Place Where You Can Watch Stars Near Me
Do you call Dallas or Fort Worth domicile? Or, are y'all planning a trip in that location for business or pleasure? In either example, you might desire to go stargazing in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro expanse… and that sounds a lot easier than it is. While Texas every bit a whole is dandy for stargazing, it can be hard to find dark skies in urban areas similar Houston, Austin, and, of grade, the Dallas/Fort Worth area.
While information technology's certainly possible to go stargazing well-nigh Dallas or Fort Worth, you need to know where to go. Luckily, we've put together this guide with all the recommended stargazing spots in Dallas, Fort Worth, and the surrounding area. Read on to find the all-time places for stargazing in DFW.
This post was originally published in December 2018, and was updated in January 2022.
Featured photo credit: Teddie Bridget Proctor via Flickr
The Best Stargazing Spots in Dallas
Like nearly cities, the stargazing options in Dallas are limited. This is the reality of living in a metropolitan area with 6.8 million other people (the total population of Dallas-Fort Worth area). We've put together a map with the places in this guide that you tin use to become a quick view of each place we recommend.
Every bit you tin see on the map above, at that place'southward one spot that tin be good if you can't go out of the metropolis and desire to endeavor and see the stars.
Harry S. Moss Park
Harry Southward. Moss Park is part of the larger White Rock Creek Greenbelt that cuts through northeast Dallas. Parts of the White Rock Creek Greenbelt are forested, simply there are some fields and open areas where you can get a ameliorate, more than complete view of the sky. Harry Due south. Moss Park itself is focused on mount biking and has five routes that comprise five.46-miles of trails to ride. In one case the dominicus goes down, there are a few spots within the park (and the Greenbelt) where you tin get a decent view of the stars due to the elevation gains in this part of the Greenbelt.
7601 Greenville Ave, Dallas, TX , dallasparks.org
The Best Stargazing Spots in Fort Worth
Similar to Dallas, Fort Worth suffers from a lot of light pollution and there aren't many options for stargazing in the city. These locations a good option for those who don't have the time or inclination to drive out away from the metropolis lights.
Tandy Hills Natural Area
While Tandy Hills Natural Area is located pretty close to the heart of Fort Worth, you might exist surprised how much a little natural barrier helps you lot run into the night sky. Tandy Hills is a 160-acre light-green space that protects a natural prairie in the centre of the city. (Tin can you believe that prairie like this used to cover much of the American Midwest?) Fort Worth Astronomical Society besides hosts star parties at Tandy Hills during the warm conditions months (the final i of the year is in November).
3400 View St, Fort Worth, TX, tandyhills.org
Fort Worth Museum of Science and History
While the Fort Worth Museum of Scientific discipline and History besides makes our list for space-themed experiences in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, it'southward a decent spot for some urban stargazing. This is because the Museum hosts occasional star parties in the parking lot! Amateur and professional astronomers from the Noble Planetarium and Fort Worth Astronomical Society come out and set telescopes to let u.s.a. metropolis-dwellers to peer beyond the haze of calorie-free pollution to run into the wonders across.
1600 Gendy St, Fort Worth, TX, fwmuseum.org
Stargazing Spots within 1 Hour of Dallas
It's always the case in our stargazing guides series: if you're willing to drive a little way out of the city, your stargazing options will ameliorate dramatically. Inside a sixty-minute drive from Dallas or Fort Worth, here are some of the acme places for stargazing.
UNT Rafes Urban Astronomy Center
The Rafes Urban Astronomy Eye, operated by the University of North Texas, is located nearly the town of Denton. It's a 39-minute drive from Fort Worth or a 56-minute bulldoze from Dallas. The Rafes Urban Astronomy Center is used for both education (astronomy classes and observational research) and public outreach. Star parties are held on the first Saturday of every month. You lot tin attend these to collaborate with students and professors and see the nighttime heaven well away from the hazy light pollution of DFW.
