The Best Places in US To Watch the Upcoming Meteor Showers
Showtime After Sundown
Few things in the world have the ability to inspire as much awe as a sky full of sparkling stars. And when some of those stars are of the shooting variety, well then the magic goes off the charts.
Spotting meteors—aka ‘shooting stars’—isn’t as hard as you may think, as major meteor showers generally happen at the exact same time each year. This means that, in theory, all you should have to do to fully enjoy one is to be out after dark on the right night and look skyward, but it’s not that simple though as most of us live in areas that suffer from excessive light pollution. While you can most certainly catch a glimpse of greatness at home, heading to a truly dark area is the only sure-fire way to have a remarkable experience meteor watching.
November and December see the Leonids (peaking on November 17 & 18) and the Geminids (peaking December 14th) streak across the sky, and the following places are the best spots in the country to take these meteor showers in.
Big Bend National Park, Texas
Home to the least amount of light pollution of any national park, this West Texas wonder is a sensational place to see shooting stars. Like many destinations on this list, the park is certified as a Dark Sky Park by the International Dark-Sky Association, but hard work by local authorities has it primed to be potentially upgraded to Dark Sky Preserve status—a designation applied to more expansive spaces of dark skies.
Make for the quirky small town of Marfa before or after your visit to truly get a sense of the unique character of this unique corner of the country.
Joshua Tree National Park, California
There aren’t too many slices of dark sky left in Southern California, but the eastern section of Joshua Tree still offers up an extraordinary retreat from the lights of LA and the Inland Empire. Visit during the meteor showers to see a display of glittery objects that could rival anything on the Hollywood red carpets.
Denali National Park, Alaska
No, it’s not just the Northern Lights you should look up for in amazing Alaska’s crown jewel of a park, because the state also offers up sensational vistas of winter meteor showers. But if you’re lucky, you’ll get a viewing of the dancing lights too for the ultimate bucket list meteor-viewing experience.
Canyonlands National Park, Utah
Minimal light pollution leads to exceptionally-clear skies above Canyonlands, one of Utah’s “Mighty Five” national parks—a quintet that has all been certified International Dark Sky Parks. This winter, explore the park’s four breathtaking districts by day, then sit back and watch the meteors shoot overheard at night.
The Badlands, South Dakota
The lunar-like landscape of South Dakota’s Badlands National Park also boasts excellent views of the moon, stars and meteors dashing across the sky. You might be able to spot the International Space Station, too.
Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona
The ancient preserved trees that made this national park famous may grab the lion share of the headlines, but the park is increasingly becoming a center for stargazing. Park authorities have recently taken steps to reduce artificial lighting and that helps make Petrified Forest a perfect place to take in meteor showers.
Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado
Home to the country’s largest sand dunes, this national park makes an exceptional vantage point from which to revel in the wonder of the night sky. Stars, meteors, the moon and all other heavenly bodies can be viewed with minimal light pollution.
Arches National Park, Utah
It may not be home to the highest peaks in the state, but it doesn’t get any more “peak Utah” than Arches. At night during a meteor shower, you’ll get the chance to see streaking beams of light behind the state’s most iconic span: Delicate Arch.
Glacier National Park, Montana
Together with Canada’s Waterton Lakes National Park, Glacier helps form the first International Dark Sky Park that spans a national border. Under the exceptionally dark winter skies here, expect to be treated to a front-row view of all meteor showers and other celestial happenings, occasionally including the Northern Lights.
Headlands International Dark Sky Park, Michigan
The surrounding county around this gorgeous space at the far northern tip of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula has put numerous laws in place to combat artificial light pollution, and meteor watchers enjoy the benefits. Head to the Headlands for a night you won’t forget and to embrace a community dedicated to dark skies.
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
Staring down into the world’s most celebrated crevice will certainly leave you awestruck, but looking up after nightfall can take your breath away just the same. Grand Canyon National Park is increasingly trying to make visitors aware that “half the park is after dark” and has recently reduced/adjusted its lighting scheme, meaning that this winter’s meteor showers will be even more impressive than usual.
