Bortle Ratings
The Bortle Scale rates how well you can see celestial objects in a certain place, taking into account light pollution and sky glow. Lower numbers indicate darker skies. For example, Big Bend Ranch State Park has a Bortle Scale rating of 1, while Cedar Hill State Park, near Dallas, has a Bortle rating of 7.
Below is a list of all state parks, by region, with Bortle Scale ratings. Follow the link to find a park's Clear Sky Chart, which shows an astronomer's forecast for that park. Look for a link to the park's webpage under the chart.
Big Bend Country
- Balmorhea State Park (4)
- Barton Warnock Visitor Center (2)
- Big Bend Ranch State Park (1)
- Davis Mountains State Park (3)
- Devils River State Natural Area (2)
- Fort Leaton State Historic Site (4.5)
- Franklin Mountains State Park (6)
- Hueco Tanks State Park and Historic Site (4.5)
- Indian Lodge (3)
- Monahans Sandhills State Park (4.5)
- Seminole Canyon State Park and Historic Site (2)
- Wyler Aerial Tramway (8)
Gulf Coast
- Brazos Bend State Park (5)
- Galveston Island State Park (5)
- Goose Island State Park (4.5)
- Lake Corpus Christi State Park (4.5)
- Mustang Island State Park (4.5)
- Sea Rim State Park (4.5)
- Sheldon Lake State Park and Environmental Center (8)
Hill Country
- Blanco State Park (4.5)
- Colorado Bend State Park (3)
- Devil's Sinkhole State Natural Area (2)
- Enchanted Rock State Natural Area (3)
- Garner State Park (3)
- Government Canyon State Natural Area (5)
- Guadalupe River State Park (4.5)
- Hill Country State Natural Area (4)
- Honey Creek State Natural Area (4.5)
- Inks Lake State Park (4)
- Kickapoo Cavern State Park (2)
- Lake Brownwood State Park (4)
- Longhorn Caverns State Park (4.5)
- Lost Maples State Park (3)
- Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site (4)
- McKinney Falls State Park (7)
- Old Tunnel State Park (4)
- Pedernales Falls State Park (4)
- South Llano River State Park (3)
Panhandle Plains
- Abilene State Park (4)
- Big Spring State Park (6)
- Caprock Canyons State Park and Trailway (2)
- Copper Breaks State Park (2)
- Fort Richardson State Park, Historic Site and Lost Creek Reservoir State Trailway (4.5)
- Lake Arrowhead State Park (4)
- Lake Colorado City State Park (4)
- Palo Duro Canyon State Park (4)
- Possum Kingdom State Park (4)
- San Angelo State Park (5)
Pineywoods
- Atlanta State Park (4)
- Caddo Lake State Park (4)
- Daingerfield State Park (4.5)
- Huntsville State Park (4.5)
- Lake Bob Sandlin State Park (4.5)
- Lake Livingston State Park (4.5)
- Martin Creek Lake State Park (4.5)
- Martin Dies, Jr. State Park (4)
- Mission Tejas State Park (3)
- Tyler State Park (4.5)
- Village Creek State Park (5)
Prairies and Lakes
- Bastrop State Park (5)
- Bonham State Park (4.5)
- Buescher State Park (4.5)
- Cedar Hill State Park (7)
- Cleburne State Park (4.5)
- Cooper Lake State Park (4)
- Dinosaur Valley State Park (4.5)
- Eisenhower State Park (4.5)
- Fairfield Lake State Park (4)
- Fort Boggy State Park (4)
- Fort Parker State Park (4.5)
- Lake Mineral Wells State Park (4.5)
- Lake Somerville State Park and Trailway (4.5)
- Lake Tawakoni State Park (4.5)
- Lake Whitney State Park (4.5)
- Lockhart State Park (5)
- Meridian State Park (4)
- Mother Neff State Park (4.5)
- Palmetto State Park (4.5)
- Purtis Creek State Park (4.5)
- Ray Roberts Lake State Park (5)
- Stephen F. Austin State Park (5)
South Texas Plains
- Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park (6)
- Choke Canyon State Park (4.5)
- Estero Llano Grande State Park (6)
- Falcon State Park (4)
- Goliad State Park and Historic Site (4.5)
- Lake Casa Blanca International State Park (7)
- Resaca de la Palma State Park (6) (Clear Sky Chart not available.)
