This Pennsylvania Park Is One Of The Best Places In The U.S. To Gaze At The Night Sky

Stargazing at your local park is one thing, but seeing the stars and Milky Way under a truly dark sky is a completely different experience. Around the world, there are more than 230 Dark Sky–designated places, and 160 of those are located in the United States. One of the best places to stargaze with a superior view of the night sky is Cherry Springs State Park in Coudersport, Pennsylvania.

Like flora, fauna, and waterways, dark night skies are natural resources. The organization DarkSky International provides certification to these resources, signifying the importance of preserving and protecting them from light pollution. In the north of Pennsylvania, the 82-acre Cherry Springs State Park has been a Dark Sky Park since 2008. It was the second in the world to attain that designation, achieving a gold tier of certification, which means that it has some of the darkest skies in the world.

That's because the park has practically no light pollution (light that brightens the dark sky, reducing the visibility of celestial objects) for two big reasons. It's located atop the Allegheny Plateau at 2,300 feet above sea level, and it's surrounded by 262,000 acres of relatively undeveloped forest, the Susquehannock State Forest. It also doesn't hurt that the nearest communities are in the valleys around the mountain, so the sky above the park is shielded from their light. Plus, all of the white lights installed in the park were swapped out for red as well. And, the park's position in Pennsylvania at 41.65 degrees north and 77.81 degrees west provides a wide-angle view of the heart of the Milky Way.

The first time that Cherry Springs State Park was recognized for its dark sky was in 1998, a full decade before it received its Gold Tier Dark Sky Park designation in 2008. At the time, it was put on Phil Harrington's Dark Registry, which lists the state's darkest sky destinations. Shortly thereafter, astronomers started visiting the park to observe the sky at night, and the first Black Forest Star Party — an annual observational event during which amateur astronomers gather to get a good view of what stars look like — was held here in 1999.

By 2000, Cherry Springs State Park was designated by Pennsylvania's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources as the first Dark Sky Park in the commonwealth. Since then, the state has offered free night sky guided tours to the public through its Stars-N-Parks Program, which is provided in partnership with the National Public Observatory. Also established is the Pennsylvania Wilds Conservation Landscape, a collaboration of 40 groups that protect and promote renewal throughout the land. On top of that, the Pennsylvania Wilds Dark Skies plan, completed in 2004, honors the park as the ideal spot for photographing and observing the sky.

When you're planning a visit to Cherry Springs State Park specifically to gaze at the night sky, there are a few things you should know, including a few tips to get the best view. That's because the park has a couple of designated areas for viewing celestial objects.

Open to the general public, the Night Sky Public Viewing Area is what remains of an emergency airport runway from the 1930s. A path here leads to benches at an amphitheater that shields onlookers from lights of passing vehicles from the nearby parking lot, and guest speakers and park staff use it for presentations. Additionally, a backlit map of the summer sky along the walkway can help you find common constellations in the sky.

Another option is the Overnight Astronomy Observation Field, which lies in a clearing of what was once a settlement. This spot is ideal for serious observers who wish to watch the sky overnight, although an adjacent rustic campground is available, too. However, there are a few rules: registration and a nightly fee are required and campfires, lasers, and smoky, open-flame cooking are prohibited.

Together, these spaces provide expansive, low-horizon areas that are perfect for watching the stars and planets at night. No matter where you choose to spend your stargazing experience at Cherry Springs State Park, you're not permitted to use plain flashlights because they're too bright and will pollute the viewing area for yourself and others. And, don't forget to take blankets and lawn chairs — alongside binoculars or a telescope, of course.