Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians

The Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians reservation stretches across northern Arizona near the Utah border, roughly 80 kilometres north of the Grand Canyon. In 2015 it became an International Dark Sky Community, known locally as Thunder Mountain Pootseev Nightsky, and the first place in the world to be recognised by DarkSky International as a "Dark Sky Nation."

Why the Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians reservation is a top stargazing spot

The Kaibab Paiute community of around 250 residents made history as the first ethnically and culturally homogenous community to unanimously adopt sky-friendly lighting practices, converting all of its outdoor lighting to night-sky-friendly fixtures by 2015. The designation, named Thunder Mountain Pootseev Nightsky in the Southern Paiute language, reflects the tribe's commitment to protecting a sky that has long been central to its cultural traditions, education and heritage.

What you can see

With the community's lighting brought under control and few large towns nearby, the reservation's high-desert location near the Arizona-Utah border offers clear views of the Milky Way and a dense scattering of stars rarely visible near cities. The surrounding Colorado Plateau landscape, close to the Grand Canyon region, is known for some of the clearest skies in the American Southwest.

Visiting the Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians reservation at night

As tribal land, the reservation asks visitors to be respectful of the community and its resources, so check ahead for guidance before you travel. Pipe Spring National Monument sits within the reservation and has a visitor centre that serves as the main hub for tourists, alongside the tribe's own convenience store and gas station and an RV park and campground for overnight stays. Each year the community hosts "Winsor Castle by Night" and "Dark Wings at Pipe Spring," cultural and stargazing events built around the role natural darkness plays in Paiute heritage and conservation.

Best time to go

At this latitude the Milky Way's core is best seen from around March to September, arcing high above the plateau on summer nights, while winter brings longer darkness and clear views of Orion and the other bright winter constellations. The Perseid meteor shower in August and the Geminids in December are both worth planning a visit around. Whichever season you choose, aim for a night near the new Moon, give your eyes 20 to 30 minutes to adapt to the dark, and use a red light rather than white to preserve your night vision.

Getting there

The reservation lies in northern Mohave and Coconino counties, adjacent to the Utah border and about 80 kilometres north of the Grand Canyon's North Rim. Pipe Spring National Monument, in the reservation's southwestern section, is the easiest landmark to navigate to and a good starting point for exploring the area.

See your named star from here

A sky dark enough to earn a Dark Sky Nation designation is exactly the kind of place where a named star becomes easy to find. If you've named a star through star-register.eu, bring your certificate's coordinates and a stargazing app to pick it out from the Kaibab sky. Explore the full catalogue of named stars, or find other certified dark-sky sites on our observatories page.