Stargazing by state

Stargazing in New Mexico: 100 dark-sky spots, rated by data

We measured the night sky over every one of these spots — satellite radiance, skyglow from surrounding cities, and ten years of cloud climatology (how the Sky Score works). The darkest sky in New Mexico scores 70/100.

All New Mexico spots, darkest first

#	Spot	Sky Score	Darkness
1	amazing viewViewpoint	70/100	≈ Bortle 2
2	BLMPark / protected area	69/100	≈ Bortle 2
3	Continental Divide Wilderness Study AreaPark / protected area	69/100	≈ Bortle 2
4	Alamo Hueco Mountains Wilderness Study AreaPark / protected area	69/100	≈ Bortle 2
5	Big Hatchet Mountains Wilderness Study AreaPark / protected area	69/100	≈ Bortle 2
6	Gray Peak Wilderness Study AreaPark / protected area	69/100	≈ Bortle 2
7	Brokeoff Mountains Wilderness Study AreaPark / protected area	69/100	≈ Bortle 2
8	Blue Range WildernessPark / protected area	69/100	≈ Bortle 2
9	Horse Mountain Wilderness Study AreaPark / protected area	69/100	≈ Bortle 2
10	Jornada del Muerto Wilderness Study AreaPark / protected area	69/100	≈ Bortle 2
11	Cowboy Spring Wilderness Study AreaPark / protected area	69/100	≈ Bortle 2
12	Eagle Peak Wilderness Study AreaPark / protected area	68/100	≈ Bortle 2
13	Apache Kid WildernessPark / protected area	68/100	≈ Bortle 2
14	Site where Roswell ship explodedViewpoint	68/100	≈ Bortle 2
15	Withington WildernessPark / protected area	68/100	≈ Bortle 2
16	Roswell crashViewpoint	67/100	≈ Bortle 2
17	Sabinoso WildernessPark / protected area	67/100	≈ Bortle 2
18	Aldo Leopold WildernessPark / protected area	67/100	≈ Bortle 2
19	Canyons Wilderness Study AreaPark / protected area	67/100	≈ Bortle 2
20	Fisherman's PointViewpoint	67/100	≈ Bortle 2
21	Gran Quivira Unit - Salinas Pueblo Missions National MonumentPark / protected area	67/100	≈ Bortle 2
22	Gila Cliff Dwellings National MonumentPark / protected area	67/100	≈ Bortle 2
23	Flight DeckViewpoint	66/100	≈ Bortle 2
24	Gila WildernessPark / protected area	66/100	≈ Bortle 2
25	Elephant Butte Lake State ParkPark / protected area	66/100	≈ Bortle 2
26	Senator Clinton P. Anderson Wilderness OverlookViewpoint	66/100	≈ Bortle 2
27	Pueblo Bonito OverlookViewpoint	66/100	≈ Bortle 2
28	Rio Chama Wilderness Study AreaPark / protected area	66/100	≈ Bortle 2
29	Roswell UFO MonumentViewpoint	65/100	≈ Bortle 2
30	Austin Roberts VistaViewpoint	65/100	≈ Bortle 2
31	Salinas Pueblo Missions National MonumentPark / protected area	65/100	≈ Bortle 2
32	Fort Union National MonumentPark / protected area	65/100	≈ Bortle 2
33	Emory Pass VistaViewpoint	65/100	≈ Bortle 2
34	Chama River Canyon WildernessPark / protected area	65/100	≈ Bortle 2
35	City of Rocks State ParkPark / protected area	65/100	≈ Bortle 2
36	San Antonio Mountain Winter Wildlife Viewing AreaViewpoint	65/100	≈ Bortle 2
37	San Lorenzo Ridge OverlookViewpoint	65/100	≈ Bortle 2
38	B-24 WingViewpoint	64/100	≈ Bortle 2
39	El Vado Lake State ParkPark / protected area	64/100	≈ Bortle 2
40	Sheep CrossingViewpoint	64/100	≈ Bortle 2
41	Heron Lake State ParkPark / protected area	64/100	≈ Bortle 2
42	Cruces Basin WildernessPark / protected area	64/100	≈ Bortle 2
43	Rio Grande del Norte National MonumentPark / protected area	64/100	≈ Bortle 2
44	Sumner Lake State ParkPark / protected area	64/100	≈ Bortle 2
45	Villanueva State ParkPark / protected area	64/100	≈ Bortle 2
46	El Malpais National MonumentPark / protected area	64/100	≈ Bortle 2
47	Conchas Lake State ParkPark / protected area	64/100	≈ Bortle 2
48	El Morro National MonumentPark / protected area	64/100	≈ Bortle 2
