< dark sky directory

PA dark sky places

List of darkest parks and places in Pennsylvania for stargazing, astrophotography, astrotourism, star parties, and astronomy club events. Often these are national and state parks and forests that are either remote or "protected" against light pollution.

National and state parks often let you stay overnight under the stars, hence their motto - "Half the park is after dark".

Bortle scale for sites is given where known. Also ask your local astronomy club for guidance as they will know the darkest places.

DARK PARK	BORTLE
Allegheny National Forest
Black Moshannon State Park	3
Chapman State Park	3
Cherry Springs State Park	2
Clear Creek State Park	3
Cook Forest State Park	3
Elk State Park	3
French Creek State Park
Kinzua Bridge State Park	3
Laurel Hill State Park
Little Pine State Park	3
McCalls Dam State Park	3
Mount Pisgah State Park	3
Parker Dam State Park	3
Poe Paddy State Park	3
Poe Valley State Park	3
Raymond Winter State Park	3
Simon Elliot State Park	3
Sproul State Forest
Susquehannock State Forest	2
Trough Creek State Park	3
Upper Pine Bottom State Park	3
Worlds End State Park	3

Light pollution map w/ Bortle

On the left is a 2023 satellite image of PA showing light pollution from the NOAA National Geophysical Data Center. On the right is a 2015 light pollution map showing sky brightness at the zenith from World Atlas data. Colors correspond approximately to the Bortle scale. Use as a guide to find the darkest sky locations near you.