Official Website
11012 Edmonds Lane Delaplane, Virginia 20144
Phone: 540-592-3556
Observing Field Coordinates: N 38° 59′ 27″ W 77° 57′ 56″
Latitude: +38.990716 Longitude: -77.965460 Elevation: 868 ft

To become an authorized volunteer and gain the use of Sky Meadow State Park, send an email request to join the NOVAC Sky Meadows Dark Sky volunteer group to skvolunteer@dcr.virginia.gov. In return, they will send a background check form to submit.  Park staff will notify you and the NOVAC program coordinator when the background check clears. (Only the applicant is notified if the background check fails).  Our coordinator will then send you the usage agreement with orientation information to read. Finally, the coordinator will provide you with the after hours access code, which does change monthly so be sure to you’re on the Sky Meadows Google Group for updates.

Before traveling check the park web page  for any last minute details such as weather related closings due to heavy snow or rains making the observing field and access road unusable: https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/sky-meadows

 

Coming Events

May
24
Sat
Sky Meadows State Park- Astronomy for Everyone @ Sky Meadows State Park
May 24 @ 8:30 pm – 11:30 pm
Sky Meadows State Park- Astronomy for Everyone @ Sky Meadows State Park

NOVAC supports this event by providing telescope views to visitors.

  • Sky Meadows State Park (11012 Edmonds Ln.), behind the Mount Bleak House within the white fence.
  • The event’s programs will take place rain or shine.
  • Important note: The incoming park gate is locked one hour after event start time. Please plan to arrive before then.

Please visit the official website for more details.

Jun
21
Sat
Sky Meadows State Park- Astronomy for Everyone @ Sky Meadows State Park
Jun 21 @ 8:30 pm – 11:30 pm
Sky Meadows State Park- Astronomy for Everyone @ Sky Meadows State Park

NOVAC supports this event by providing telescope views to visitors.

  • Sky Meadows State Park (11012 Edmonds Ln.), behind the Mount Bleak House within the white fence.
  • The event’s programs will take place rain or shine.
  • Important note: The incoming park gate is locked one hour after event start time. Please plan to arrive before then.

Please visit the official website for more details.

Jul
26
Sat
Sky Meadows State Park- Astronomy for Everyone @ Sky Meadows State Park
Jul 26 @ 8:30 pm – 11:30 pm
Sky Meadows State Park- Astronomy for Everyone @ Sky Meadows State Park

NOVAC supports this event by providing telescope views to visitors.

  • Sky Meadows State Park (11012 Edmonds Ln.), behind the Mount Bleak House within the white fence.
  • The event’s programs will take place rain or shine.
  • Important note: The incoming park gate is locked one hour after event start time. Please plan to arrive before then.

Please visit the official website for more details.

Aug
23
Sat
Sky Meadows State Park- Astronomy for Everyone @ Sky Meadows State Park
Aug 23 @ 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Sky Meadows State Park- Astronomy for Everyone @ Sky Meadows State Park

NOVAC supports this event by providing telescope views to visitors.

  • Sky Meadows State Park (11012 Edmonds Ln.), behind the Mount Bleak House within the white fence.
  • The event’s programs will take place rain or shine.
  • Important note: The incoming park gate is locked one hour after event start time. Please plan to arrive before then.

Please visit the official website for more details.

Sep
20
Sat
Sky Meadows State Park- Astronomy for Everyone @ Sky Meadows State Park
Sep 20 @ 7:30 pm – 10:30 pm
Sky Meadows State Park- Astronomy for Everyone @ Sky Meadows State Park

NOVAC supports this event by providing telescope views to visitors.

  • Sky Meadows State Park (11012 Edmonds Ln.), behind the Mount Bleak House within the white fence.
  • The event’s programs will take place rain or shine.
  • Important note: The incoming park gate is locked one hour after event start time. Please plan to arrive before then.

Please visit the official website for more details.

Oct
25
Sat
Sky Meadows State Park- Astronomy for Everyone @ Sky Meadows State Park
Oct 25 @ 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm
Sky Meadows State Park- Astronomy for Everyone @ Sky Meadows State Park

NOVAC supports this event by providing telescope views to visitors.

  • Sky Meadows State Park (11012 Edmonds Ln.), behind the Mount Bleak House within the white fence.
  • The event’s programs will take place rain or shine.
  • Important note: The incoming park gate is locked one hour after event start time. Please plan to arrive before then.

Please visit the official website for more details.

Nov
15
Sat
Sky Meadows State Park- Astronomy for Everyone @ Sky Meadows State Park
Nov 15 @ 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Sky Meadows State Park- Astronomy for Everyone @ Sky Meadows State Park

NOVAC supports this event by providing telescope views to visitors.

  • Sky Meadows State Park (11012 Edmonds Ln.), behind the Mount Bleak House within the white fence.
  • The event’s programs will take place rain or shine.
  • Important note: The incoming park gate is locked one hour after event start time. Please plan to arrive before then.

Please visit the official website for more details.

Dec
20
Sat
Sky Meadows State Park- Astronomy for Everyone @ Sky Meadows State Park
Dec 20 @ 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Sky Meadows State Park- Astronomy for Everyone @ Sky Meadows State Park

NOVAC supports this event by providing telescope views to visitors.

  • Sky Meadows State Park (11012 Edmonds Ln.), behind the Mount Bleak House within the white fence.
  • The event’s programs will take place rain or shine.
  • Important note: The incoming park gate is locked one hour after event start time. Please plan to arrive before then.

Please visit the official website for more details.

 

 

Directions:
The entrance to Sky Meadows State Park is located west of Washington, DC on US Route 17 North one mile south of US Route 50 or seven miles north of Interstate 66 Exit 23.

Turn onto the park entrance road:
Drive west approximately one half mile into the park where you will come to the park gatehouse. On the back of the gatehouse is a clipboard. Each member must sign in with their name, number in party, date, and time.

To reach the observing area, follow the road from the gate house a half mile towards the historic Bleak Hill House site. On your left is the gate to the parking/unloading area for NOVAC observers. Pass through this gate and drive to the parking area which is just to the south of the split rail fence and observing area. Please park as close as possible to the split rail fence. The gate in the split rail fence is currently just leaning against its support posts. Please return the gate to the state you found it after passing through it. The observing area is between the split rail fence and south of the white picket fence which surrounds the historic Bleak Hill House. If you do not have heavy observing equipment to bring to the observing site, you may choose to park in the paved parking lot to the north of the Bleak Hill House and walk to the observing field south of the Bleak Hill House.

A view of the southern horizon from the observing area is available here. There are restrooms available to the east of the observing area.

To exit the park, pass through the same gates as you did when you entered until you get to the gatehouse area. Stop at the gatehouse and note the time you exited the park on the clipboard on the rear of the gatehouse. Then, exit the park through the exit gate and re-lock the gate if it was locked prior to you passing through it.