Best National Parks for Stargazing Elopement Photos
The magic of the night sky is that it makes you feel so infinite while making you feel so small. Escaping the city lights to sit beneath the arch of space is so rewarding. And if you time it right, you can spy the majesty of the Milky Way, the scattering of shooting stars, or the bold glow of the planets.
If you and your special someone want stargazing wedding photos, I’m more than happy to be your adventure elopement photographer. I, too, feel an irresistible pull to the transcendent awe of the cosmos—and know plenty of tips to get the most out of your couple’s stargazing photoshoot!
As a couple of long-time vanlifers, we basically live on public lands. Which means we see the stars super often, and our love for the nocturnal majesty has only blossomed over the years. That's why we feel so pulled to doing shoots with stars.
While I got a bunch of secret tips and tricks up my sleeve, I do want to discuss two essentials: the Bortle dark-sky scale and the best national parks for stargazing. So, tack these dark-sky parks on your map, read through some tips below, and book your elopement photographer!
What is the Bortle Dark-Sky Scale?
The Bortle scale measures how bright or dark a sky is over a specific location. There are nine numerical rankings, with higher numbers representing more light pollution and lower numbers representing darker skies, which are better for stargazing.
Here’s a quick breakdown:
Bortle scale 8-9: Typically associated with city skies. Streetlight, building lights, and lots of planes can outshine the stars; resulting in dull skies.
Bortle 4-5: Associated with suburban skies. You can see some stars and maybe even the faint Milky Way. But the ambient light of homes, businesses, and streetlights blocks out more of the subtle light and gentle hues.
Bortle 1: Pristine wilderness skies, dark enough to reveal the Milky Way in three-dimensional glory. Stars, planets, and more are easily visible to the naked eye.
Understand that seeking out skies in rural or wilderness areas is only part of the equation. Cloud skies, tall trees, and luminous moons can dramatically reduce visibility, too. Clear skies, open views, and new moons give you the best chances—so time your activities and photoshoots accordingly, if you can.
What does all this mean for starry-night photos? Well, you gotta get away from the urban and suburban lights into remote areas, to truly appreciate the night sky.
Essential Knowledge for Starry Couple Photos
Before we get into specific locations, let’s talk about how to get those starry couple’s photos you’ve been craving.
First things first, you’ll need to go to an area with less light pollution, preferably as close to Bortle 1 as possible.
Additionally, you’ll want to track the lunar cycles. The full moon is lovely and makes it easier to see, even at night. But it’s so bright it washes out the stars. Your best bet is a new moon, when no moon is visible at all. Even crescent or gibbous moons are enough to demonstrably affect your stargazing. So really aim for those new moon dates, if you can help it.
But if you’re in love with the moon, roll with it! Moon pictures are a very cool type of nighttime photos in their own way.
Here’s a big one: Pay attention to the weather. You’ll want to choose an area that has less cloud cover or fog.
Lastly—but maybe most important—you’ll want to hire a photographer with experience capturing the stars, as starry photos are more technical.
Best National Parks for Stargazing
National parks are an obvious hotspot for star-lovers. The protected status of these lands helps restrict light pollution, opening up wonderful occasions to stargaze. Below are a few recommendations for the best national parks for stargazing and couples’ night sky photos.
Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree is a fantastic national park for star-seekers. A 2-3 on the Bortle scale, the best time to visit this park for stargazing is between October and April (for the weather), or March to September (if you’re trying to peep that lovely Milky Way, and can brave the heat).
With a little careful setup, couples can capture the silhouette of Joshua Trees or boulder stacks in their nighttime photos. The park tends to clear out at night, leaving plenty of opportunities for serenity, romance, and standing in awe of the Milky Way.
Death Valley National Park
Arguably, the best national park for stargazing is Death Valley. Since there are no towns or cities nearby, it lands between a 1-2 on the Bortle scale. The ideal timing is between November and March, which is nice, since the park is known for its extremely high temperatures the rest of the year.
If you want a universe of knowledge, you should attend the annual Death Valley Dark Sky Festival held in February. Thousands of attendees flock to this three-day event for its tours and astrophotography meet-ups.
Lassen Volcanic National Park
Another California national park, Lassen sits between 2-3 on the Bortle scale and offers the most dazzling skies between July and September. What makes this time of year so special? Why, the innumerable stars of the Milky Way, of course!
The park’s numerous volcanoes and steaming geothermal spots are an obvious draw—but don’t sleep on the incredible night skies here. Far away from any city light pollution and regularly enjoying clear weather, Lassen is an illustrious sanctuary of natural darkness.
Great Basin National Park
Located in eastern Nevada and near the Utah border, Great Basin National Park is well-known for its marble caves, South Snake Mountains, sagebrush-covered foothills, and its dark skies. That’s why they say “half the park is after dark.”
The ideal time to visit this park, with its 2 on the Bortle scale, is between June and September if you want to benefit from the milder weather and awe-inspiring Milky Way.
Big Bend National Park
Big Bend is a gorgeous national park located in Texas, the Lone Star State. With a 1-2 rating on the Bortle scale, the best time to visit Big Bend for stargazing is between October and April.
During the day, you can explore this park’s incredible geography, scope out some fossil areas, and cross your fingers to spot wildlife. But at night time is a whole ‘nother experience.
