The Darkest Skies
in South Dakota
Access the definitive rankings of the top 10 National Park Service Champions and International Dark Sky Parks in South Dakota. Explore our comprehensive directory of 19 South Dakota 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.
Highland Creek Trailhead
Wind Cave NP
Local Relevance
For observers in South Dakota, Highland Creek Trailhead serves as the definitive baseline for high-altitude transparency and localized skyglow data.
"Sky quality measurements were recorded at Highland Creek Trailhead in Wind Cave NP on 7/4/2005. The site demonstrated a scientific darkness reading of 22.08 SQM."
West Road
Devils Tower NM
Local Relevance
The scientific findings at West Road provide South Dakota residents with the most reliable data on regional atmospheric stability.
"Sky quality measurements were recorded at West Road in Devils Tower NM on 9/6/2005. The site demonstrated a scientific darkness reading of 21.96 SQM."
Signal Hill
Jewel Cave NM
Local Relevance
The scientific findings at Signal Hill provide South Dakota residents with the most reliable data on regional atmospheric stability.
"High extinction, light domes slighlty altered. Mount Rushmore lights on and easily visible."
Joyner Ridge Parking
Devils Tower NM
Local Relevance
For observers in South Dakota, Joyner Ridge Parking serves as the definitive baseline for high-altitude transparency and localized skyglow data.
"Andromeda Galaxy easily visible with the naked eye. Some low clouds along the horizon somewhat capping the light domes of Gillette and Spearfish/Rapid City. SQM reading of 21.74."
Fort Niobrara NWR
Niobrara NSR
Local Relevance
The scientific findings at Fort Niobrara NWR provide South Dakota residents with the most reliable data on regional atmospheric stability.
"The lightdome is bright relative to the dark surrounds, but not bright enough to impact night vision. There are three very faint sources of light, but only visible after full dark adaptation, and very close to the horizon. Milky way is bright and detialed, visible from horizon to horizon. Some airglow visible later in the evening."
Norden Bridge
Niobrara NSR
Local Relevance
The scientific findings at Norden Bridge provide South Dakota residents with the most reliable data on regional atmospheric stability.
"Aurora Borealis dominated the northern horizon. Milky Way was bright and detaield, visible almost horizon to horizon."
Top of Memorial
Mount Rushmore N MEM
Local Relevance
South Dakota enthusiasts typically use the instrumented readings from Top of Memorial to calibrate their deep-sky expectations for the area.
"Sky quality measurements were recorded at Top of Memorial in Mount Rushmore N MEM on 7/6/2005. The site demonstrated a scientific darkness reading of 21.46 SQM."
Sage Hill
Badlands NP
Local Relevance
South Dakota enthusiasts typically use the instrumented readings from Sage Hill to calibrate their deep-sky expectations for the area.
"Sky quality measurements were recorded at Sage Hill in Badlands NP on 7/19/2006. The site demonstrated a scientific darkness reading of 21.46 SQM."
Heritage Center
Homestead NM
Local Relevance
South Dakota enthusiasts typically use the instrumented readings from Heritage Center to calibrate their deep-sky expectations for the area.
"Sky quality measurements were recorded at Heritage Center in Homestead NM on 9/27/2005. The site demonstrated a scientific darkness reading of 21.37 SQM."
Certified Dark Sky Parks
International Dark Sky Association certified locations. Visiting a park? Don't forget a red-light flashlight to preserve the dark.
Medicine Rocks State Park
Medicine Rocks State Park is full of history, culture, unique topography, and wonderfully dark skies. The park is also a haven for wildlife. They host dark sky…
Official Details →Merritt Reservoir State Recreation Area
Merritt Reservoir State Recreation Area (SRA) is situated in the north-central portion of the state of Nebraska, United States – a region known for its vast…
Official Details →Thousand Hills State Park
Thousand Hills State Park is situated in northeast Missouri just a few miles west of the city of Kirksville. The park consists of 3,086 acres with Forest Lake…
Official Details →Voyageurs National Park
Voyageurs National Park’s name commemorates the voyageurs—French-Canadian fur traders who were the first European settlers to frequently travel through the area.
Official Details →Gearing Up for South Dakota Nights
"Because South Dakota contains multiple distinct climate zones, ensure your observation kit includes flexible thermal management and multi-stage dew protection."
The South Dakota Field Kit
Every dedicated South Dakota enthusiast eventually curates a setup that can scale from suburban driveways to the most isolated dark sites in the state.
Browse Cities
Find detailed scientific reports for 19 unique locations across South Dakota.