The Darkest Skies
in Indiana
Access the definitive rankings of the top 10 National Park Service Champions and International Dark Sky Parks in Indiana. Explore our comprehensive directory of 133 Indiana cities to find the perfect dark sky spot with verified scientific data.
National Park Service Reports
The darkest verified spots in the state. Pro Tip: Dark sky reports reveal their best details through precision optics.
Dune Trail
Sleeping Bear Dunes NL
Local Relevance
For observers in Indiana, Dune Trail serves as the definitive baseline for high-altitude transparency and localized skyglow data.
"No clouds, but high moisture in atmosphere is creating poor transparency. Stars are soft, with a ring of moisture visible around bright stars. High airglow apparent. Milky Way just visible, no detials apparent."
Houchin's Field
Mammoth Cave NP
Local Relevance
The scientific findings at Houchin's Field provide Indiana residents with the most reliable data on regional atmospheric stability.
"A very calm, humid and clear night. Dewfall occurred during data collection, however dew heater prevented lens fog. Multiple light domes evident from site, as well as a continuous glow along horizon in all directions. Airglow was present."
Log Cabins
Fort Donelson NB
Local Relevance
For observers in Indiana, Log Cabins serves as the definitive baseline for high-altitude transparency and localized skyglow data.
"SQM of 20.47 at 2035 local time. Only fair transparency and seeing. Some fast moving clouds. High humidity. Milky Way visible from 20 degrees above north horizon. Great rift visible, Saggitarius cloud not easily visible, Scutum cloud not visible."
Kemil Beach
Indiana Dunes NL
Local Relevance
Indiana enthusiasts typically use the instrumented readings from Kemil Beach to calibrate their deep-sky expectations for the area.
"The light dome of Michigan City (5 miles to the ENE) was very bright, but the dome from Chicago all the way to south of INDU is by far the greatest source of skyglow. The Milky Way was visible from 15° above the horizon at both ends. Not a lot of detail was visible in the Sagittarius or Cygnus star clouds. M31 was barely visible to the naked eye without using averted vision. Comparitively, for the region, this is not too bad a place to view the night sky. If not for the local glare sources, it would be fairly quick to dark adapt and be able to see many celestial features. Was able to see 6.2 LM in Ursa Major (which was over the lake to the darker north)."
Certified Dark Sky Parks
International Dark Sky Association certified locations. Visiting a park? Don't forget a red-light flashlight to preserve the dark.
Beverly Shores, Indiana
Beverly Shores is situated on the shoreline of Lake Michigan east of the greater Chicago area. Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, a park of the National Park…
Official Details →Dr. T.K. Lawless County Park
Located in the State of Michigan, Dr. T.K. Lawless Park (Lawless Park) is nestled within Cass County, in the Southwest corner of the Lower Peninsula. The park…
Official Details →Homer Glen, Illinois
Homer Glen is a city of 25,000 people located thirty miles southwest of Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 2001 as a city committed to sustainable growth and…
Official Details →Mammoth Cave National Park
Named for the enormity of its “mammoth” subterranean vaults and the unparalleled extent of its passages, Mammoth Cave National Park is the longest known cave…
Official Details →Middle Fork River Forest Preserve
Middle Fork River Forest Preserve is a 688-hectare site in Champaign County, Illinois, U.S. It is one of six public preserves owned and operated by the…
Official Details →Obed Wild and Scenic River
Obed Wild and Scenic River consists of about 2,020 hectares of land within roughly 400 meters on either side of the Obed River in Tennessee, U.S.
Official Details →Palos Preserves
The Forest Preserve District of Cook County (the “Forest Preserves”) is one of our nation’s oldest and largest conservation districts containing nearly 70,000…
Official Details →Pickett CCC Memorial State Park & Pogue Creek Canyon State Natural Area
Pickett-Pogue International Dark Sky Park is composed of 1,618 hectares of land jointly managed by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and…
Official Details →Stacy Park
Stacy Park is a 35-acre park located in Olivette, Missouri and is approximately 10 miles west of St. Louis City. Established in 1926, Stacy Park is one of five…
Official Details →Gearing Up for Indiana Nights
"The geographic diversity of Indiana means your gear needs to be as adaptable as the terrain; we recommend a balance of heavy-duty optics and portable power for state-wide exploration."
The Indiana Field Kit
Across the breadth of Indiana, the transition from major light domes to protected scientific zones creates a unique challenge for the modern observer.
Browse Cities
Find detailed scientific reports for 133 unique locations across Indiana.