The darkest skies we've measured, ranked by data
This ranking is not opinion: every spot was scored from NASA Black Marble satellite radiance, a skyglow model calibrated on reference dark-sky sites, and ten years of cloud climatology. Full methodology here. Scores cap at 94: we don't rate a sky darker than our darkest ground-truth anchor. Coverage today: the American Southwest, Spain and Portugal; more countries will join this ranking as we expand. Every spot guide lists places to stay nearby, each rated for the darkness measured at the hotel itself.
Top 25 overall
| # | Spot | State | Sky Score | Darkness | Where to stay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cabeza Prieta Wilderness | Arizona · United States | 75/100 | 94/100 · ≈ B2 | Stays → |
| 2 | Kofa Wilderness | Arizona · United States | 73/100 | 92/100 · ≈ B2 | Stays → |
| 3 | Death Valley National Park | Nevada · United States | 73/100 | 93/100 · ≈ B2 | Stays → |
| 4 | KOFA Pronghorn Protected Area | Arizona · United States | 73/100 | 92/100 · ≈ B2 | Stays → |
| 5 | Queer Mountain Wilderness Study Area | Nevada · United States | 73/100 | 94/100 · ≈ B2 | Stays → |
| 6 | Trigo Mountain Wilderness | Arizona · United States | 72/100 | 89/100 · ≈ B2 | Stays → |
| 7 | Rawhide Mountains Wilderness | Arizona · United States | 72/100 | 92/100 · ≈ B2 | Stays → |
| 8 | Grapevine Mountains Wilderness Study Area | Nevada · United States | 72/100 | 93/100 · ≈ B2 | Stays → |
| 9 | Pigeon Spring Wilderness Study Area | Nevada · United States | 71/100 | 93/100 · ≈ B2 | Stays → |
| 10 | Harcuvar Mountains Wilderness | Arizona · United States | 71/100 | 91/100 · ≈ B2 | Stays → |
| 11 | Delamar Mountains Wilderness | Nevada · United States | 70/100 | 92/100 · ≈ B2 | Stays → |
| 12 | South Rim Viewpoint | Texas · United States | 70/100 | 94/100 · ≈ B2 | Stays → |
| 13 | Mount Logan Wilderness | Arizona · United States | 70/100 | 94/100 · ≈ B2 | Stays → |
| 14 | Mount Trumbull Wilderness | Arizona · United States | 70/100 | 94/100 · ≈ B2 | Stays → |
| 15 | Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument | Arizona · United States | 70/100 | 94/100 · ≈ B2 | Stays → |
| 16 | The Window Viewpoint | Texas · United States | 70/100 | 94/100 · ≈ B2 | Stays → |
| 17 | Big Bend National Park | Texas · United States | 70/100 | 94/100 · ≈ B2 | Stays → |
| 18 | Basin and Range National Monument | Nevada · United States | 70/100 | 94/100 · ≈ B2 | Stays → |
| 19 | Rio Grande Overlook | Texas · United States | 70/100 | 94/100 · ≈ B2 | Stays → |
| 20 | Worthington Mountains Wilderness | Nevada · United States | 70/100 | 94/100 · ≈ B2 | Stays → |
| 21 | Swansea Wilderness | Arizona · United States | 70/100 | 89/100 · ≈ B2 | Stays → |
| 22 | Harquahala Mountains Wilderness | Arizona · United States | 70/100 | 90/100 · ≈ B2 | Stays → |
| 23 | Queen City Summit panorama | Nevada · United States | 70/100 | 93/100 · ≈ B2 | Stays → |
| 24 | Tres Alamos Wilderness | Arizona · United States | 70/100 | 90/100 · ≈ B2 | Stays → |
| 25 | LM Peak | Texas · United States | 70/100 | 94/100 · ≈ B2 | Stays → |
The darkest sky in each region
Azores · Portugal
Área de Paisagem Protegida da Zona Central e Falésias da Costa Oeste · 43/100
Serra da Estrela & Centro · Portugal
Miradouro do Cabeço Alto · 53/100
Trás-os-Montes & the North · Portugal
Miradouro da Senhora da Luz · 47/100