First IDA-certified DSP in the eastern US — Okefenokee swamp horizons.
Updated:
· Tonight: Friday, August 14, 2026
📍 Okefenokee, GA🌑 Bortle 2🚗 In far southeastern Georgia near Fargo, GA, reached via GA-177 through the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.📅 Georgia's first International Dark Sky Park, designated 2016; later upgraded to Gold tier.
About Stephen Foster SP
Stephen C. Foster State Park is a small park deep inside Georgia's vast Okefenokee Swamp, and in 2016 it became the first International Dark Sky Park in Georgia — later upgraded to Gold-tier, DarkSky's darkest rating.
What you can see in the sky
Milky Way reflected on the blackwater swamp, with an exceptionally dark, gold-tier sky rating.
Best time of year
Cooler months (fall through spring) avoid the swamp's peak insect season and give clearer, less humid skies.
Why this site is worth the drive
Gold-tier International Dark Sky Park — DarkSky's highest quality rating
First Dark Sky Park in the state of Georgia
Surrounded by the 402,000-acre Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge
Practical tips for Stephen Foster SP
Bring strong insect repellent — the swamp setting means mosquitoes, especially in warmer months
The park is remote; fuel up before heading in
Boat and canoe access lets you get further from the small developed area for darker views
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 Stephen Foster SP good for stargazing tonight?
Tonight's verdict is Excellent (High confidence). 7h of clear sky (≤30% cloud) during tonight's astronomical night, mean cloud 23%.
When is the best time of year to stargaze at Stephen Foster SP?
Cooler months (fall through spring) avoid the swamp's peak insect season and give clearer, less humid skies.
How long is the drive from Toronto?
In far southeastern Georgia near Fargo, GA, reached via GA-177 through the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.
What can I see in the sky here?
Milky Way reflected on the blackwater swamp, with an exceptionally dark, gold-tier sky rating.
How dark is the sky? (Bortle scale)
Stephen Foster SP 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.