49	Abó Unit - Salinas Pueblo Missions National MonumentPark / protected area	64/100	≈ Bortle 2
50	Caballo Lake State ParkPark / protected area	64/100	≈ Bortle 2
51	Chimney Rock ViewpointViewpoint	64/100	≈ Bortle 2
52	Lovers LeapViewpoint	64/100	≈ Bortle 2
53	La Junta PointViewpoint	64/100	≈ Bortle 2
54	La Ventana Arch ViewpointViewpoint	64/100	≈ Bortle 2
55	De Na Zin Overlook (no access to trail)Viewpoint	64/100	≈ Bortle 2
56	San Jon Hill ViewViewpoint	64/100	≈ Bortle 2
57	sacramento camp lookoutViewpoint	64/100	≈ Bortle 2
58	San Juan OverlookViewpoint	64/100	≈ Bortle 2
59	Provenance ConeViewpoint	64/100	≈ Bortle 2
60	Capulin Volcano National MonumentPark / protected area	63/100	≈ Bortle 2
61	Jemez National Recreation AreaPark / protected area	63/100	≈ Bortle 2
62	Jemez Canyon OverlookViewpoint	63/100	≈ Bortle 2
63	El Calderon viewpointViewpoint	63/100	≈ Bortle 2
64	Coyote Creek State ParkPark / protected area	63/100	≈ Bortle 2
65	Clayton Lake State Park and Dinosaur TrackwaysPark / protected area	63/100	≈ Bortle 2
66	Fenton Lake State ParkPark / protected area	63/100	≈ Bortle 2
67	White Sands National ParkPark / protected area	62/100	≈ Bortle 2
68	U S HillViewpoint	62/100	≈ Bortle 2
69	Fray Cristobal Mountain OverlookViewpoint	62/100	≈ Bortle 2
70	Quarai Unit - Salinas Pueblo Missions National MonumentPark / protected area	62/100	≈ Bortle 2
71	Navajo Lake State ParkPark / protected area	62/100	≈ Bortle 2
72	Cimarron Canyon State ParkPark / protected area	62/100	≈ Bortle 2
73	Morphy Lake State ParkPark / protected area	62/100	≈ Bortle 2
74	Gorge Bridge Scenic OverlookViewpoint	61/100	≈ Bortle 2
75	Sandstone Bluff OverlookViewpoint	61/100	≈ Bortle 2
76	Eagle Nest Lake State ParkPark / protected area	61/100	≈ Bortle 2
77	Manzano Mountains State ParkPark / protected area	61/100	≈ Bortle 2
78	Kennedy PointViewpoint	60/100	≈ Bortle 2
79	Percha Dam State ParkPark / protected area	59/100	≈ Bortle 3
80	Rockhound State ParkPark / protected area	59/100	≈ Bortle 3
81	Bluewater Lake State ParkPark / protected area	58/100	≈ Bortle 3
82	Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National MonumentPark / protected area	57/100	≈ Bortle 3
83	Carlsbad Caverns National ParkPark / protected area	57/100	≈ Bortle 3
84	Oilver Lee Memorial State ParkPark / protected area	56/100	≈ Bortle 3
85	Cerrillos Hills State ParkPark / protected area	55/100	≈ Bortle 3
86	Santa Rosa Lake State ParkPark / protected area	53/100	≈ Bortle 3
87	Bottomless Lakes State ParkPark / protected area	53/100	≈ Bortle 3
88	Bandelier National MonumentPark / protected area	51/100	≈ Bortle 3
89	Brantley Lake State ParkPark / protected area	51/100	≈ Bortle 4
90	Leasburg Dam State ParkPark / protected area	51/100	≈ Bortle 4
91	Hyde Memorial State ParkPark / protected area	50/100	≈ Bortle 3
92	Ute Lake State ParkPark / protected area	50/100	≈ Bortle 4
93	Oasis State ParkPark / protected area	49/100	≈ Bortle 4
94	Storrie Lake State ParkPark / protected area	48/100	≈ Bortle 4
95	Prehistoric Trackways National MonumentPark / protected area	47/100	≈ Bortle 4
96	Pancho Villa State ParkPark / protected area	46/100	≈ Bortle 4
97	Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National MonumentPark / protected area	44/100	≈ Bortle 4
98	Aztec Ruins National MonumentPark / protected area	43/100	≈ Bortle 4
99	Mesilla Valley Bosque State ParkPark / protected area	42/100	≈ Bortle 4
100	Petroglyph National MonumentPark / protected area	31/100	≈ Bortle 6

Other states: Arizona · Nevada · Texas · Utah — or the overall ranking.