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Dark-sky places in Missouri

Missouri has two certified dark-sky places, both Urban Night Sky Places: Thousand Hills State Park near Kirksville and Stacy Park in Olivette, outside St. Louis. They are close-to-home places to learn the sky rather than remote dark sites.

Certified dark-sky places in Missouri

PlaceDesignationManaged byNearest city
Stacy ParkUrban Night Sky Place (2021)City of Olivette Parks and Recreation8 mi W of St. Louis
Thousand Hills State ParkUrban Night Sky Place (2024)Missouri State Parks (Missouri DNR)99 mi N of Columbia

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 Missouri stargazing trip

Friday and Saturday nights when the Moon is down for most of full darkness, worked out for Kansas City; 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 9–10, 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 Missouri

Missouri’s two certified places are both Urban Night Sky Places, DarkSky International’s category for parks near towns that keep their lighting under control and teach visitors about the night. Thousand Hills State Park sits just west of Kirksville in rural northeast Missouri, where woods and savanna surround a large lake. Stacy Park is a small city park in Olivette, about 10 miles west of St. Louis, where trees and a reservoir structure screen out much of the surrounding glow. Neither is a remote dark site, but both offer regular public programs and easy access for a night out.

Thousand Hills State Park

Thousand Hills State Park covers 3,086 acres around Forest Lake, with wooded shores, savanna and petroglyphs left more than 1,500 years ago. It offers camping, hiking and mountain biking, and most of the park is open by foot, bike or car for night sky viewing every night. The more adventurous can reach quieter areas on the 10.5-mile Thousand Hills Trail around the lake. The park works with Truman State University staff and the Adair County Public Library on night sky outreach events, and it has adopted a lighting plan aimed at bringing all its outdoor lights into compliance.

Stacy Park

Stacy Park is a 35-acre city park in Olivette with ball fields, a walking path and a wooded nature trail. Night viewing happens in the flat center of the park, which is clear of tall trees, so telescopes can see a large part of the sky. Tall trees around the edge and the Stacy Park water reservoir help block glow from the surrounding suburbs. The gates are open 24 hours, and one weekend each month is set aside for stargazing. Programs on light pollution and the night sky are run with the St. Louis Astronomical Society, the St. Louis Audubon Society and Missouri Master Naturalists.

Questions and answers

What is an Urban Night Sky Place?

A DarkSky International certification for parks and open spaces near or inside towns that manage their lighting and offer night sky programs, even though the sky is not as dark as in remote parks.

Is Stacy Park open at night?

Yes. DarkSky International says the park gates are open 24 hours, with one weekend a month set aside for stargazing activities.

Can I camp at Thousand Hills State Park?

Yes. The park offers camping along with hiking and mountain biking around Forest Lake.

How do I plan a dark-sky trip in Missouri around the Moon?

Aim for the week around the new Moon; a bright Moon hides all but the brightest stars. Check the moon-free nights listed above or our Moon calendar, and see our guide to dark-sky places for how the different certifications compare.

Dark-sky places in other states · Northern lights in Missouri · Tonight's sky in Missouri

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