Last May, I drove 3 hours outside Phoenix to what Google Maps labeled a "dark sky viewing area," convinced I'd finally nail that shot of the Milky Way arching over the Sonoran Desert I'd been daydreaming about for months. I set up my iPhone on a $20 tripod, waited until 11 p.m. when the galactic core was supposed to be highest in the sky, and took a 15-second exposure. The result? A faint, smudged gray line across a black background, with the faint glow of Phoenix's city lights bleeding into the upper corner of the frame. I'd forgotten that even a tiny amount of light pollution can wash out the Milky Way's faint, wispy arms, turning a breathtaking view into a total dud.
I spent the next month researching dark sky locations across the American Southwest, and what I found blew my mind: this region has some of the darkest, clearest night skies in the entire contiguous United States, with dozens of spots rated Bortle Class 1 or 2 (the two darkest possible tiers on the 9-point scale astrophotographers use to measure sky darkness, where Class 1 is a sky so dark the Milky Way casts a faint shadow on the ground). Better yet, most of these spots are accessible enough for casual stargazers and beginner photographers -- no 10-mile backcountry hikes required, no $500 permits, no need for a $2,000 camera to get sharp, vibrant shots of the galaxy. I've now shot Milky Way photos at 6 of the 7 spots on this list, and every single one has given me shots I didn't think I could get without traveling to a remote national park in Namibia or Patagonia.
7 Top Spots for Southwest Milky Way Imaging
Each of these locations offers something unique, from iconic natural foregrounds to fully accessible drive-up spots, so there's an option for every skill level and trip length:
- North Rim, Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona) Bortle Class 1-2 | Elevation: 8,000+ ft The North Rim gets a fraction of the visitors of the park's more famous South Rim, and for good reason: it's 1,000 feet higher, far from any major city light pollution, and the 1-mile deep canyon walls block every last glimmer of light from the small South Rim visitor facilities. The result is a sky so dark the Milky Way's faint outer arms are visible to the naked eye, even on moonless nights. I shot my first wide-angle Milky Way photo here in 2021, pointing my lens toward the canyon edge to capture the orange rock layers leading the eye up to the galactic core arching overhead. The only downside? The North Rim is only open from mid-May to mid-October, so plan your trip accordingly. Point Imperial and Cape Royal overlooks are just 10-minute walks from paved parking, no backcountry permit required for day use. Pro tip: Shoot in late September, when the autumn aspens along the rim turn gold and the galactic core is perfectly positioned above the canyon after 10 p.m.
- Vermilion Cliffs National Monument (Arizona/Utah Border) Bortle Class 1-2 | Elevation: 4,500-6,000 ft This 280,000-acre protected stretch of red sandstone cliffs, slot canyons, and high desert prairie has zero permanent residents, so the only light for miles comes from the occasional backcountry camper's headlamp. The contrast between the deep red rock and the bright, blue-white Milky Way core is so stark it looks like a digital composite, even when you shoot it straight out of the camera. I camped here last spring, and hiked out to the Wave at 2 a.m. to avoid the daytime crowds, and got a shot of the Milky Way arching directly over the iconic sandstone swirls that still hangs on my living room wall. If you don't want to do the 6-mile round-trip hike to the Wave, the BLM-managed House Rock Valley Road runs along the monument's western edge with dozens of unmarked pull-offs that are completely dark after 11 p.m. Pro tip: Bring a red headlamp to avoid spooking the desert bighorn sheep that often graze near the road at night, and pack out every scrap of trash -- there are no trash cans anywhere in the monument.
- Gila National Forest & Gila Wilderness (New Mexico) Bortle Class 1 (the darkest possible tier) | Elevation: 7,000-10,000 ft The Gila Wilderness was the first designated wilderness area in the entire United States, and its 3.3 million acres of unspoiled forest, alpine peaks, and natural hot springs have some of the darkest skies you'll ever see. The high elevation and extremely dry air mean there's almost no atmospheric haze to dull the Milky Way's core, so you'll be able to see more stars with the naked eye than you thought possible. I haven't made it out here yet myself, but a friend who's an avid astrophotographer sent me a photo he took here last summer of the Milky Way's core reflecting off a natural hot spring, and it's so vivid I still can't believe it's real. The good news for casual visitors? The Catwalk Recreation Area has a paved, 1-mile ADA-accessible trail along the Gila River that's perfect for tripod setups, no hiking required. Pro tip: Summer brings frequent monsoon showers to the Gila, so plan your trip for late spring or early fall for the highest chance of clear, cloudless skies.
- Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah) Bortle Class 1-2 | Elevation: 8,000-9,000 ft Famous for its thousands of red and orange hoodoos -- thin, spire-shaped rock formations -- Bryce Canyon sits on the edge of the Markagunt Plateau, which is surrounded by mountain ranges that block almost all light from the nearest cities (Las Vegas is 2.5 hours away, St. George is 1.5 hours away, and both are hidden behind 10,000+ ft peaks). The high elevation also means the air is extremely dry and clear, so your Milky Way shots will come out sharp with minimal editing. I took my first ever Milky Way photo here in 2022, and the hoodoos looked like they were glowing under the bright galactic core, even though I was using a cheap point-and-shoot camera. The park even runs free ranger-led night sky programs in the summer, where rangers will give you free tips on how to shoot the Milky Way before you head out to your own spot. Pro tip: Sunset and Sunrise Point overlooks are just 100-yard walks from the parking lot, no permit needed, and they're open 24 hours a day for night shoots. Bring layers, even in summer -- it's often 20-30 degrees colder at night than it is during the day.
