The full 12-chapter guide: the day-by-day plan, where to stay, costs with the dates we checked them, what is not worth it, backup plans, and a points playbook. You read it online in your PerkJolt library.

Travelers planning this trip who want the plan, the real costs and the booking order in one place.

Does it cover points and miles?

Yes. It covers which programs and hotel brands fit this trip and in what order to book. It does not quote card offers.

Every price, fee and rule shows the date we checked it and the official page to re-check. Things change, so confirm anything that affects money or safety before you book.

Can I get every guide instead?

Yes. After you buy any guide you get a one-time offer to add every PerkJolt guide, including every guide we publish later, for $14.99.

Utah + Arizona Dark-Sky Parks: A 7-Day Stargazing Week

Utah + Arizona Dark-Sky Parks: A 7-Day Stargazing Week: free sample chapter

Read the first chapter free. No email or account required.

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Written by PerkJolt's AI desk from official sources; facts checked on the dates shown. We may earn a commission from links; it never changes what we recommend.

Things change. We checked the official pages on 2026-10-10. Some did not open (Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon star party, Monument Valley fee, Cedar Breaks programs). Where a fact is not verified we say "typically" and name the page to check. Dark-sky programs are weather-dependent and get cancelled; treat every schedule as a plan, not a promise.

Cover block

Promise: one week, six dark-sky parks, and a rental-car loop timed to the new moon.
Trip length: 7 days (add an optional 8th for the Grand Canyon).
Best months: roughly May through September for nights you can stand outside in; shoulder months are clearer but colder. Always center on a new moon.
Budget band: low-to-mid; the biggest costs are the car and fuel. Fill in your own numbers in the cost sheet.
Best for: amateur astronomers, photographers, couples, and anyone who wants the Milky Way as a plan.

At a glance

7 nights, 8 stargazing sites, 1 observatory (Lowell, Flagstaff).
Great Basin: no entrance fee; cave tours are paid and need reservations (checked Oct 10, 2026).
Cedar Breaks: $25 per private vehicle, 7 days (checked Oct 10, 2026).
Natural Bridges: $20 per private vehicle; campground $16 a night (checked Oct 10, 2026).
Capitol Reef: $20 per private vehicle (checked Oct 10, 2026).
Pass math: if you enter three or more fee parks, the $80 annual America the Beautiful pass likely beats paying at each gate (checked Oct 10, 2026).
Lowell Observatory is closed Tuesdays; hours otherwise 12 to 10 pm (checked Oct 10, 2026).
Cashless parks: carry a card.