Between porch lights, streetlights, and Austin’s ever-growing skyline, it can be tough to spot more than a handful of stars from your backyard. Fortunately, some of Central Texas’ best stargazing spots are just a short drive away. Whether you’re hoping to catch a meteor shower, learn about constellations, or simply spend a night under the stars, these parks, observatories, and local events are worth adding to your family bucket list.
Dark Skies Program & Bortle Scale Ratings: Looking for the best places to see the stars? Texas Parks & Wildlife partners with the McDonald Observatory, DarkSky International, and local astronomy groups to host star parties, constellation tours, and family-friendly educational events throughout the year.
You’ll also notice each park’s Bortle rating listed here. This scale measures the darkness of the night sky, helping you quickly identify the best spots for stargazing, meteor showers, and spotting the Milky Way
Top Spots for Stargazing Around Austin
Enchanted Rock
Enchanted Rock State Natural Area is about an hour and a half from Austin. It’s a favorite for hiking and camping and for marveling at its natural beauty. Its rural dark sky also makes it one of the best public places for stargazing in Central Texas, and in fact, it has been designated an International Dark Sky Park. Click here to learn more about star gazing events in Enchanted Rock. View the Enchanted Rock website for information about making reservations to visit this park.
Inks Lake State Park
Another favorite spot for camping, Inks Lake, is just a little over an hour away from Austin, and a great spot for dark skies, as well as fishing, swimming, hiking, and weekend getaways. Consider hiking Pecan Flats, a self-guided 3.3-mile trail that is good for the whole family. You can also rent paddle boats, canoes, and kayaks at the park store. There are plenty of daytime activities to keep you busy before you settle into your camp to view the stars before bedtime. Click here to view the Inks Lake website for information about visiting this park.
Lost Maples
About three hours west of Austin, Lost Maples is well known for being one of the best places in the state to see fall foliage. But it is spectacular year-round for hiking, sightseeing, and bird watching, and a great spot for photography. Lost Maple’s Bortle Scale rating is 3, and perfect for stargazing. Click here to read detailed info about viewing the stars in Lost Maples.
Garner State Park
About three hours from Austin on the Frio River, Garner State Park is a great place for a relaxing weekend. You can camp, study nature, picnic, canoe, fish, play miniature golf, geocache, and ride bikes. The Scenic Hill Country terrain offers lots to see and do, and certainly boasts dark night skies. Click here for more info and a listing of special events.
Blanco State Park
Another popular spot for camping, Blanco State Park, offers swimming, picnicking, hiking, nature study, boating, and fishing. The park hosts a semi-annual educational event where visitors have the opportunity to learn about astronomy and gaze at the stars, planets, and galaxies through different telescopes. Click here to read more about Blanco State Park, and click here to view their upcoming calendar of events.
South Llano River State Park
This popular summer spot to float, paddle, and fish the South Llano River also offers a great place to camp, hike, bike, geocache, and marvel at the stars, as it is noted as an International Dark Sky Park. Interestingly, the park is home to one of the largest turkey roosts in Central Texas (roosting from Oct. 1 through March 31). The day-use area is only open from 10 am – 3 pm during these months so that humans don’t disturb the roosting turkeys. During the rest of the year, it’s a great place to stargaze. Click here to view stargazing info, and click here to find out about upcoming events.
Star Parties Around the Austin Area
Austin Astronomical Society Public Star Parties
The AAS is one of the most active regional astronomical societies in the country and hosts public star parties at State Parks in and near Austin. Check out their events schedule here.
Eagle Eye Observatory at Canyon of the Eagles
The Observatory in Burnet, TX, is operated several nights a week, weather permitting. Learn more.
UT Department of Astrology
The Department of Astronomy hosts public viewing three nights a week while UT classes are in session. Their 16-inch reflector telescope at the Physics, Math, and Astronomy Building is open on Wednesday nights, and the 9-inch refractor at Painter Hall is open on Fridays and Saturdays. Check their outreach site at outreach.as.utexas.edu for more information.
Starry Nights at Girlstart
Girlstart’s STEM Studio and Mini-Planetarium is a unique space for families to explore astronomy together. While currently on a break, you can check here for when Starry Nights will be back!