2350 Tom Cole Rd, Ponder, TX, astronomy.unt.edu
Frisco Commons Park
Located in the town of Frisco, Frisco Commons Park is a 34-minute drive from Dallas or 50-minute bulldoze from Fort Worth. This park is known for existence a great stargazing spot, with 63-acres of adult but mixed-use areas. Hosted past the Texas Astronomical Guild, The Frisco Starfest is likewise hosted on the second Saturday of each calendar month at Frisco Commons Park – information technology's a perfect occasion to visit. Note that the park closes 30 minutes later on sundown if yous go stargazing on your own.
8000 McKinney Rd, Frisco, TX, visitfrisco.com
Cedar Loma State Park
Cedar Hill State Park is a great option for stargazing near Dallas or Forth Worth without a long drive. Located 25 minutes from Dallas and thirty minutes from Fort Worth to the due south, you lot can reach Cedar Loma State Park and go stargazing out over Joe Pool Lake. This lake is popular for fishing and boating by day, and at night yous can stand up on the shore to get a view of the dark sky. Or, you tin book a campsite at one of the over 300 sites in the country park and enjoy the stars all night long.
1570 FM1382, Cedar Hill, TX, cedarhillstatepark.org
Lewisville Lake
Lewisville Lake is located north of Dallas and Fort Worth, a 45- to 60-minute drive depending on where in the DFW area y'all offset. In that location are a couple of good spots around Lewisville Lake that are good for stargazing. Ane selection is Wynnwood Park, where a 3-mile trail leads out to the shorefront and gives yous solid stargazing views. LLELA Nature Preserve is on the southern shore of the lake, and the preserve forms a natural barrier to cutting down some of the light pollution. Hidden Cove Park also has a couple shorefront trails and beaches that could work for stargazing also.
Wynnwood Park – yard Lebanon Rd, The Colony, TX
LLELA Nature Preserve – 201 Due east Jones St, Lewisville, TX, llela.org
Stargazing Spots within 2 Hours of Dallas
If y'all want to take an overnight stargazing trip or make a weekend of information technology, you can widen your range of places you lot might go. Inside a two-hour bulldoze of Dallas or Fort Worth, you can accept advantage of Texas' great state parks and lakes to reduce the city calorie-free pollution and give wide open nighttime heaven views.
Lake Tawakoni
Arm Point Park, located on a stretch of country in Lake Tawakoni, is simply over an hour from Dallas to the eastward. Betwixt the altitude from the metropolis and the dark skies over Lake Tawakoni, you can stand out on the shoreline at Arm Indicate Park and admire a sky full of stars. South across the lake, Lake Tawakoni State Park is another cracking selection, with a huge n-facing embankment and camping area on Spring Point. This makes information technology a great option for an overnight or weekend stargazing trip.
Lake Tawakoni State Park – 10822 FM 2475, Wills Point, TX, tpwd.texas.gov
Hubbard Lakes
75 minutes south of Dallas and Fort Worth, the modest town of Hubbard has several pocket-sized lakes to the southwest. These lakes are a great stargazing spot, logically chosen Hubbard Lake Number ane, Number iii, and Number iv. The Central Texas Astronomical Society hosts a monthly public star party at the lake; you can run into the details on their website. On other nights, you can head out on your own along the shorefront trails to observe an unobstructed view of the night sky.
Cooper Lake Land Park
If you can't tell, the state parks surrounding Dallas – particularly those near lakes – are great options! Cooper Lake State Park is a 90-infinitesimal drive northeast of Dallas. It's a popular spot during the day for swimming, boating, jet-skiing, picnicking, and generally enjoying the dandy Texas weather. At night, y'all can enjoy the comfortable Texas nights too, and go stargazing out across Jim Chapman Lake.
