Camping in a Dark-Sky Preserve

Sleep under the stars in a Dark-Sky Preserve! These special destinations protect the night sky and offer some of the best places in the world to see stars and the northern lights. Start planning your next camping trip in one of these dazzling destinations!

Newfoundland and Labrador

Camp under the stars

Location: Terra Nova National Park

Marvel at galaxies near and far in Terra Nova National Park! Explore the cosmic wonders above with a Night Sky Kit, complete with binoculars and resources that will help you understand what you discover. Head to Sandy Pond, the darkest location in the park, for the finest views of the starry sky. Keep the fun going all night long with an overnight stay in Newman Sound Campground.

Nova Scotia

Go on a moonlit adventure

Location: Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site

Experience Nova Scotia’s darkest sky and brightest stars at Kejimkujik National Park and Historic Site. Head for Merrymakedge Beach and bask in its tranquility as you watch the shimmering reflection of stars over the water. For a moonlit adventure, head to the bridge at Jakes Landing or Mill Falls and watch the lustrous bands of the Milky Way light up your hike. End your evening at a backcountry campsite to share stories of your enchanted night around the campfire.

New Brunswick

Get up close to the stars

Location: Kouchibouguac National Park

Head to the Bog trail tower to behold up-close, the celestial masterpiece that is Kouchibouguac National Park! Notice how each star has its own unique brightness and size, and gaze up into the twists and turns of the Milky Way. See if you can locate constellations, or let your imagination run wild and create your own! Keep the stargazing going all night long as you watch the sky sparkle at Côte-à-Fabien Campground.

Count the constellations

Location: Fundy National Park

Observe tens of thousands of stars as they twinkle in the Fundy night sky. Bring a telescope to count the craters in the moon or download a star map and see how many constellations you can find! Camp at Chignecto campground to be close to the action. For a more secluded visit, admire the sky above Wolfe Lake to fully immerse yourself in the cosmic wonders.

Ontario

Explore a starry splendor

Location: Point Pelee National Park

Discover the splendour of the uninterrupted night sky at Point Pelee National Park. This astronomic beauty is best seen from serene West Beach. For an even better viewing experience, pick up a seasonal star chart upon arrival and bring binoculars or a telescope to spot constellations up-close. After your lustrous night ends, rest your head in the oTENTik village at Camp Henry!

Saskatchewan

Feel the magic of the prairies

Location: Grasslands National Park

Admire endless prairie skies at night and watch as an infinity of stars appears above. Grasslands National Park is the darkest in Canada and offers phenomenal views throughout the entire park, however favourite viewing sites include Two Trees Trail, Belza and Rock Creek Day Use areas. After you finish stargazing, head to Frenchman Valley Campground for a night filled with starry dreams.

Alberta

Catch sight of the northern lights

Location: Elk Island National Park

Calling all stargazers! Gaze up into the celestial wonders Elk Island National Park has to offer at the Astotin Day Use parking lot or the Pavilion picnic shelter. If you’re lucky, you may even get to watch the northern lights transform the sky into a brilliant green as it shimmers over the lake. After you’re done counting the stars, spend the night at Astotin Lake Campground.

Experience an astronomical evening

Location: Jasper National Park

Marvel in the wonders of the universe as you camp under the stars at Jasper National Park, the second largest Dark-Sky Preserve in the world. For a truly immersive experience, try backcountry camping at Tonquin Valley or Jaques Lake. Attend Jasper’s Dark Sky Festival in October for a whole host of activities and an unforgettable evening.

Camp in an International Dark Sky Park

Location: Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park

Visit Parks Canada’s only International Dark Sky Park! Head to Cameron Bay or the Red Rock Parkway to watch the starlight shine in Waterton Lakes National Park, a special place where the mountains meet the prairies. Bring your binoculars or telescope and see if you can find all the official constellations, or even Jupiter’s moons! After a night filled with wonder, head back to Townsite campground, located in the heart of the action.

Northwest Territories

Discover the largest Dark-Sky Preserve in the world

Location: Wood Buffalo National Park

Stay overnight in Wood Buffalo National Park , the largest Dark-Sky Preserve in the world! Watch in awe as ribbons of green and purple dance across the shimmering Northern sky as it stretches over Pine Lake. Observe the unparalleled beauty from the Dark-Sky Viewing Platform right in front of the Pine Lake Rental Cabin, the perfect place in which to doze off after a night filled with magic.

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