Fill out the form below. Required fields are marked *. When you're done, click Generate JSON — you'll get a ready-to-paste data object to send to the maintainer.
Please fix the following before generating:
01 — Basic information
Use the full official name (e.g. "Great Sand Dunes National Park", not "Sand Dunes")
Choose the primary managing agency or land type.
Use decimal degrees. Best to grab from Google Maps (right-click a spot → copy coordinates) or the park's official page. Use the primary shooting area or main entrance, not a building.
Latitude (N)
Longitude (W, negative)
2–4 sentences. What makes this location special for Milky Way photography? What does it look like? Any unique features or context a photographer needs to know?
0 / 600
02 — Sky darkness
Look up the location on lightpollutionmap.info — zoom in, hover the site, and read the Bortle value. Use the reading for the shooting area, not a parking lot or town.
What is the default situation for a photographer arriving at night without any advance planning?
Be specific. Hours the gate closes, whether roads are gated separately from trails, what the permit process is, any seasonal variations. A photographer who hasn't been there should know exactly what to expect.
04 — Camping
How to reserve (recreation.gov, first-come, phone), approximate cost, amenities, any restrictions on camping during astrophotography events.
Name and distance of nearest campground or accommodation.
05 — Seasonal planning
Click to mark months as best (blue) or avoid (red). Click again to deselect. Consider Milky Way core visibility, weather, crowds, and access.
Best monthsAvoid
Any specific timing advice — best direction to face, how the terrain works with the core's position, twilight windows, etc.
Comma-separated list of specific viewpoints, overlooks, or named features within the location.
06 — Logistics
07 — Links
The NPS, state park, or managing agency page — specifically the hours/visitor info page, not the homepage. For BLM land, link to the field office page.
Auto-generated from coordinates above, or paste a custom link to a specific viewpoint.
How you'd like to be credited as a contributor. Leave blank to remain anonymous.
Generated location entry
Paste this into js/locations-data.js inside the LOCATIONS array
Fill out the form above and click Generate JSON to see the output here.
Live card preview
Start filling in the form to see a live preview of how this location will appear on the site.
How to research each field
Step 1 — Go to lightpollutionmap.info
Navigate to lightpollutionmap.info, zoom in to the specific shooting area (not the visitor center parking lot — those often have lights).
Step 2 — Hover and read
Hover over the map to see the SQM (Sky Quality Meter) reading and Bortle class. The color band also indicates darkness — purple/blue = very dark.
Use the darkest reading
If the site has a range (e.g. 1 near the dunes, 2 near the campground), use the reading at the primary shooting area.
Official park hours page
Every NPS park has a "Hours & Directions" page at nps.gov/[parkcode]/planyourvisit/hours.htm. State parks: search "[park name] hours" on the state DNR/parks website.
Call the ranger station
For ambiguous policies (especially state parks), a 2-minute phone call to the ranger station is more reliable than the website. Ask specifically: "Can visitors be in the park after dark?" and "Is there a permit process?"
Check photography permit policies
Some parks require commercial photography permits even for still photography at night. Personal/non-commercial shooting is almost always unrestricted but worth confirming.
recreation.gov
recreation.gov covers most federal campgrounds — NPS, USFS, BLM. Search by park name to see all campgrounds, reservation status, and fees.
State park reservation systems
Each state has its own — Reserve America (many states), ReserveAmerica.com, or state-specific sites. Search "[state] state park camping reservations".
Dispersed / backcountry camping
For BLM land and National Forests, dispersed camping is often free and requires no reservation. Confirm with the local field office. Note any distance requirements from roads or water.
IDA Places registry
The full list of designated places is at darksky.org/what-we-do/darksky-places/. Filter by country and type (Park, Reserve, Sanctuary, Community, etc.).
Tier levels
IDA Parks have tiers: Bronze, Silver, Gold. Gold is the highest (SQM > 22). Include the tier in the designation name if known.
Milky Way core visibility
The galactic core is visible in the USA roughly mid-February through late October. Peak: April–August. For latitudes above 45°N, the shooting window is shorter and the core stays lower.
Park-specific factors
Monsoon season (Jul–Sep in the Southwest), wildfire smoke (Jul–Sep in the West), snow closures (high-altitude parks Nov–May), and summer crowds all factor in.
Data quality note
Access rules change — a park that was open 24/7 last year may now have timed entry. Please verify information with the managing agency before submitting, and include the date you verified it in the access note.
Bortle readings from lightpollutionmap.info are based on the 2022 dataset and may differ slightly from real-world conditions due to local light sources.