Dark-sky places in Indiana
Indiana's certified dark-sky place is Beverly Shores, a small lakefront town surrounded by Indiana Dunes National Park. Next door, the park keeps Kemil Beach open all night for people who want to watch the sky over Lake Michigan.
Certified dark-sky places in Indiana
| Place | Designation | Managed by | Nearest city |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beverly Shores, Indiana | International Dark Sky Community (2014) | Local government of Beverly Shores, Indiana | 20 mi E of Gary |
Designations by DarkSky International. Check each place's own site for opening hours, fees and night access before you go.
Moon-free weekends for a Indiana stargazing trip
Friday and Saturday nights when the Moon is down for most of full darkness, worked out for Indianapolis; dates are the same across the state, give or take a night.
- November 2026: Nov 6–7, Nov 13–14
- December 2026: Dec 4–5, Dec 11–12
- January 2027: Jan 1–2, Jan 8–9, Jan 29–30
- February 2027: Feb 5–6, Feb 27
- March 2027: Mar 5–6, Mar 12
- April 2027: Apr 2–3, Apr 9, Apr 30
- May 2027: May 1, May 7–8, May 28–29
- June 2027: Jun 4–5
- July 2027: Jul 2–3, Jul 9–10, Jul 30–31
- August 2027: Aug 6–7, Aug 27–28
- September 2027: Sep 3–4, Sep 25
- October 2027: Oct 1–2, Oct 29–30
- November 2027: Nov 26–27
- December 2027: Dec 3, Dec 24–25, Dec 31
Stargazing in Indiana
Indiana’s one certified dark-sky place is in the far northwest, on the Lake Michigan shore east of the Chicago area. Beverly Shores was named an International Dark Sky Community in 2014, and the National Park Service notes it was the seventh in the world. The setting helps: Indiana Dunes National Park wraps around the town on three sides and the lake lies to the north, so the dunes and open water take the place of suburbs. The town is close to a large metro area, so think of it as a protected lakeshore sky rather than a remote one. Indiana has no certified dark-sky park.
Beverly Shores, Indiana
Beverly Shores is a small residential town that locals call “The Island,” because the dunes national park borders it on three sides and Lake Michigan on the fourth. Residents have replaced and retrofitted home and business lighting to keep light pointed down and growth in check. For visitors, the easiest place to look up is next door at Kemil Beach in Indiana Dunes National Park, whose beach and parking lot stay open 24 hours. The Park Service asks for red lights only and suggests avoiding bright moonlit nights; it notes that Lake Michigan to the north keeps the lakefront sky darker than the surrounding area.
Questions and answers
Where can I stargaze near Beverly Shores at night?
Kemil Beach in Indiana Dunes National Park, between Indiana Dunes State Park and Beverly Shores. The Park Service keeps its beach and parking lot open 24 hours.
Can I camp in the beach parking lot?
No. The Park Service does not allow overnight camping along roadsides or in parking lots; you can stay up through the night, but not sleep there.
Is a Dark Sky Community as dark as a dark-sky park?
Usually not. A community is certified for its lighting rules and education, while parks protect a natural sky. Our Bortle scale guide explains sky-darkness classes.
When is the best time to stargaze at Indiana's dark-sky places?
Choose nights near the new Moon, when moonlight does not wash out faint stars and the Milky Way. The moon-free nights on this page and our Moon phase calendar show when those fall, and our meteor shower calendar lists the best peaks to plan around.
Dark-sky places in other states · Northern lights in Indiana · Tonight's sky in Indiana
Sources
- Beverly Shores, Indiana, DarkSky International
- Stargazing - Indiana Dunes National Park, National Park Service