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
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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