The Dark Desert Skies of California

Join us under the dark skies of the California desert just outside of Death Valley National Park for the 2024 California Dark Sky Festival! This event will feature three nights of huge telescopes, astronomy lectures by professional astronomers, nightscape photography workshops, Q&A with astrophysicists, afternoon demonstrations and solar viewing, giveaways, camping onsite in your own tent/RV/etc., a food truck, and more!

Event activities include:

• Night sky viewing through huge telescopes!

• Astronomy lectures on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights

• Q&A with the astronomers on Saturday and Sunday afternoons

• Nighttime photography workshops on Friday and Saturday nights offered as optional add-ons — Bring your DSLR or mirrorless camera, tripod, lenses (wide angle preferred), and handheld timer if you have one

• Food truck TBA

• Giveaways TBA

• Giant chess set

• Onsite camping included in ticket price for all attendees — you bring your own tent/RV/camper van/favorite camp setup. There are no RV hookups available at this primitive location.

• Optional add-on a T-shirt (t-shirts are pre-order only — not sold onsite)

• Vast desert views and amazing sunsets as well as endless nearby day trips to pursue on your own in Death Valley, Trona Pinnacles, Darwin Falls, and the list goes on!

• The average forecast for early November in Panamint Valley is mostly sunny/clear with daytime highs in the 70s and overnight lows in the early morning hours in the 50s or 40s.

• Dark skies and good company!

• Campfires are allowed as long as they are small and don’t disturb the dark skies for your neighbors

• Friendly dogs are welcome

• Clean porta-potties comprise our restroom accommodations

• Please pack it in and pack it out at this primitive location — there is no trash or recycling service

• There is no water and no electricity onsite — bring everything you would need for your camping setup.

• The last 8 miles to get to the location are on a county maintained dirt road which any vehicle can navigate. More info below.

• If you’re camping in a tent, be sure you’re using at least 12” stake to withstand the occasional gust of wind

• We ask that no generators be used overnight (temps are fine so there isn’t a need), and only modern “quiet-type” generators be used during the day if needed

• Please only use red lights after dark, and if you must use a white light, shield it as much as possible from your neighbors

You bring your own camping setup — tent, food, water, lawn chairs, headlamps (preferably with a red light option), etc., and we’ll bring porta-potties, a location with amazing views, and all the goodies mentioned above.

*** Please note that this is primitive camping aside from the porta-potties — there is no water or electricity onsite.

Located just west of Death Valley in scenic Panamint Valley, the event will take place on 80 acres of pristine private property (Google map link here as well as below). Any vehicle can navigate the county maintained dirt road to get there. More detailed direction can be found below.

A county maintained dirt road that any vehicle can traverse

The route to this site includes a county maintained dirt road for the final 8 miles which is generally in good condition as far as dirt roads go. Any type of vehicle can make it, but larger trucks and trailers will want to enter from the south through Ballarat, as the road is wider than coming in from the north (both are about 8 miles in distance).

Depending on your vehicle type, and if you have a trailer, one can generally travel about 10-45 mph on this final 8 miles. Arrival time is anytime after 1 PM on Friday, November 1st, and check out time is by 1 PM on Monday, November 4th. This event is being held at our Death Valley Starcamp, which is just west of the national park boundary near the ghost town of Ballarat, California. Click here for a map of the location. Any type of vehicle can navigate the county maintained dirt road to this location. RVs are fine as well.

Great autumn weather

The average forecast calls for mostly sunny/clear skies with daytime highs in the 70s and overnight lows in the 50s or 40s. This forecast will be updated as the event gets closer. (Last updated: 3/2/24)

Tickets Almost Sold Out!

Now ticket credit insurance is built into every ticket! Please note that all sales are final and no refunds will be given, however, if you can’t attend for any reason - even last minute - you’ll be able to forward the face value of your ticket for a time period of one year to any future Dark Sky Festival or Meteor Shower Party happening at our Panamint Valley, CA or Sage Valley, NV locations (we typically have 3 - 4 events each year). If the event has to be canceled for some crazy reason from our end, your ticket(s) will be credited towards any future Panamint Valley or Sage Valley Dark Sky Festival or Meteor Shower Party with no expiration! You are also welcome to sell/giveaway your ticket to family/friends/strangers in the event that you cannot attend.

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There are several awesome places in the area to explore during the day as well, including the Trona Pinnacles, the ghost town of Ballarat, Death Valley itself, Darwin Falls, and countless canyons with old structures and mining ruins.

See you at the California Dark Sky Festival!

Now ticket credit insurance is built into every ticket! Please note that all sales are final and no refunds will be given, however, if you can’t attend for any reason - even last minute - you’ll be able to forward the face value of your ticket for a time period of one year to any future Dark Sky Festival or Meteor Shower Party happening at our Panamint Valley, CA or Sage Valley, NV locations (we typically have 3 - 4 events each year). If the event has to be canceled for some crazy reason from our end, your ticket(s) will be credited towards any future Panamint Valley or Sage Valley Dark Sky Festival or Meteor Shower Party with no expiration! You are also welcome to sell/giveaway your ticket to family/friends/strangers in the event that you cannot attend.