If you live in a big city, chances are you’re estranged from stars. The arc of the Milky Way, Saturn’s rings, threads of twirling nebulae—all of it gets lost behind that dense hood of light pollution most of us are too accustomed to even notice. For true, blacker-than-black, great beyond–type night skies (the kind you see in NASA satellite photographs), you’ve got to travel.

But where? According to astronomers at the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA)—which goes around the world, armed with light meters, measuring the darkness of the night sky in square arcseconds—the Southwest is the place to be. Specifically, Utah. Home to ancient hoodoos, sandstone cliffs, and the famous Delicate Arch, Utah is about as dark as you’re going to get anywhere on land. And with Utah’s stark geologic setting, it makes for one heck of a place to see stars. Here’s how to plan your next road trip to the state’s most stunning natural sites.

Diamonds in the SkyFly into St. George in southern Utah, where you’ll drive a half-hour north along the edge of Zion National Park. Resist the temptation to enter, because you’ve got something way cooler ahead: Cedar Breaks National Monument towers at 10,400 feet in the air, and the higher altitude allows for unbelievably clear views of the night sky. Every Saturday from June to September, the park hosts free “star parties,” where rangers set up telescopes for the public to use. Detailed images of the moon’s craters—not to mention the Perseid meteor shower—will leave you speechless, which is just as well, as the volunteer astronomers will be happy to do most of the talking.

Goblins and DevilsIn a remote corner of the Colorado Plateau, Goblin Valley State Park is one of Utah’s most underrated gems. Wandering around at night, the valley’s odd-shaped sandstone formations appear to come alive, like monsters in a children’s storybook (hence the name)—and unlike in other parks, you can actually climb on the hoodoos. You’ll keep busy even when you’re not scouring the speckled horizon: whether that means a canyoneering trip through Devil’s Lair, yoga on a cliff, or sampling the region’s specialty—Navajo tacos—at a restaurant called Tamarisk. Plan on crashing at Skyfall Guestrooms, a nifty little hotel that sits along the Green River.