Published on July 1, 2026 03:18 am
Perfecting my down-dog in a dark field I didn’t expect to spend my first night in Cherry Springs State Park, Pennsylvania’s starry oasis. Yet there I was, taking turns doing yoga for hours until the clouds cleared.
I always wanted to travel. Cherry Springs is a attraction for astro-tourists because it is one of the few truly dark places in the Northeast US. Nearly two decades ago, the 82-acre site became one of the first sites certified by light pollution authority, DarkSky International. What makes it even more special: It puts the glittering galaxy, which most of us can’t see at home due to artificial light, within easy reach.
Cherry Springs State Park is located in north-central Pennsylvania, within a five-hour drive of about 47 million people, including me – a Cleveland-based astronomy lover. I drove 240 miles in August 2025. My goal was simple. I needed to photograph the Milky Way for a stargazing book I was writing. My favorite cloud-prediction tool, the Windy.com app, forecasts clear skies after 11 p.m.
There were persistent clouds before midnight, so I did a quick yoga session to make the most of my time. Things got interesting at 12 midnight. The first star shone through the clouds, and within 30 minutes, I saw more stars. The clouds parted, and I admired and photographed Pinpricks Dome with its bright Milky Way all night long.
Why visit Cherry Springs State Park?
Cherry Springs State Park, named for its abundance of black cherry trees, was a pioneer in today’s growing astrotourism movement. It became a DarkSky-certified park in 2008, although visitors had already admired its heavenly views before then.
Tim Morey, natural resources specialist at Cherry Springs State Park, says of the park’s first attempt at astrotourism, “My former supervisor discovered this astronomer on the grounds late at night—an astronomer.” The staff got to know the man well and he “really helped open the park’s eyes to astronomy.”
After that, Morey and his team learned early astronomy and how to protect their fleeting natural resource: darkness. “Many people in the eastern US can’t see the Milky Way where they live, even from a nearby park or forest,” he says. In this far-flung escape, it is so dark that not only stars and galaxies can be seen, but also deep space objects like star clusters and galaxies, or, on the luckiest nights, the northern lights.
Most travelers use Cherry Springs as their home base, and spend the night camping at the state park (Reservation recommended) and spent days exploring the mountainous Pennsylvania Wilds that surround it. Thousands of miles of trails stretch through the region’s forests, including the nearby Susquehannock State Forest. The area’s waterways attract fishermen and kayakers, and nature lovers flock to the 45-mile Pine Creek Gorge, a mosaic of deep canyon walls and waterfalls within an hour of the park.
As evening falls, there is no better sight than the dark and expansive view of Cherry Springs. “We’re on top of a hill,” says environmental education specialist Susan Schenk. “This topography in an otherwise mountainous area ensures that the night sky is undisturbed.
The stargazing area from which I observed the sky is particularly suitable for observation. Almost a century ago, approval was given to build an airstrip. “There aren’t as many trees blocking the view,” she says. “So it’s a wide open space on top of a mountain, offering these panoramic views of the night sky.”
2 Astronomy Experiences in Cherry Springs
Stargazing here is kind of its own adventure. First, there is a simple and free sky-watching experience, which is what I enjoyed. It involves admiring the universe from a vast, tree-lined grounds – either from the park’s amphitheater or in your chair across from the parking lot. (For the sake of your neck, try NEMO Stargaze Reclining Chair.)
The grounds are adjacent to the state park’s campground, and stargazers and campers can come and go from the viewing grounds as they wish. A tall mound in the parking area blocks the entry and exit headlights. I recommend this option for all but the most serious stargazers.
with permit (acquired onsite), professional astronomers and astrophotographers can access the adjacent and highly protected nighttime astronomy observing area. Sky-observation is very strict on this side. While red lights are encouraged everywhere in the park, white lights are strictly prohibited in the observation area. To avoid disrupting the telescope’s observations or imaging, patrons must arrive before dark and cannot leave until dawn. All interior vehicle lights must also be turned off or covered with red filters.
When to Observe the Stars at Cherry Springs State Park
As I learned, cloud cover can make or break your Cherry Springs experience. Certain times of the year promise better prospects. “The later in the summer you go, the more obvious this will be,” says Schenk, adding that July through September is the ideal time.
In my experience, forecasts are most accurate a day or two before your trip. In mid-August, my Windy.com app predicted cloudy skies by 11 p.m., only to be off by about an hour.
Another consideration for a night scene is the phase of the moon. You’ll see more stars and the best views of the galaxy on the nights just before and after the new moon.
You can travel any night; The main public park is free and open 24 hours a day all year round. In the summer, the staff hosts family-friendly programming on Friday and Saturday nights with topics like nocturnal ecology or space science.
“At around 9 p.m., we take laser-guided night sky tours to point out stars, planets and constellations,” says Schenk. “When it gets properly dark around 10 p.m., we invite the public to take a look through our park binoculars.” Several local astronomy clubs also host summer and fall festivals and star parties in the park.
Cherry Springs State Park’s programming is designed to help people of all ages connect with and fall in love with the night sky. “It’s about education, and kids’ Blinky sneakers are welcome,” Morey says. “We want kids to come and enjoy it because they’re the future of this resource. They’ll decide whether it’s for the next generation or not.”
