Mount Ellen-Blue Hills Wilderness Study Area
Mount Ellen-Blue Hills Wilderness Study Area is a protected area in Utah with a measured darkness of 93/100 (≈ 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 September, when about 80% of the night sky is clear.
Tonight's outlook: 70/100. The moon is 7% lit and above the horizon 8% of the night; typical August clear-sky odds here are 69%. Updated daily.
Best time to stargaze at Mount Ellen-Blue Hills Wilderness Study Area
| Month | Clear night skies | Sky Score (new moon) |
|---|---|---|
| January | 55% | 59/100 |
| February | 59% | 63/100 |
| March | 57% | 61/100 |
| April | 66% | 68/100 |
| May | 68% | 69/100 |
| June | 76% | 75/100 |
| July | 65% | 67/100 |
| August | 69% | 70/100 |
| September ★ | 80% | 78/100 |
| October | 74% | 73/100 |
| November | 71% | 71/100 |
| December | 59% | 62/100 |
Scores assume a moonless night, check the moon before you drive (methodology).
Where to stay near Mount Ellen-Blue Hills 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.
- Check availability →
Cathedral Valley Inn
17.3 km away · Caineville · darkness at hotel: 93/100
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Notom Ranch
20.3 km away · darkness at hotel: 92/100
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Whispering Sands
23.4 km away · darkness at hotel: 76/100
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Nearby spots in Utah
- Bull Mountain Wilderness Study Area 16.9 km · Sky Score 68/100
- Golden Throne Viewpoint 26.2 km · Sky Score 67/100
- Capitol Reef National Park 27.8 km · Sky Score 67/100
- North Point Scenic Overlook 32.2 km · Sky Score 67/100
- Oil Well Point 34.4 km · Sky Score 67/100