A new study has named Torrey, in southern central Utah, as the best town in America for stargazing trips, thanks to its ideal combination of dark skies, accessibility and proximity to some of the country’s most celebrated night-sky viewing locations.
The research, conducted by outdoor travel platform Outforia, evaluated towns across the U.S. using data on sky darkness, average cloud cover, elevation, ease of travel and access to recognized dark-sky areas. It’s more useful information as the summer stargazing season begins, as interest in astrotourism continues to rise. A 2025 report found that 62% of travelers plan to travel for stargazing.
Utah, California And Colorado Claim Top Spots
Torrey, Utah, secured first place with an overall stargazing score of 81.7. The Utah town earned an exceptional sky-darkness score of 98 and serves as a gateway to Capitol Reef National Park, which was designated a Dark Sky Park in 2015. It’s just eight miles from Torrey.
Borrego Springs, California — about 88 miles north of San Diego — followed closely behind in second place with a score of 80.8. The desert Dark Sky Community recorded the lowest average cloud cover among the top 10 destinations at just 28.7%, making it one of the most reliable places in the country for clear night skies. It’s also surrounded by Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, a Dark Sky Park since 2018.
Westcliffe, Colorado, completed the top three with a stargazing score of 79.6, aided by its elevation of 7867 feet (2,398 meters) and proximity to Silver Cliff, the Wet Mountain Valley and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. It’s home to the Smokey Jack Observatory.
Surprisingly, Outforia’s analysis found that the best stargazing destinations are not necessarily the most remote locations. Instead, towns that offer easy access to dark skies and accommodation, dining options, and other facilities for visitors often create the best overall experience.
Utah Leads The Way For Dark-Sky Tourism
With its dark skies, high elevations and abundant Dark Sky Parks, Utah emerged as the dominant state in the ranking, placing three towns in the top 10. Alongside Torrey’s first-place finish, Kanab (home to the Stellar Vista Observatory) ranked eighth and Moab (close to three Dark Sky Parks) ninth.
According to Outforia’s analysis, these are the best towns in America to use as a base for a stargazing getaway:
- Torrey, Utah — Stargazing Score: 81.7
- Borrego Springs, California — Stargazing Score: 80.8
- Westcliffe, Colorado — Stargazing Score: 79.6
- Marathon, Texas — Stargazing Score: 78.8
- Ely, Nevada — Stargazing Score: 78.3
- Flagstaff, Arizona — Stargazing Score: 77.8
- Ketchum, Idaho — Stargazing Score: 77.1
- Kanab, Utah — Stargazing Score: 75.2
- Moab, Utah — Stargazing Score: 70.5
- Dripping Springs, Texas — Stargazing Score: 61.3
Flagstaff stood out for achieving the highest trip ease score in the ranking at 95, largely due to its visitor-friendly infrastructure and access to attractions such as Lowell Observatory and Coconino National Forest.
How To Plan A Stargazing Trip
Successfully planning a stargazing trip requires skill and experience — it’s not just about finding the darkest location possible. “Stargazing trips often fail for very practical reasons,” said Carl Borg, Outforia founder and outdoor expert. “People focus on finding the darkest possible spot, but they forget about cloud cover, the moon, local lighting, how far they need to drive after dark, and whether they have a safe, realistic place to base themselves.”
Misunderstanding the moon is all too common; for dark, moon-free evenings, choose the 10-night period between the last quarter moon and three nights beyond the new moon — and never the five nights either side of the full moon.
Choosing a well-positioned town can also significantly improve the overall experience. “That is why towns are so useful for planning,” said Borg. “A good stargazing town is the place that gets you close to darker skies while still giving you somewhere to stay, eat, refuel, and make a sensible plan before heading out at night.”
For newcomers, Borg recommends starting with destinations near officially recognized dark-sky areas. “For beginners, I would always recommend starting from a town near a recognized dark-sky area rather than trying to improvise in a remote location,” he said. “You still get the reward of a much better night sky, but you reduce the risk of getting lost, arriving unprepared, or choosing somewhere unsafe after dark.”
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
