Pure Michigan Stargazing: Where the Stars Shine the Brightest

Even those of us who aren't full-fledged astronomers (so... most of us) can appreciate the beauty of looking up and seeing the stars in the night sky. But when you live in the more populated areas of Michigan, only the brightest stars are visible.

What if you could look up and see all of the stars that are visible to the naked eye? There are several places right here in Michigan where you can do just that.

Get our free mobile app

I grew up in a small farming town in the Upper Peninsula, and I will tell you that I didn't take the time to appreciate just how many stars I could see when I just looked up while standing in my own backyard.

As an adult, I've grown to appreciate the beauty that the night sky has to offer. Unfortunately, I now live in the city where light pollution drowns out much of the sparkle.

Michigan Dark Sky Parks Where You Can Take Your Stargazing to the Next Level

Sure, you could just drive to some remote area and hope that you don't get arrested for trespassing. But a better play to take in the entirety of the beauty of the night sky is to make your way to one of Michigan's dark sky parks.

The good news is that you have quite a few to choose from.

Headlands International Dark Sky Park

Headlands is located in Emmet County, way up nearly at the tippy-top of the "mitten" portion of Michigan.

The park spans an impressive 550 acres and sits right along the shores of Lake Michigan. You can't get much more unobstructed than viewing the stars on the lakeshore.

The nice thing about Headlands is that they offer classes and even parties centered around stargazing.

Keweenaw Dark Sky Park

We go from the tippy-top of the mitten to the tippy-top of the Upper Peninsula for this next one.

Keweenaw Dark Sky Park is located in Keweenaw County, also known as the very tip of that weird little fin that sticks out of the top of the U.P.

Here's the thing about Keweenaw Dark Sky Park: it's actually on private property. The property for the park is part of the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge. That doesn't mean that you can't go there to get your star fix, it's just a little different than a public viewing area.

If you've ever wanted to check out the northern lights with the least amount of light pollution possible, this is where you want to go.

The Keweenaw Mountain Lodge prides itself on providing educational opportunities to learn more about stars in general, photographing stars and the northern lights, and more.

Dr. T.K. Lawless International Dark Sky Park

And now we move wayyyyy south to Cass County, and Dr. T.K. Lawless International Dark Sky Park.

This park spans over 800 acres, and provides events centered around astronomy as well as different classes (like yoga) that you can do under the stars.

The Alpena Area, Just as a Whole

I don't know what it is about Alpena and the surrounding area, but there are a lot of spots in the area that are great for getting views of the night sky with little to no light pollution.

The area in Alcona and Presque Isle counties is home to Rockport Recreation Area, Thompson's Harbor State Park, and Negwegon State Park.

If none of these are quite what you're looking for, you're in luck! There are a lot of other areas around the state where you can take in breathtaking views of the night sky.

Planning Your Michigan Stargazing Adventure

If you're thinking of making your way to one of these stunny stargazing sights, you're going to want to be prepared.

Know that you're going to want to get to your location at least ten minutes early. It takes a while for your eyes to adjust to the pure darkness.

⬇️Learn the ABCs of Michigan's U.P.⬇️

If you bring a flashlight, make sure that it's a red-lens one - many of the parks don't allow the use of regular flashlights.
If you want to get the most out of your celestial sightseeing, check when cool moon-related things are happening, or just when we'll be seeing meteor showers (there are still ten more happening this year).