Stargazing in Texas 2024

You can enjoy stargazing in Texas all year round; however, the best time is during the warm season, from May to September

Best time: all year round (best from May to September)

Many people who have visited Texas say there are huge and bright stars there. And we suppose this point is well taken. You see, Texas has wide-open spaces away from urban areas without city lights. This makes these spots the favorite ones among stargazers. You can enjoy stargazing all year round; however, the best time to go stargazing in Texas is from May to September.

So, we’ve put together a list of the best places for enjoying the night sky in Texas. Pack your bags and head towards the magnificent beauty of the night.

Big Bend National Park

Big Bend National Park is a vast park, including the entire Chisos mountain range. The International Dark-Sky Association named it a gold-tier designation. Big Bend shares this honor with only 13 other parks, scattered all over the world. The International Dark-Sky Association is a non-profit organization that works to protect the night skies. Also, this place is ranked number four on the International Dark-Sky Association’s top seven stargazing spots in the world.

McDonald Observatory

The McDonald Observatory is located near the community of Fort Davis in Jeff Davis County. Being only two hours north of Big Bend National Park, this place features four top-quality telescopes that allow visitors to look deep into the magical night sky. The McDonald Observatory also offers guided tours. We recommend you check its official website in the External Resources below for more detailed information.

Matagorda Island

Untamed and rugged, Matagorda Island is located in the heart of the Gulf Coast. It has no electricity, no concessions, no private motorized vehicles—only the pristine beauty. You can camp there for a night or two and go stargazing anywhere along the beach. But be careful: all these gorgeous stars above the Gulf waters may blow your mind.

Palo Duro Canyon

Palo Duro Canyon is the second-largest canyon in the USA, located near Amarillo and Canyon. The park on its territory hosts regular stargazing parties and full moon hikes. Be ready to see the breathtaking Milky Way along with thousands of other stars.

Brazos Bend State Park

On its territory, Brazos Bend State Park has the George Observatory, which has one of the biggest telescopes in the USA. Regularly available for public use, this 36-inch Gueymard Research Telescope offers stargazers astonishing views of the solar system. For example, visitors can see the rings of Saturn, a total eclipse of the Moon, and even cloud belts on Jupiter.