Canyons Wilderness Study Area
Canyons Wilderness Study Area is a protected area in New Mexico with a measured darkness of 92/100 (≈ 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 75% of the night sky is clear.
Tonight's outlook: 60/100. The moon is 7% lit and above the horizon 13% of the night; typical August clear-sky odds here are 58%. Updated daily.
Best time to stargaze at Canyons Wilderness Study Area
| Month | Clear night skies | Sky Score (new moon) |
|---|---|---|
| January | 57% | 60/100 |
| February | 64% | 66/100 |
| March | 64% | 65/100 |
| April | 72% | 72/100 |
| May ★ | 75% | 74/100 |
| June | 68% | 68/100 |
| July | 54% | 58/100 |
| August | 58% | 61/100 |
| September | 74% | 73/100 |
| October | 74% | 73/100 |
| November | 72% | 71/100 |
| December | 62% | 64/100 |
Scores assume a moonless night — check the moon before you drive (methodology).
Where to stay near Canyons Wilderness Study Area
Each place below is rated for the darkness at its own doorstep — stay dark, and the sky is yours from the parking lot.
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SureStay
50.1 km away · Grants · darkness at hotel: 52/100
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Super 8 by Wyndham Grants
50.2 km away · Grants · darkness at hotel: 52/100
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Best Western Grants Inn
50.3 km away · Grants · darkness at hotel: 52/100
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Holiday Inn Express & Suites
50.4 km away · Grants · darkness at hotel: 52/100
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Motel 6
50.5 km away · Grants · darkness at hotel: 52/100
Booking links are affiliate links — disclosure.
Nearby spots in New Mexico
- El Malpais National Monument — 20.6 km · Sky Score 64/100
- La Ventana Arch Viewpoint — 21 km · Sky Score 64/100
- Sandstone Bluff Overlook — 30.1 km · Sky Score 61/100
- El Calderon viewpoint — 31.7 km · Sky Score 63/100
- El Morro National Monument — 55.3 km · Sky Score 64/100