Cabeza Prieta Wilderness
Cabeza Prieta Wilderness is a protected area in Arizona with a measured darkness of 94/100 (≈ Bortle 2) — among the very darkest measurable skies in the American Southwest — the Milky Way casts visible shadows on moonless nights. The best month to come is typically May, when about 87% of the night sky is clear.
Tonight's outlook: 73/100. The moon is 7% lit and above the horizon 13% of the night; typical August clear-sky odds here are 72%. Updated daily.
Best time to stargaze at Cabeza Prieta Wilderness
| Month | Clear night skies | Sky Score (new moon) |
|---|---|---|
| January | 66% | 69/100 |
| February | 71% | 72/100 |
| March | 70% | 72/100 |
| April | 82% | 80/100 |
| May ★ | 87% | 84/100 |
| June | 86% | 83/100 |
| July | 63% | 66/100 |
| August | 72% | 73/100 |
| September | 83% | 81/100 |
| October | 85% | 83/100 |
| November | 73% | 73/100 |
| December | 67% | 69/100 |
Scores assume a moonless night — check the moon before you drive (methodology).
Where to stay near Cabeza Prieta Wilderness
Each place below is rated for the darkness at its own doorstep — stay dark, and the sky is yours from the parking lot.
- Check availability →
La Siesta Motel & RV Resort
58.6 km away · Ajo · darkness at hotel: 71/100
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Gastrak RV Parking & Motel
72.3 km away · darkness at hotel: 59/100
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Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Wellton
79.5 km away · Wellton · darkness at hotel: 58/100
Booking links are affiliate links — disclosure.
Nearby spots in Arizona
- Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument — 63.1 km · Sky Score 67/100
- KOFA Pronghorn Protected Area — 119.4 km · Sky Score 73/100
- Kofa Wilderness — 123.3 km · Sky Score 73/100
- Eagletail Mountains Wilderness — 130 km · Sky Score 70/100
- Sonoran Desert National Monument — 131.9 km · Sky Score 62/100