Embrace the Dark: The 10 Best Destinations for Stargazing near Detroit
- Dan Cooke
- 6 days ago
- 6 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
The end of daylight saving time means that the Detroit region's shorter, darker days have arrived. Put differently, our region's BEST nights for stargazing are FINALLY BACK. Ready to admire the cosmos, Detroit? Here are the 10 best destinations for stargazing near Detroit - UPDATED FOR FALL 2025.
Have you ever felt like the harder you try for a goal, the less likely you are to achieve it? If you have, you're far from alone. That sentiment is so profound that it's known in modern psychology as the "Law of Reversed Effort," which suggests that conscious, forced effort can be counterproductive, and that achieving goals often requires relaxation, trust, and allowing the process to unfold naturally.
Exhibit A: my long-standing goal to witness the brilliance of the Aurora Borealis phenomenon, aka the Northern Lights.
I had traveled near and far to experience the Northern Lights. From backpacking in Alaska, visiting my brother in Norway, to skiing at Mount Bohemia in the U.P., I had certainly "put in the work" for crossing the Northern Lights off of my bucket list. I was in the right places, at the right time of year - and yet, time and time again, no luck.
And then, on a seemingly random May evening in suburban Northville, Michigan, I saw that my sister-in-law was calling my cell phone.
"DAN - get outside NOW and look up!!"
I walked outside of her Northville home with a view directly towards the towering tree of Maybury State Park. Sure enough, the starlit skies that typically adorned the park had an ethereal movement to them - a wispy, wavy, and colorful sheen that I had never experienced before.
Without any warning or notice, the Northern Lights had arrived in the Detroit region. The light show was spectacular - and absolutely worth the wait.
Amazingly, Maybury isn't even one of the best locations in Southeast Michigan for stargazing near Detroit. If nothing else, my Northern Lights experience proves that just a few acres of unadulterated green space can create a noticeable decrease in light pollution.
So then, where exactly are the best locations within a major metropolitan area like Metro Detroit? Don't worry, we've got you covered - the Expedition Detroit research team has painstakingly reviewed clear sky charts and light pollution maps to pinpoint the exact locations of the least amount of light pollution. Naturally, we found some gems hiding in plain sight - perfect destinations for a starlit hike or romantic adventure. All within an hour's drive of Downtown Detroit.
Happy stargazing, Detroit!
1. Waterloo State Recreation Area | Chelsea, Michigan
Michigan’s State Recreation Areas on the western frontier of Metro Detroit provide world-class stargazing vistas. Waterloo State Recreation Area is the foremost park in the Detroit Region for enjoying a starlit night, although light pollution from Jackson does start to creep in around the park’s southeast sections. We recommend reserving a campsite at Green Lake to get the most bang for the experience, although only the Green Lake Yurt will be available for winter stargazing expeditions (other camping opportunities are also available depending on the season).
NEW! EXPLORE WATERLOO RECREATION AREA WITH EXPEDITION DETROIT
2. Pinckney State Recreation Area | Pinckney, Michigan
You may have noticed this trend across our research, but whenever Waterloo Rec appears on a “Best Of” list, Pinckney State Recreation Area typically isn’t far behind (or vice-versa). The pattern holds true here - Pinckney’s fortunate location on the western rim of the Huron River watershed also provides the park with refuge from the light pollution of Detroit’s adjacent suburbs. Again, we highly recommend incorporating your stargazing into a weekend camping or backpacking trip to the park (the 33.9 mile Waterloo-Pinckney Trail over a long-weekend is our top choice).
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3. Metamora-Hadley State Recreation Area | Metamora, Michigan
Like the spokes of a wheel, the light pollution map of the Detroit region gradually improves the farther you get from the city's epicenter - and Metamora-Hadley State Recreation Area's PRIME location on the northern frontier is no exception to this phenomena. Located just west of Telegraph Road, Metamora-Hadley's remote location and small size (723 acres, smaller than both Belle Isle and Maybury State Parks) makes it one of the lesser-visited destinations in the Michigan State Parks system. Viewed differently, the park's logistics make Metamora-Hadley an ideal location for "dark season"stargazing along the banks of Lake Minnawanna.
