📍 Central ID🌑 Bortle 2🚗 In south-central Idaho along Highway 20/26/93, about 1.5 hours southeast of Sun Valley/Ketchum.📅 Certified an International Dark Sky Park in 2017.
About Craters of the Moon
Craters of the Moon protects a stark volcanic landscape in one of the darkest regions of the continental U.S., and was certified an International Dark Sky Park in 2017. The black lava plains give an almost total absence of reflected light, making for exceptionally deep contrast between land and sky.
What you can see in the sky
Milky Way over the black lava fields, with essentially no obstruction to the horizon in most directions.
Best time of year
Any clear, moonless night — the surrounding region has very little development, and the park is far from large cities.
Why this site is worth the drive
Certified International Dark Sky Park
One of the darkest regions in the continental United States
Otherworldly volcanic terrain adds a striking foreground for night photography
Practical tips for Craters of the Moon
The loop road and visitor centre parking make for easy, accessible viewing spots
Lava terrain is sharp and uneven — good footwear and a headlamp are essential after dark
Little development nearby means minimal light dome from any direction
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 Craters of the Moon good for stargazing tonight?
Tonight's verdict is No-go (High confidence). Overcast: mean cloud 100%, minimum 100%. Sit this one out.
When is the best time of year to stargaze at Craters of the Moon?
Any clear, moonless night — the surrounding region has very little development, and the park is far from large cities.
How long is the drive from Toronto?
In south-central Idaho along Highway 20/26/93, about 1.5 hours southeast of Sun Valley/Ketchum.
What can I see in the sky here?
Milky Way over the black lava fields, with essentially no obstruction to the horizon in most directions.
How dark is the sky? (Bortle scale)
Craters of the Moon sits at Bortle class 2 on the 1–9 dark-sky scale, where 1 is a pristine wilderness sky and 9 is an inner-city sky.