Dark Sky Night: International Dark Sky Week Celebration

Come see the stars and explore our night sky with our park rangers at this International Dark Sky Park. Pick out constellations, observe planets and nebulae through a telescope, and take in the silhouette of the star-lit Blue Ridge Mountains.

Be sure to bring something comfortable to sit on and a red-light flashlight if you have one. Meet rangers at the Skyline Trail parking lot. A moderate 10-minute hike up a hill will be necessary to attend the program.

For those who will have trouble walking up the hill, a free haywagon with seats for 20 people leaves at the program’s start time to reach the viewing location. Pre-registration for the wagon ride is required; only one wagon runs per night and space is limited, so please limit sign-ups to those who need it.

There will be a $5 parking fee per vehicle, payable in cash or by QR code. A same-day admission receipt to the Natural Bridge covers your fee.

All programs are weather dependent. If a program is canceled due to weather, we will post a cancellation notice on this listing. Questions? Call (540) 254-0795 to speak with a ranger.