IDA-certified — swamp preserve adjacent to Everglades.
Updated:
· Tonight: Friday, August 14, 2026
📍 Southern FL🌑 Bortle 3🚗 Along US-41 (Tamiami Trail) between Miami and Naples, FL.📅 Designated an International Dark Sky Park in 2016.
About Big Cypress
Big Cypress National Preserve, bordering the Everglades in southern Florida, was designated an International Dark Sky Park in 2016. It sits far enough from Miami and Naples that the swamp interior stays genuinely dark, with the Kirby Storter Boardwalk a favorite spot for a look at the sky.
What you can see in the sky
Milky Way over cypress swamp, one of the darkest areas remaining east of the Mississippi.
Best time of year
Dry season (November–April) for clearer skies and fewer mosquitoes; viewing is possible year-round after sunset.
Why this site is worth the drive
International Dark Sky Park since 2016
290,000 hectares of protected swamp bordering Everglades National Park
Kirby Storter Boardwalk is a popular, easily accessible night-sky spot
Practical tips for Big Cypress
Insect repellent is essential, especially outside the dry season
Cell coverage is unreliable — download maps before heading out
The preserve is free to enter, unlike many national park units
Live 48-hour forecast
Tonight's verdict above is a build-time snapshot. For the full
hourly view — cloud cover, transparency, seeing, smoke, humidity,
moon altitude and a Bortle-aware tonight score by observing mode
(visual, deep-sky, planetary, astrophoto) — open the live forecast:
The live page combines Open-Meteo weather, US-AQI wildfire smoke,
moon math and Bortle-scale darkness into a single tonight score
(0–100), updated continuously.
Frequently asked questions
Is Big Cypress good for stargazing tonight?
Tonight's verdict is Poor (Medium confidence). No sustained clear window; brief gaps possible (min cloud 9%).
When is the best time of year to stargaze at Big Cypress?
Dry season (November–April) for clearer skies and fewer mosquitoes; viewing is possible year-round after sunset.
How long is the drive from Toronto?
Along US-41 (Tamiami Trail) between Miami and Naples, FL.
What can I see in the sky here?
Milky Way over cypress swamp, one of the darkest areas remaining east of the Mississippi.
How dark is the sky? (Bortle scale)
Big Cypress sits at Bortle class 3 on the 1–9 dark-sky scale, where 1 is a pristine wilderness sky and 9 is an inner-city sky.