Darkest Skies in the Upper Peninsula
Stargazing is a cool reason for a Michigan road trip. Dark skies are disappearing across the state and country. To help
preserve starry sky viewing, some locations have been designated as
Dark Sky Preserves. This designation by the state protects these
areas from development and the introduction of artificial light.
There are no state designated Dark Sky Preserves in the upper
peninsula of Michigan. A statute prohibits the creation of Dark Sky
Preserves in the upper peninsula.
After months of travel and research, we decided that the darkest
skies in the upper peninsula of Michigan are in Delta County. A few
miles north of the town of Nahma in the Hiawatha National Forest is
a viewing platform at the end of the Nahma Marsh Trail. The
trail is short, only a third of a mile. The viewing platform is
large enough to accommodate several people and their cameras or
telescopes. The platform was built to serve birdwatching, but it is
perfect for stargazing. The night sky is perfectly dark.
Dark sky preserves are often in remote locations making them
difficult to access. Often there are few amenities available like
food and lodging. That isn’t the case with the dark skies at Nahma.
Just 2 miles away is a historic inn with excellent food, comfortable
rooms and high speed WiFi.
The combination of dark skies and local accommodations make this a
perfect destination for camera clubs, astronomy clubs and just about
anyone who wants a convenient way to enjoy the northern lights,
meteor showers or just a little stargazing.