Great Basin National Park, Nevada
You’ll find the Great Basin smack dab between the Wasatch Mountains and the Sierra Nevadas and the region’s namesake national park shows off the beauty and unique landscapes of this isolated and sparsely populated area. The dry climate, clear nights and lack of light pollution of the basin help make it a prime place to appreciate the stars and meteors above.
Cosmic Campground, New Mexico
You’ll experience a 360-degree, unobstructed view of the night sky at this unique campground inside Gila National Forest. The campground often holds “star parties”, which see star and meteor gazers coming together to celebrate both the show above them and this special vantage point.
Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida
A short drive from Naples, Ft. Meyers and Miami, Big Cypress is one of the last slivers of dark sky left in South Florida and it has become a haven for those who love to stare skyward. Visit during daylight to view the preserve’s unique biodiversity (a list that includes the famous Florida panther) but stay around to see stars streak across the sky.
Mauna Kea, Hawai’i
This majestic Hawaiian mountain is crowned with one of the world’s most important astronomical observatories, offering crystal-clear vistas above cloudline. Visitors aren’t allowed to stay at the peak too long past sunset due to the operations of the observatory, but the views of the stars above from lower down on the mountain are nearly as spectacular.
Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky
It’s understandable that many people would think that all the beauty of Mammoth Cave is buried underground, but the world’s longest known cave system is only half the story. Above ground, the park provides a dark sky perfect for viewing meteors, stars, constellations and planets.
Acadia National Park, Maine
Located a safe distance from many of the East Coast’s biggest and brightest metropolises, Acadia is a haven for those seeking star shows. Sand Beach offers the unique opportunity to see shooting stars above while the waves lap ashore at your feet.
Zion National Park, Utah
As soon as the sun goes down in Zion, many of the park’s tourists head for the exits, but those who stick around for the stars are richly rewarded—especially this time of year. Exceptionally clear skies make Zion a perfect place to take in the upcoming meteor showers, with a hallmark of stargazing here being the ability to see streaking meteors against a silhouette of the park’s famous jagged cliffs.
Channel Islands National Park, California
The skies over Southern California are full of artificial light and while the national parks to the east offer exceptional escapes, why not head to a place where you can see stars by the sea? Not only is Channel Islands one of our most underrated national parks, but it also offers up wonderful views of each winter’s meteor showers.
Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve
This rugged area is home to over 1,400 square miles of night sky-viewing bliss inside Sawtooth National Forest. The area is well regarded for its distinct lack of development but it still owns a wealth of tourism infrastructure that makes meteor watching trips easy to plan and execute.
Cherry Springs State Park, Pennsylvania
Set over 2,000 feet above sea level in Pennsylvania’s Susquehannock State Forest, this state park’s “astronomy field’ offers astounding 360-degree views of the heavens above. Book one of the local cabins full for the full Cherry Springs meteor-watching experience.
Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah
The population of Southeast Utah is especially sparse, lending extremely dark skies to this stretch of the Colorado Plateau. Seeing Sipapu—the largest bridge in the park—in front of a scattering of shooting stars is a sight that is bound to stay with you forever.
White Sands National Park, New Mexico
New Mexico is a sensational place to stargaze as it boasts a special combination of high elevations, clear nights and a low population density. Internationally-accredited spots include Clayton Lake State Park, Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument and Capulin Volcano National Monument shine, but you can’t beat seeing meteors streak over a bed of white sand. You’ll need to register with the White Sands National Park to gain overnight access to the sands, but once you do, you’re in for a show.
Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota
For centuries, the skies above this region of northern Minnesota have served to guide Native Americans, trappers, lumberjacks and now the park has made multiple improvements to its in-park lighting in order to make sure modern-day visitors can get the darkest sky experience possible. Spend your day canoeing on the park’s pristine waters and your nights looking up for streaking stars.
Death Valley, California
Winter is the perfect time of year to experience Death Valley as the temperatures during the day stay in the pleasant range and at night the skies above unfurl a canvas of twinkling stars before your eyes. In addition to shooting stars, some of the astronomical objects you’ll see here (think Milky Way and a myriad of constellations) are only visible at some of the world’s darkest locations.