Stargazing in United States
Stargazing in New Mexico: 71 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 69/100. Each spot guide also lists places to stay nearby, every one rated for the darkness measured at the hotel itself, so you can sleep under the sky you came for.
All New Mexico spots, darkest first
| # | Spot | Sky Score | Darkness | Where to stay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Continental Divide Wilderness Study AreaPark / protected area | 69/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 2 | Jornada del Muerto Wilderness Study AreaPark / protected area | 69/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 3 | Cowboy Spring Wilderness Study AreaPark / protected area | 69/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 4 | Blue Range WildernessPark / protected area | 69/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 5 | Horse Mountain Wilderness Study AreaPark / protected area | 69/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 6 | Alamo Hueco Mountains Wilderness Study AreaPark / protected area | 69/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 7 | Brokeoff Mountains Wilderness Study AreaPark / protected area | 69/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 8 | Gray Peak Wilderness Study AreaPark / protected area | 69/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 9 | Big Hatchet Mountains Wilderness Study AreaPark / protected area | 69/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 10 | Site where Roswell ship explodedViewpoint | 68/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 11 | Apache Kid WildernessPark / protected area | 68/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 12 | Roswell crashViewpoint | 67/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 13 | Gran Quivira Unit - Salinas Pueblo Missions National MonumentPark / protected area | 67/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 14 | Canyons Wilderness Study AreaPark / protected area | 67/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 15 | Gila Cliff Dwellings National MonumentPark / protected area | 67/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 16 | Elephant Butte Lake State ParkPark / protected area | 66/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 17 | City of Rocks State ParkPark / protected area | 65/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 18 | Fort Union National MonumentPark / protected area | 65/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 19 | Salinas Pueblo Missions National MonumentPark / protected area | 65/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 20 | Roswell UFO MonumentViewpoint | 65/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 21 | Chama River Canyon WildernessPark / protected area | 65/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 22 | Caballo Lake State ParkPark / protected area | 64/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 23 | El Vado Lake State ParkPark / protected area | 64/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 24 | Heron Lake State ParkPark / protected area | 64/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 25 | Sumner Lake State ParkPark / protected area | 64/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 26 | El Morro National MonumentPark / protected area | 64/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 27 | Rio Grande del Norte National MonumentPark / protected area | 64/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 28 | El Malpais National MonumentPark / protected area | 64/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 29 | Abó Unit - Salinas Pueblo Missions National MonumentPark / protected area | 64/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 30 | Conchas Lake State ParkPark / protected area | 64/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 31 | La Ventana Arch ViewpointViewpoint | 64/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 32 | Villanueva State ParkPark / protected area | 64/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 33 | Clayton Lake State Park and Dinosaur TrackwaysPark / protected area | 63/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 34 | Capulin Volcano National MonumentPark / protected area | 63/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 35 | Coyote Creek State ParkPark / protected area | 63/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 36 | El Calderon viewpointViewpoint | 63/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 37 | Fenton Lake State ParkPark / protected area | 63/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 38 | Jemez National Recreation AreaPark / protected area | 63/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 39 | Quarai Unit - Salinas Pueblo Missions National MonumentPark / protected area | 62/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 40 | Cimarron Canyon State ParkPark / protected area | 62/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 41 | U S HillViewpoint | 62/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 42 | White Sands National ParkPark / protected area | 62/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 43 | Morphy Lake State ParkPark / protected area | 62/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 44 | Navajo Lake State ParkPark / protected area | 62/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 45 | Fray Cristobal Mountain OverlookViewpoint | 62/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 46 | Eagle Nest Lake State ParkPark / protected area | 61/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 47 | Gorge Bridge Scenic OverlookViewpoint | 61/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 48 | Sandstone Bluff OverlookViewpoint | 61/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 49 | Manzano Mountains State ParkPark / protected area | 61/100 | ≈ Bortle 2 | Stays → |
| 50 | Rockhound State ParkPark / protected area | 59/100 | ≈ Bortle 3 | Stays → |
| 51 | Percha Dam State ParkPark / protected area | 59/100 | ≈ Bortle 3 | Stays → |
| 52 | Bluewater Lake State ParkPark / protected area | 58/100 | ≈ Bortle 3 | Stays → |
| 53 | Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National MonumentPark / protected area | 57/100 | ≈ Bortle 3 | Stays → |
| 54 | Carlsbad Caverns National ParkPark / protected area | 57/100 | ≈ Bortle 3 | Stays → |
| 55 | Oilver Lee Memorial State ParkPark / protected area | 56/100 | ≈ Bortle 3 | Stays → |
| 56 | Cerrillos Hills State ParkPark / protected area | 55/100 | ≈ Bortle 3 | Stays → |
| 57 | Santa Rosa Lake State ParkPark / protected area | 53/100 | ≈ Bortle 3 | Stays → |
| 58 | Bottomless Lakes State ParkPark / protected area | 53/100 | ≈ Bortle 3 | Stays → |
| 59 | Brantley Lake State ParkPark / protected area | 51/100 | ≈ Bortle 4 | Stays → |
| 60 | Leasburg Dam State ParkPark / protected area | 51/100 | ≈ Bortle 4 | Stays → |
| 61 | Bandelier National MonumentPark / protected area | 51/100 | ≈ Bortle 3 | Stays → |
| 62 | Hyde Memorial State ParkPark / protected area | 50/100 | ≈ Bortle 3 | Stays → |
| 63 | Ute Lake State ParkPark / protected area | 50/100 | ≈ Bortle 4 | Stays → |
| 64 | Oasis State ParkPark / protected area | 49/100 | ≈ Bortle 4 | Stays → |
| 65 | Storrie Lake State ParkPark / protected area | 48/100 | ≈ Bortle 4 | Stays → |
| 66 | Prehistoric Trackways National MonumentPark / protected area | 47/100 | ≈ Bortle 4 | Stays → |
| 67 | Pancho Villa State ParkPark / protected area | 46/100 | ≈ Bortle 4 | Stays → |
| 68 | Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National MonumentPark / protected area | 44/100 | ≈ Bortle 4 | Stays → |
| 69 | Aztec Ruins National MonumentPark / protected area | 43/100 | ≈ Bortle 4 | Stays → |
| 70 | Mesilla Valley Bosque State ParkPark / protected area | 42/100 | ≈ Bortle 4 | Stays → |
| 71 | Petroglyph National MonumentPark / protected area | 31/100 | ≈ Bortle 6 | Stays → |
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