Cherry Springs State Park: The Complete Stargazing Guide

One of the darkest skies on the East Coast, where the Milky Way can shine bright enough to cast a shadow.

Quick Facts

• Address: 4639 Cherry Springs Road, Coudersport, PA 16915 (along PA Route 44)

• Size: 82 acres, surrounded by the 262,000-acre Susquehannock State Forest

• Elevation: About 2,300 feet, on the Allegheny Plateau

• Dark sky status: Pennsylvania's first Dark Sky Park (2000); International Dark Sky Park (2008)

• Sky quality: Bortle Class 2 (almost no light pollution)

• Great viewing nights: About 60 to 85 per year

• Cost: The Night Sky Public Viewing Area is free; the Overnight Astronomy Observation Field requires registration and a fee

• Park contact: 814-435-1037

Why Cherry Springs Is So Dark

Cherry Springs sits on a high plateau in the middle of hundreds of thousands of acres of state forest. The nearest city, Williamsport, is about 60 miles away. The nearby towns sit in deep valleys, so the hills block most of their light. The result is a Bortle Class 2 sky, among the darkest in the eastern United States. It's widely called the best stargazing east of the Mississippi.

Pennsylvania named Cherry Springs its first Dark Sky Park in 2000. In 2008 it became an International Dark Sky Park, one of the first in the world. The park has been ranked among the world's best stargazing destinations, and it draws an estimated 85,000 to 90,000 visitors a year. Crowds have grown so much that the state recently rebuilt the park's entrances, parking, walkways, and amphitheater to handle them.

What You'll See

• The Milky Way stretching horizon to horizon on clear, moonless nights

• Thousands of stars with the naked eye (about 10,000 under ideal conditions)

• Planets, star clusters, and the Andromeda Galaxy through binoculars or a telescope

• Meteor showers such as the Perseids (mid-August) and Geminids (mid-December)

• On rare nights, the northern lights

Where to Stargaze: Two Viewing Areas

Night Sky Public Viewing Area — Best for Most Visitors

Free and open to everyone for short visits of a few hours. No overnight stays. Park educators and guest speakers lead public stargazing programs here and in the amphitheater, weather permitting.

Overnight Astronomy Observation Field — For Serious Astronomers and Astrophotographers

Open all night to registered users only, with a per-night fee. Strict lighting rules protect everyone's night vision and long-exposure photos.

Rules That Protect the Dark

• Red light only. Flashlights must have red filters or be fully shielded; white light is prohibited in the viewing areas.

• No green laser pointers.

• No pets or alcohol in the viewing areas.

• Arrive before dark so you can park and set up without using headlights on the field.

• Check the park's alerts before you go, since rules and access can change.

When to Go

• Plan around the new moon. The week before and after gives the darkest skies.

• The Milky Way's bright core is best from late spring through early fall, after full dark (often 10 PM or later in summer).

• Check a cloud forecast (Clear Outside or Astrospheric) on the day you go.

• Summer weekends, new-moon weekends, and meteor showers are the busiest nights. Arrive early.

What to Bring

• A red flashlight or headlamp

• Warm layers, a hat, and a blanket — nights on the plateau are cool and damp even in July

• Camp chairs or a reclining pad

• Binoculars or a telescope (optional; the view is great with the naked eye)

• Bug spray, water, and snacks

• Downloaded maps (cell service is limited)

Daytime at Cherry Springs

Come early and explore the park's short interpretive forest trail (details on our Hiking page), see the picnic pavilion built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s (listed on the National Register of Historic Places), and catch the sunset at Cherry Springs Vista, two miles away on Route 44 — one stop on our Scenic Overlooks guide. A rustic campground is open from mid-April through late October (reservations: 888-PA-PARKS).

Official interpretive trail map (DCNR)

Star Parties and Events

Cherry Springs hosts two major star parties that draw hundreds of astronomers: the Cherry Springs Star Party (June) and the Black Forest Star Party (September), which usually includes a public night. See our Stargazing Events guide for scheduled programs and dates.