardson Grove State Park California
Salt Point State Park California
Van Damme State Park California
Crawford State Park Colorado
Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado
Gunnison National Forest Colorado
Jackson Lake State Park Colorado
John Martin Reservoir Colorado
Navajo State Park Colorado
Paonia State Park Colorado
Pearl Lake State Park Colorado
Ridgway State Park Colorado
Slumgullion Center County Park Colorado
Stagecoach State Park Colorado
State Forest State Park Colorado
Steamboat Lake State Park Colorado
Sylvan Lake State Park Colorado
Uncompahre National Forest Colorado
Vega State Park Colorado
White River National Forest Colorado
Big Cypress Preserve National Park Florida
Kissimmee Prairie State Park Florida
St George Island State Park Florida
Okefenokee Wildlife Reserve Georgia
Stephen C. Foster State Park Georgia
Ha'ena State Park Hawaii
Haleakala National Park Hawaii
Kau Forest Reserve Hawaii
Kaumahina State Wayside Hawaii
Koke'e State Park Hawaii
Na Pali-Kona Forest Reserve Hawaii
Pala'au State Park Hawaii
Polipoli Spring State Recreation Area Hawaii
Pua'a Ka'a State Wayside Hawaii
Wai'anapanapa State Park Hawaii
Wailua Valley State Wayside Hawaii
Waimea Canyon State Park Hawaii
Bear Lake State Park Idaho
Castle Rocks State Park Idaho
Central Idaho Dark Sky National Reserve Idaho
City of Rocks National Reserve Idaho
Craters Of The Moon National Monument Idaho
Harriman State Park Idaho
Henrys Lake State Park Idaho
Priest Lake State Park Idaho
Sawtooth National Park Idaho
Middle Fork River State Forest Illinois
Nine Eagle State Park Iowa
Cedar Bluff State Park Kansas
Cross Timbers State Park Kansas
Fall River State Park Kansas
Kanopolis State Park Kansas
Lake Scott State Park Kansas
Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park Kansas
Lovewell State Park Kansas
Meade State Park Kansas
Mushroom Rock State Park Kansas
Webster State Park Kansas
Wilson State Park Kansas
Dewey Wills Wildlife Management Louisiana
Tensas River National Wildlife Reserve Louisiana
Baxter State Park Maine
Cobscook Bay State Park Maine
Grafton Notch State Park Maine
Katahdin Woods & Waters National Monument Maine
Lily Bay State Park Maine
Mount Blue State Park Maine
Peaks-Kenny State Park Maine
Quoddy Head State Park Maine
Rangeley Lake State Park Maine
Roque Bluffs State Park Maine
Clear Lake State Park Michigan
Craig Lake State Park Michigan
Dr. T.K. Lawless County Park Michigan
Fayette Historic State Park Michigan
Fort Wilkins Historic State Park Michigan
Headlands State Park Michigan
Hiawatha National Forest Michigan
Hoeft State Park Michigan
Isle Royale National Park Michigan
Lake Gogebic State Park Michigan
Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park Michigan
Leelanau State Park Michigan
Negwegon State Park Michigan
Onaway State Park Michigan
Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park Michigan
Sturgeon Point State Park Michigan
Tahquamemon Falls Michigan
Thompsons Harbor State Park Michigan
Wells State Park Michigan
Wilderness State Park Michigan
Big Bog State Recreation Area Minnesota
Boundary Waters Canoe National Wildlife Reserve Minnesota
Cascade River State Park Minnesota
Garden Island State Recreation Area Minnesota
George Crosby Manitou State Park Minnesota
Hayes Lake State Park Minnesota
Itasca State Park Minnesota
La Salle Lake State Recreation Area Minnesota
Old Mill State Park Minnesota
Savanna Portage State Park Minnesota
Scenic State Park Minnesota
Split Rock Lighthouse State Park Minnesota
Temperance River State Park Minnesota
Voyageurs National Park Minnesota
Zippel Bay State Park Minnesota
Current River State Park Missouri
Sam Baker Missouri
Ackley Lake State Park Montana
Bannack State Park Montana
Beaverhead Rock State Park Montana
Fish Creek State Park Montana
Glacier National Park Montana
Logan State Park Montana
Medicine Rocks State Park Montana
Thompson Chain-of-Lakes Montana
Agate Fossil Beds Nebraska
Beaver Dam State Park Nevada
Echo Canyon State Park Nevada
Elgin Schoolhouse Nevada
Massacre Rim Wildlife Study Area Nevada
Rye Patch Reservoir Nevada
Ward Charcoal Ovens State Park Nevada
Androscoggin Wayside Park New Hampshire
Coleman State Park New Hampshire
Crawford Notch State Park New Hampshire
Deer Mountain Campground New Hampshire
Dixville Notch State Park New Hampshire
Lake Francis State Park New Hampshire
Lake Tarleton State Park New Hampshire
Mollidgewock State Park New Hampshire
Mt. Washington State Park New Hampshire
White Mountain National Forest New Hampshire
Capulin Volcano National Monument New Mexico
Chaco Culture National Park New Mexico
Cimarron Canyon State Park New Mexico
City of Rocks State Park New Mexico
Conchas Lake State Park New Mexico
Coyote Creek State Park New Mexico
El Morro National Monument New Mexico
El Vado Lake State Park New Mexico
Fort Union National Monument New Mexico
Heron Lake State Park New Mexico
Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument New Mexico
Valles Caldera National Reserve New Mexico
Villanueva State Park New Mexico
Adirondack Park New York
Mayland Earth to Sky State Park North Carolina
Ocracoke Campground North Carolina
Pisgah State Park North Carolina
Beaver Lake State Park North Dakota
Alabaster Caverns Oklahoma
Clayton Lake Oklahoma
Gloss Mountain State Park Oklahoma
McGee Creek State Park Oklahoma
Talimena State Park Oklahoma
Arizona Beach State Recreation Area Oregon
Cape Blanco State Park Oregon
Cape Lookout State Park Oregon
Cape Sebastian Oregon
Carl G. Washburne State Park Oregon
Cascadia State Park Oregon
Catherine Creek State Park Oregon
Collier Memorial State Park Oregon
Cottonwood Canyon State Park Oregon
Emigrant Springs State Recreation Area Oregon
Hug Point State Recreation Area Oregon
Humbug Mountain State Park Oregon
Jackson F. Kimball State Recreation Area Oregon
Joseph H. Stewart State Recreation Area Oregon
Minam State Recreation Area Oregon
Prineville Reservoir State Park Oregon
Saddle Mountain State Natural Area Oregon
Sitka Sedge State Natural Area Oregon
Stonefield Beach State Recreation Area Oregon
Tokatee Klootchman State Natural Area Oregon
Umpqua National Forest Oregon
Unity Lake State Recreation Area Oregon
Wallowa Lake State Recreation Area Oregon
White River Falls State Park Oregon
Willamette National Forest Oregon
Cherry Springs State Park Pennsylvania
Susquehannock State Forest Pennsylvania
Badlands National Park South Dakota
Buryanek State Recreation Area South Dakota
Fort Sisseton State Park South Dakota
Lake Louise State Recreation Area South Dakota
Little Moreau State Recreation Area South Dakota
Llewellyn Johns State Recreation Area South Dakota
North Wheeler State Recreation Area South Dakota
Pease Creek State Recreation Area South Dakota
Platte Creek State Recreation Area South Dakota
Snake Creek State Recreation Area South Dakota
Swan Creek State Recreation Area South Dakota
West Bend State Recreation Area South Dakota
West Whitlock State Recreation Area South Dakota
Obed Wild & Scenic River National Reserve Tennessee
Big Bend Ranch State Park Texas
Caprock Canyons State Park Texas
Colorado Bend State Park Texas
Copper Breaks State Park Texas
Davis Mountains State Park Texas
Devil's River State Natural Area Texas
Devil's Sinkhole Texas
Kickapoo Cavern State Park Texas
Lost Maples State Natural Area Texas
Seminole Canyon State Park Texas
UBarU Camp & Retreat Texas
Antelope Island State Park Utah
Arches National Park Utah
Bear Lake State Park Utah
Bryce Canyon National Park Utah
Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park Utah
East Canyon State Park Utah
Green River State Park Utah
Hovenweep National Monument Utah
Jordanelle State Park Utah
Kodachrome Basin State Park Utah
Natural Bridges National Monument Utah
North Fork State Park Utah
Piute State Park Utah
Rainbow Bridge National Monument Utah
Rockport State Park Utah
Steinaker State Park Utah
Yuba State Park Utah
Big Deer State Park Vermont
Boulder Beach State Park Vermont
Kettle Pond State Park Vermont
Maidstone State Park Vermont
New Discovery State Park Vermont
Ricker Pond State Park Vermont
Seyon Lodge State Park Vermont
Stillwater State Park Vermont
Highland County Virginia
James River State Park Virginia
Rappahannock County Park Virginia
Staunton River State Park Virginia
Brooks Memorial State Park Washington
Camp Wooten State Park Washington
Colville National Forest Washington
Crawford State Park Washington
Fields Spring State Park Washington
Leadbetter Point State Park Washington
Lyons Ferry State Park Washington
Mount Rainier National Park Washington
Mt Adams Washington
North Cascades National Park Washington
Olympic National Park Washington
Palouse Falls State Park Washington
Pearrygin Lake State Park Washington
Sun Lakes State Park Washington
Beartown State Park West Virginia
Calvin Price State Forest West Virginia
Cass Scenic Railroad State Park West Virginia
Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park West Virginia
Holly River State Park West Virginia
Kumbrabow State Forest West Virginia
Seneca State Forest West Virginia
Watoga State Park West Virginia
Big Bay State Park Wisconsin
Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest Wisconsin
Newport State Park Wisconsin
Rock Island State Park Wisconsin
Bighorn National Forest Wyoming
Boysen State Park Wyoming
Bridger-Teton National Forest Wyoming
Seminoe State Park Wyoming

NP = national park | SP = state park | NF = national forest | SF = state forest | NWR = national wildlife reserve | SRA = state recreational area

U.S. nighttime lights satellite map

US night lights satellite image

2019 satellite image showing US light pollution. See full interactive map at Blue Marble Navigator.


U.S. light pollution map

US light pollution map

2015 map showing US light pollution based on Bortle scale/SQM data. See full interactive map at LightPollutionMap.info.