Menu

Dark-sky places in Tennessee

Tennessee has two certified dark-sky places, both on the Cumberland Plateau north and west of Knoxville: Obed Wild and Scenic River and the Pickett-Pogue International Dark Sky Park. Both have campsites, and both host astronomy programs with local clubs.

Certified dark-sky places in Tennessee

PlaceDesignationManaged byNearest city
Obed Wild and Scenic RiverInternational Dark Sky Park (2017)National Park Service40 mi E of Cookeville
Pickett CCC Memorial State Park & Pogue Creek Canyon State Natural AreaInternational Dark Sky Park (2015)Tennessee State Parks / Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation47 mi NE of Cookeville

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 Tennessee stargazing trip

Friday and Saturday nights when the Moon is down for most of full darkness, worked out for Nashville; 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 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 Tennessee

Tennessee’s protected dark skies are on the Cumberland Plateau, the rugged tableland west of the main Appalachian ridges. Both of the state’s certified places are there. Pickett CCC Memorial State Park and Pogue Creek Canyon State Natural Area, near the Kentucky line, became the Pickett-Pogue International Dark Sky Park in 2015, the first in the state. Obed Wild and Scenic River, a short drive west of Knoxville, followed in 2017. DarkSky International notes that the plateau’s broken terrain has kept industry and large towns away, so outside light sources are few. When Pickett was certified, a state parks official called it one of the few dark areas left in Tennessee.

Obed Wild and Scenic River

Obed Wild and Scenic River protects a corridor along the Obed River and its tributaries, known by day for whitewater paddling and climbing. The Park Service says there is no outside lighting or electricity inside the park, and it has agreed never to add permanent lights. Two easy spots for stargazing are the riverside Nemo Picnic Area parking lot, across from Rock Creek Campground, and the Lilly Bluff Overlook boardwalk above Clear Creek, about 0.6 mile round trip on a flat trail. Since 2013 the park has offered year-round astronomy programs with amateur astronomers from the ORION Astronomy Club in Oak Ridge and the Knoxville Observers.

Pickett CCC Memorial State Park & Pogue Creek Canyon State Natural Area

These two neighboring state lands in the upper Cumberland Mountains share one certification as the Pickett-Pogue International Dark Sky Park, rated Silver tier when it was named in 2015. The park updated its lighting with a state grant to meet DarkSky’s standards. With the Barnard-Seyfert Astronomical Society and the University of Tennessee’s space science outreach program, it runs a regular calendar: an annual star party, a New Year’s Eve hike, a junior ranger camp each July and dark-sky programs during the busy summer season. Check the Tennessee State Parks event calendar for program dates.

Questions and answers

Where is the darkest sky in Tennessee?

The certified places are on the rural Cumberland Plateau: Obed Wild and Scenic River near Wartburg and Pickett CCC Memorial State Park near the Kentucky line.

Does Obed have any lights at night?

No. DarkSky International says the park has no permanent outdoor lighting and has agreed not to install any in the future.

How do I find out about star parties at these parks?

Check the park calendars. Obed's programs are run with the Knoxville Observers and ORION astronomy clubs, and Pickett's with the Barnard-Seyfert Astronomical Society.

When is the best time to stargaze at Tennessee'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 Tennessee · Tonight's sky in Tennessee

Sources