- Big Bend National Park (West Texas) Bortle Class 1 | Elevation: 5,000-7,500 ft Big Bend is the largest protected area of Chihuahuan desert in the United States, and it's so remote that the closest major city is El Paso, 3.5 hours away, with the Chisos Mountains blocking almost all of its light. The park was designated an International Dark Sky Park in 2012, and its skies are so dark the Milky Way is bright enough to cast a faint shadow on the ground on moonless nights. I camped here last fall, and set up my camera on the banks of the Rio Grande at 1 a.m. to shoot the galaxy arching over the river, with the Chisos Mountains glowing orange in the moonlight in the background. The park has dozens of drive-up overlooks and free dispersed camping spots, so you don't need to plan a long hike to get a great shot. Pro tip: The park's dry air means there's almost no light pollution, but also almost no moisture to catch starlight, so bring a lens cloth to wipe off any dust that sticks to your lens during the day.
- Capitol Reef National Park (Utah) Bortle Class 1-2 | Elevation: 5,000-7,000 ft The least visited of Utah's famous "Mighty 5" national parks, Capitol Reef is a hidden gem for Milky Way photographers. The park's signature Waterpocket Fold, a 100-mile long wrinkle in the earth's crust that creates colorful, layered rock formations, makes for one-of-a-kind foregrounds that look incredible under the bright galactic core. The park is located in the middle of the Colorado Plateau, which has some of the clearest air in the entire Southwest, so you'll get ultra-sharp shots of the Milky Way's core with minimal editing. I camped here last June, and drove the 12-mile Grand Wash Road (passable for most 2WD cars) to a quiet pull-off 5 miles from the entrance, and got a shot of the Milky Way arching over the red rock cliffs that I used as my Instagram header for 6 months. Pro tip: The Waterpocket Fold is perfectly positioned under the galactic core in late May and early June, so plan your trip during that window for the best foreground-sky alignment.
- Chaco Culture National Historical Park (New Mexico) Bortle Class 1 | Elevation: 6,000-7,000 ft This UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to 2,000-year-old Puebloan great houses, petroglyphs, and ancient roads, and it's located 50 miles from the nearest town of Farmington, NM, with no major highways nearby, so it's almost completely free of light pollution. The park is also an International Dark Sky Park, and rangers offer free night sky programs in the summer where you can learn about the ancestral Puebloans' use of the stars for navigation and agriculture before heading out to shoot your own photos. I visited here last spring for a ranger-led night program, and stayed after to shoot the Milky Way arching over the massive Pueblo Bonito great house -- the contrast between the 1,000-year-old stone structure and the 13-billion-year-old galaxy overhead was so striking it gave me chills. The main ruin sites are just a 1-mile paved walk from the parking lot, no permit needed for day use, and free backcountry camping permits are available at the visitor center if you want to stay overnight. Pro tip: The park has almost no cell service, so download offline maps before you arrive, and bring extra camera batteries -- the cold desert nights drain batteries 2-3 times faster than they drain during the day.
Quick Tips for Nailing Milky Way Shots in the Southwest
Even with the darkest skies on the planet, the Southwest's unique environment requires a few extra tweaks to get the best possible shots:
- Time your trip carefully: The Milky Way's bright galactic core is only visible above the horizon between April and September in the Northern Hemisphere, and you'll want to plan your trip around the new moon phase to avoid moonlight washing out the galaxy's faint outer arms. Use a free app like PhotoPills or Stellarium to check exactly when the core will be highest in the sky at your chosen location.
- Fancy gear is optional: Even a modern smartphone can shoot sharp, vibrant Milky Way photos in these dark spots. Just download a free app like NightCap Pro, set your phone on a stable tripod, and use a 10-15 second exposure. If you're using a DSLR or mirrorless camera, use a wide-angle lens (14-24mm f/2.8 or wider), set your ISO to 3200-6400, aperture to f/2.8 or wider, and use the 500 rule (500 divided by your lens's focal length equals your maximum shutter speed) to avoid star trails.
- Pack for desert extremes: The Southwest desert gets surprisingly cold at night, even in the middle of summer, so bring layers, insulated gloves, and a hand warmer to keep your fingers warm while you adjust your camera settings. The extremely dry air also kicks up a lot of dust, so bring extra lens cloths to wipe off your lens before every shot.
- Leave no trace: All of these spots are on protected public land, so pack out all your trash, stay on designated trails, and avoid using bright white lights after dark. Many of these parks have strict dark sky rules to protect the night environment for future visitors and local wildlife.
Last month, I went back to Chaco Culture to shoot the Milky Way over Pueblo Bonito, and the galactic core was so bright it cast a faint blue glow on the ancient stone walls. I posted the photo on Instagram, and half my followers asked if I'd traveled to Chile or Namibia to get it. I told them I'd driven 4 hours from my home in Albuquerque, spent $12 on a park entrance fee, and used a camera I bought used for $300.
That's the best part about Southwest dark sky spots: they're accessible to everyone, no matter your budget or photography skill level. You don't need to be a professional astrophotographer with $10,000 in gear to get ultra-clear Milky Way shots. You just need to pack up your gear, drive a few hours outside the nearest city, and look up. The galaxy is waiting, and the Southwest's dark skies are the perfect place to see it at its most breathtaking.