Did you know the darkest town in America is right here in Nevada? Part of the Reno-Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area, the tiny town of Gerlach, Nevada is located approximately 100 miles north of Reno. With a total area of 3.1 square miles and a population of just over 200, Gerlach seems like little more than a stop along the way to somewhere more exciting. However, Gerlach has its own claim to fame. This tiny town is known as “America’s Darkest Town” and you’re definitely going to want to visit!
Gerlach, Nevada, was settled in 1906 and named for the Gerlach Land and Cattle Company, one of the largest businesses in the area. Its founder, Louis Gerlach, was among the richest cattlemen in the entire West.
Today, the town's welcome sign says, "Center of the Known Universe" and "Population Wanted." So you know immediately that this isn't a place where you'll be finding much of a bustling Vegas-style nightscene. Which is just fine by locals!
Bruno's is practically everything in Gerlach. It's the town's only motel, café, casino, gas station, and community center, as well as the place where locals meet visitors and talk about their latest desert adventure stories. Among these, dark sky enthusiasts.
In fact, when it comes to first impressions, Gerlach may not seem like much. But for dark sky-lovers, budding astronomers, and casual stargazers, the tiny town is an absolute delight. You'll find Gerlach in the middle of everything and yet simultaneously away from everything - around five hours from Redding, California and Medford, Oregon; and eight hours from both Boise, Idaho and Salt Lake City, Utah.
The town's setting lends itself perfectly to its claim to fame as America's darkest town, and is particularly unique among other dark sky cities in the U.S. Here, there are very few streetlights in town, resulting in even fewer lights shining upward - a trait which is unusual for inhabited towns, regardless of their size.
But despite being slightly in the middle of nowhere, Gerlach gets a number of visitors just passing through. The incredible Fly Ranch Geyser is located just 20 miles north of Gerlach.
If you've never visited this man-made natural wonder before, please note that the geyser is not open to the public and requires a tour reservation to visit.
Nevertheless, Gerlach's greatest claim to fame is actually its official distinction as the "Darkest Town in America." This label is important because of ongoing concern regarding growing light pollution in the U.S., defined as the excessive presence of artificial light.
Light pollution can have serious environmental consequences for humans, wildlife, and the climate. It also prevents residents from seeing stars at their brightest and most vibrant!
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So while most visitors typically travel through Gerlach en route to somewhere else, dark sky aficionados, researchers, and astrophotographers recognize Gerlach's unique importance as the darkest city in the U.S.
Back in 2017, one local blogger and dark sky enthusiast measured the night sky at 22.2 mag/arcsec² - the highest he had ever seen. In fact, this number was so high that it didn’t even show up on the legend on the front of the meter. This means that the view of the night sky was tempered only by natural airglow and zodiacal (star) light. This reading was well into Class 1 on the Bortle Scale.
At this level of darkness, one can see the Milky Way in great detail, the Andromeda Galaxy at 2.5 million light-years away, and the Pinwheel Galaxy at a whopping 25 million light-years away, all with the naked human eye.
Gerlach may not get as much attention for being America's darkest town as it does for its iconic desert festival and nearby attractions, but we definitely think this tiny town is worth a visit to step back in time and experience a simpler, quieter, darker side of the Nevadan desert.
“America’s Darkest Town” has a world of things to offer, even beyond its infamous dark skies. But they sure are a highlight! So whether you’re just passing through Gerlach en route to somewhere else or just want a change from the bright lights of the big city, take a moment, wait until dark, look upward, and enjoy the beautiful expanse of the night sky in the darkest town in America. You won’t be sorry!
Ready to dine in the clouds next? For another view-filled experience that doesn’t quite keep your feet on the ground, check out this sky-high restaurant in Las Vegas.
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Where can I stargaze in Nevada?
Nevada has the unique position of being home to many of the country's darkest areas. The state is a draw for many stargazers, astrophotographers, and casual space enthusiasts, as well as research professionals. Fortunately, Nevada is also home to a number of excellent places to stargaze, both official and unofficial:
