Menu

Dark-sky places in South Dakota

South Dakota's certified dark-sky place is Badlands National Park in the southwest of the state. The park is open around the clock, runs ranger-led night sky programs year-round and holds an Astronomy Festival every July.

Certified dark-sky places in South Dakota

PlaceDesignationManaged byNearest city
Badlands National ParkInternational Dark Sky Park (2025)National Park Service67 mi E of Rapid City

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 South Dakota stargazing trip

Friday and Saturday nights when the Moon is down for most of full darkness, worked out for Sioux Falls; 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
  • 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 South Dakota

The darkest skies in South Dakota are in the thinly populated west, and the state’s one certified dark-sky place is Badlands National Park, east of Rapid City. DarkSky International named it an International Dark Sky Park in 2025. It credits the park’s remote setting, dry climate and low surrounding light pollution for views of the Milky Way that most of North America no longer has. The certification followed years of work by the Park Service, the Badlands National Park Conservancy, regional partners and local communities, including retrofitting lights and monitoring sky quality.

Badlands National Park

Badlands National Park protects eroded buttes, fossil beds and mixed-grass prairie, and its open horizons make for wide views of the night sky. The park is open 24 hours a day, so you can stay after sunset, and rangers lead night sky programs throughout the year. Each July the park hosts an Astronomy Festival that brings astronomers, photographers and educators together. Programs also share Lakota Star Knowledge, the Lakota understanding of the stars and the land. An entrance fee is charged year-round, by card only; no cash is accepted. A new visitor center that will cover dark-sky viewing is funded, and a public observatory is being planned.

Questions and answers

Is Badlands National Park open at night?

Yes. The Park Service says the park is open 24 hours a day, every day, though winter weather can close roads.

Do I have to pay to stargaze in the Badlands?

Yes. An entrance fee is charged year-round, and entrance stations take cards only, not cash. Passes can also be bought online in advance.

What is Lakota Star Knowledge?

The traditional Lakota understanding of the stars and their links to the land. The park includes these Indigenous perspectives in its night sky programs, according to DarkSky International.

Is it worth timing a South Dakota dark-sky trip to a meteor shower?

Yes, if the Moon cooperates. A dark site multiplies the meteors you can see. Check our meteor shower calendar for peak nights and our Moon calendar to make sure moonlight will not spoil the show.

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

Sources