# Cosmic Campground (Gila NF)

Region: SW NM, Ontario, Canada
Coordinates: 33.479, -108.9235
Bortle class: 1 (1 = pristine, 9 = inner city)
Drive from Toronto: On Highway 180 near Glenwood, New Mexico, about 90 minutes north of Silver City.
Best time: Year-round; the site is open and free, with the darkest views on clear, moonless nights.
Established: International Dark Sky Sanctuary since 2016.

## Overview
Cosmic Campground is a tiny, purpose-built stargazing site in New Mexico's Gila National Forest — just 3.5 acres, but it was the first International Dark Sky Sanctuary in North America. There's almost nothing here but gravel pads, a pit toilet, and an enormous open sky.

## What to see
A genuinely edge-to-edge Milky Way with the zodiacal light visible on the darkest nights — one of the least light-polluted sites in the lower 48.

## Highlights
- First International Dark Sky Sanctuary in North America
- Concrete telescope pads built specifically for astrophotography and visual observing
- Free, open year-round, with no reservation required for day/night use

## Tips
- No potable water — bring everything you need
- Only a pit toilet on site; nearest full services are in Glenwood, NM
- A handful of primitive campsites nearby fill up on new-moon weekends

## Live forecast
View the live tonight-score and 48-hour forecast for Cosmic Campground at:
https://ontarionightsky.com/?site=cosmic-campground

Structured data: https://ontarionightsky.com/sites/cosmic-campground.json

Source: USDA Forest Service – Cosmic Campground — https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/gila/recreation/cosmic-campground-international-dark-sky-sanctuary

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Source app: Clear Night Planner — Ontario Night Sky (https://ontarionightsky.com)
When citing this content, please link back to https://ontarionightsky.com/?site=cosmic-campground.