4. Algonac State Park | Marine City, Michigan
Continuing east across the outer rim of the Detroit region, Algonac State Park's location along the rural edge of the St. Clair River also lends itself to pristine stargazing near Detroit. While best known for its summertime views of freighters traveling along the river, Algonac's 1,550 acres also boast a half-mile of riverfront, campgrounds, trails, non-existent crowds, and its 1,200+ acre dedicated natural area. This natural area not only protects 22 threatened, endangered or special-concern species of plants, birds, and butterflies, but also enables ideal natural conditions for some of the best stargazing near Detroit during the darker months.
5. Hudson Mills Metropark | Dexter, Michigan
Hudson Mills Metropark marks the first of the Huron-Clinton Metroparks to make our list of best destinations for stargazing near Detroit! While Hudson Mills is located in the same relative “dark sky zone” as Waterloo and Pinckney State Recreation Areas, its convenient location just north of Downtown Dexter makes the park easily accessible for an evening outing from Ann Arbor or Detroit. Be sure to attend one of the park’s “Lantern Walks” events this month for guided night wildlife and stargazing opportunities.
6. Ortonville State Recreation Area | Ortonville, Michigan
Ortonville State Recreation Area has collected several accolades across the Expedition Detroit digital ecosystem. The park is home to Kerr Hill, the highest publicly-accessible natural destination in the Detroit region. Its also the least-visited Michigan State Park and Recreation Area in Southeast Michigan, according to recent Michigan DNR annual visitation data. Now, we're also proud to adorn Ortonville's 5,400 acres as one of the best destinations for stargazing near Detroit.
7. Rose Oaks County Park | Holly, Michigan
Ladies and gentlemen, we have our first - and only - county park to be featured in this article! Making its Expedition Detroit debut as one of the best destinations for stargazing near Detroit is Rose Oaks County Park. Nestled along the western edge of Oakland County, Rose Oaks' 649 acres feature over 5 miles of hiking, cycling, cross-country skiing, and equestrian trails. The park is also very popular with whitetail deer archery hunting, so be sure to wear bright clothing if your stargazing adventure starts around dusk.
8. Point Pelee National Park | Ontario, Canada
Canada’s smallest national park packs one hell of a punch for its size. One more accolade to add to its list is that Point Pelee National Park represents one of the best stargazing opportunities in the Detroit Region, especially as you venture closer to its southernmost tip protruding into Lake Erie. Unsurprisingly, the Windsor Centre of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada designated Point Pelee National Park as a “Dark Sky Preserve'' in 2006. The park hosts regular “Dark Sky Night” events throughout the year, with the LAST ONE remaining for 2025 taking place on 13th (featuring the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada with telescopes to facilitate star gazing).
9. Brighton State Recreation Area | Brighton, Michigan
Brighton State Recreation Area is, and always has been, an adventurer's dreamscape. From conquering the famous Penosha Trail, camping along the banks of Appleton Lake, rediscovering the secluded Richardson Trail, or mountain biking the park's top-rated MTB trail system, Brighton Rec represents the proud home of a sizable portion of our region's resident adventure athletes. Now, you can also add a "top destination for stargazing near Detroit" to Brighton's accolades, which is especially exciting in light of the park's close proximity to its namesake trail town.
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10. Indian Springs Metropark | White Lake, Michigan
Last but certainly not least, Indian Springs Metropark in White Lake closes out our list of the best destinations for stargazing near Detroit. Located in northwest Oakland County, this Metropark's light pollution metrics benefit greatly from the abundance of lakes, rural estates, and massive parks like Highland and Pontiac Lake State Recreation Areas that provide natural buffers to Metro Detroit's luminescence. The Metropark's hiking and cross-country skiing trails are open until 8 p.m. year-round, so you'll have plenty of opportunities to discover them under the starlit skies of the coming months!
EMBRACE THE DARK ON A NIGHT HIKING SAFARI WITH EXPEDITION DETROIT
What are your favorite stargazing locations in the Detroit region? Did we miss any that you typically frequent (we'll try to keep it a secret)? Please let us know in the comments section below!
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