If you time your visit on or near a new Moon, you’ll experience extreme darkness. You might not be able to see a few feet ahead of you, but that’s when the night sky goes from black to a myriad of purple hues and an endless speckling of stars.
Capitol Reef National Park
Next up is Capitol Reef. Designated an International Dark Sky Park in 2015, Capitol Reef is a 2 on the Bortle scale and has two seasons for primetime stargazing: March to June and September to October.
This Utah national park boasts orchards, the glorious Cathedral Valley, and a ton of options for adventure activities. But we are here to talk about the night sky, so obviously it’s going to be a banger!
Near-pristine darkness, Capitol Reef offers some incredible couple’s photo opportunities, such as snapping pics of the ancient bristle cone trees or canyon walls, and stars overhead. Even if you aren’t in the park itself, there’s so much surrounding public lands to take advantage of as well.
Crater Lake National Park
Crater Lake is an absolute gem, located in Oregon. It's the deepest lake in the United States. And since it’s fed by rain and snow, it’s an incredibly pure and pristine lake.
For our purposes, it’s worth calling out Crater Lake NP for boasting a 1 on the Bortle scale. The best times of year to visit are between June and August, since you can see the 3D Milky Way and you’re spared the usually soggy seasons of Oregon.
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite is an obvious hot spot for outdoors enthusiasts. But it’s also a big win for stargazers. Landing somewhere between a 1 and a 2 on the Bortle scale, Yosemite is a great place to drive into and look up. If you’re aiming for an unobstructed Milky Way experience, aim to visit some time in August.
One of the ways into—or out of, depending on your intended direction—Yosemite is Tioga Pass. This pass is often closed during the winter months due to snow. So, you’ll want to avoid winter, spring, and maybe even autumn, depending on the conditions. However, it’s also a pretty amazing area to engage in some astrophotography with an experienced photographer.
Grand Canyon National Park
The Grand Canyon is another 2-3 dark sky on the Bortle scale. It’s also less weather prone compared (as far as rain, cloud cover, and the like) to some others, making May through September the best times to visit for astrophotography.
Although, I’d highly recommend avoiding July and August, because it’s just too hot. No one wants to experience more than 100 degrees during the day and even the 90s at night.
You can visit either the South Rim or North Rim during the months we specified.
Other Locations Outside National Parks
National parks aren’t the only spots with great skies. Truth be told, there are hundreds of miles of public lands like national forests with amazing access to the night sky. Here are some personal recommendations to get you underneath that big sky for stargazing elopement photos:
Mammoth Lakes & Bishop, CA: This area is so untouched by light pollution that it can actually be better than some national parks! Tons of open public lands means there’s lots of room for starry night photos.
Anza Borrego or the Salton Sea: An underrated desert spot, complete with dark skies, slot canyons, ecclectic art, off-roading, oases, ancient native palms, spring flowers, and more.
Alabama Hills, CA: Another gem of the Sierra with a boulder field leading up to Mount Whitney, the tallest mountain in the lower 48. The nearest towns are all small, meaning you get dark skies all around.
Trona Pinnacles, CA: This is pretty close to towns, so you might get some light pollution. But the otherworldly pinnacles make for an off-planet experience.
Flagstaff, CA: Get away from the metropolitan Arizona areas and stargaze in this mountain town.
Utah’s Badlands: The Badlands of Utah are far from civilization, making for amazing spots for stargazing.
Or just go backpacking: The best way to see the stars is to get where most people can’t go.
Again, these are just a few suggestions. The wondrous reality of America’s public lands is that these areas make it easy to get away from the city lights to enjoy the heavenly spectacle.
Other Tips for Stargazing
Getting away from the artificial lights of civilization and under the dark canopy of night is only part of the equation. To make sure you are comfortable, safe, and happy, you should follow these tips:
Bring layers, blankets, handwarmers, and other essentials. If the temperature drops or the wind kicks up, you’ll be ready.
Bring lights for practical and aesthetic reasons. Headlamps and flashlights can help you navigate safely. String lights, lanterns, glowsticks, and flowlights are great for light painting and creative photography.
Pack a first aid kit. In the dark, it’s all too easy to trip and fall, step on something sharp, or otherwise get hurt. Packing a first aid kit is a wise move.
Keep an eye on the weather. Cross your fingers for no rain, clouds, or fog. A good idea is to watch the temperatures and wind speed too.
Stay in the know about celestial events. The sky is full of wonderful moments like solar flares, planetary alignments, meteor showers, super moons, and more.
Learn a few essential constellations or download a stargazing app. The stars tell a story. This will help you make sense of all the sparkling starlight up above.
Work with a photographer who intimately knows the area, weather patterns, and best stargazing conditions. I’m head over heels for the night sky. I take every chance I get to take it all in. And I would love nothing more than taking your couple’s photos under the sparkling heavens.
Stargazing Wedding Stories
Look no further than here for inspiration. Check out these blogs for real wedding stories with stargazing as well as zodiac signs, planning starry weddings, and more!
Book Your Stargazing Wedding Photographer
Are you ready for your own couple’s stargazing photos or nighttime wedding elopement photography? I’ve got the skills and knowledge to make you shine! Book a photo consultation today!
