In much of the country, city lights have washed out the stars, but a handful of small towns still sit under skies dark enough to reveal the Milky Way. For stargazers, these places offer a nightly show that most people never see.
Here are seven of the best small towns for stargazing and dark skies.
1TorreyUtah
Near a certified dark-sky national park, Torrey offers red-rock scenery beneath spectacularly starry nights.
2Fountain HillsArizona
A designated dark-sky community near Phoenix, Fountain Hills proves great stargazing can be close to a city.
3JulianCalifornia
A historic mountain town, Julian sits high enough and far enough from lights to offer excellent night skies.
4WestcliffeColorado
A certified dark-sky town in a high mountain valley, Westcliffe is a haven for astronomers.
5Dripping SpringsTexas
The first dark-sky community in Texas, Dripping Springs blends Hill Country charm with starry nights.
6BluffUtah
A remote red-rock town, Bluff offers some of the darkest, most pristine skies in the Southwest.
7AlpineTexas
In the vast Big Bend region, Alpine sits under famously dark West Texas skies.
Dark-sky towns tend to be remote by nature, so weigh the trade-off of isolation against the reward of brilliant, starry nights.
If you long to see the Milky Way from your backyard, these towns put you under some of the darkest skies left in America.