1690 FM 3505, Sulphur Springs, TX, tpwd.texas.gov
Dinosaur Valley State Park
Equally the proper noun suggests, Dinosaur Valley Country Park is home to tracks from Sauropods and Theropods that once roamed beyond this site southwest of Fort Worth and Dallas. Drive 63 minutes from Fort Worth or 90 minutes from Dallas to go hiking, mountain biking, or just walk in the footsteps of dinosaurs. Once the sun sets, gaze up upon many of the aforementioned stars that in one case wheeled overhead millions of years ago.
1629 Park Rd 59, Glen Rose, TX, tpwd.texas.gov
Purtis Creek Land Park
It might seem like nearby Cedar Creek Reservoir is a skilful option for lower light pollution, as it'due south a bigger trunk of water, only Purtis Creek State Park is a better bet. A more often than not wooded land park, it'southward an hour from Dallas to Purtis Creek State Park (ninety minutes from Fort Worth), but well worth the drive. There are two main parking areas in Purtis Creek State Park, and both have piers where you can walk out a little into the lake to get an fifty-fifty meliorate view of the stars.
14225 Farm to Market 316, Eustace, TX, tpwd.texas.gov
Lake Mineral Wells State Park
The concluding place yous might consider stargazing almost Dallas and Fort Worth is Lake Mineral Wells State Park. Located a 50-minute drive from Fort Worth and a 75-minute bulldoze from Dallas, Lake Mineral Wells Land Park was once a health resort from the cities; at present you tin go rock climbing, hiking, or biking past 24-hour interval – and stargazing by night! There are four main camping ground areas – plus you lot tin can hike in to exercise archaic camping ground in the park. Any of these are a bang-up selection if you lot make an overnight or weekend stargazing trip to Lake Mineral Wells Land Park.
100 Park Rd 71, Mineral Wells, TX, tpwd.texas.gov
Best Times of Year to Go Stargazing in Dallas
The weather in Dallas and Fort Worth is similar to the remainder of cardinal Texas (and Austin). That means cool, dry out winters and hot, boiling summers. Additionally, the late jump (April and May) is the rainy flavour.
This makes the autumn months of September to October the best time of year for stargazing in Dallas and Fort Worth. Starting in September, the temperatures commencement to drib but the nights are still quite warm. Since October is a great flavor for meteor showers (the Draconids and the Orionids), that's a perfect time to plan your stargazing trip.
Can You Run into the Milky way in Dallas or Fort Worth?
Inside the urban center limits of Dallas and Fort Worth, it is incommunicable to see the Milky way due to light pollution. That's an unfortunate reality of basically every major urban center! Instead, consider driving out to one of the country parks we highlighted near Dallas and Fort Worth. On a clear night, you lot'll accept a much better view to try and spot our milky way.
Other Space Activities in Dallas and Fort Worth
During the days betwixt stargazing sessions, you might desire to bask a few space-related activities in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Luckily, you've got some keen options!
The Expanding Universe Hall at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science helps visitors understand how the universe was formed and how our understanding of the cosmos has inverse over time. Through giant informative panels and interactive displays, y'all'll the history of our universe since the big bang, and how many questions we notwithstanding don't know. The Perot Museum is located nigh downtown Dallas. (website; admission is $20 for adults, $13 for children)
In Fort Worth, theNoble Planetarium at theFort Worth Museum of Science and History is a bang-up option. Especially for those who want to see all the stars but can't make it to one of these corking stargazing spots. The planetarium hosts two regular shows: Texas Night Sky and Our Solar Organisation, which educate viewers on our celestial neighborhood and how much we can see. (website ; tickets are $v for adults, $4 for children)
In betwixt Dallas and Fort Worth, the University of Texas at Arlington Planetarium is another great selection for astronomy teaching. During the weekend, you can stop by for a planetarium show. Topics include Astronauts and Astronomers, "Phantom of the Universe," and even a Pink Floyd show. (website, tickets are $half-dozen for adults, $iv for children)
Practice y'all take other questions about stargazing in Dallas or Fort Worth? Permit me know in the comments.
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Source: https://spacetourismguide.com/stargazing-in-dallas-fort-worth/
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