When the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse sweeps across the country, 20 national park sites will be in the Path of Totality. However, not all national park sites are the same. Before rushing to make plans to experience totality in one of the national parks, you might want to read about the viewing locations for an eclipse.
Hint: it’s not looking good for the two national parks in the eclipse path.
Historically, southwest Texas has the best chance for clear skies in early April. Generally, any national park site east of the Mississippi River in the Path of Totality will have a low chance of clear skies. Early spring weather in Texas, Arkansas, and Missouri will be comfortable day and night. But states around the Great Lakes and into New England will continue experiencing freezing temperatures overnight.
Read through this guide to the national parks in the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse to learn about the park and see my recommendation for whether or not it will be a good place to experience totality.
Read More | Complete List of All 429 National Park Units | Interactive Map + NPS Websites
What is the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse?
A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun, completely blocking the sunlight and casting a shadow on the Earth. As the Earth, Moon, and Sun continue to move, the shadow sweeps across the Earth – called the Path of Totality.
Anyone in the Path of Totality experiences the eerie wonderment of Totality. Totality is the longest on the centerline of the eclipse. And for the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse, it’s the longest in southwest Texas.
The 2024 Total Solar Eclipse is on Monday, April 8.
How to Safely View a Total Solar Eclipse
The only time it’s safe to look at the Sun during a total solar eclipse is during Totality, when the Moon completely blocks the sunlight. But it’s critical to wear solar eclipse glasses or use solar filters while looking at the partial eclipse before and after Totality. These specially designed glasses and filters comply with the ISO 12312-2 international standard, allowing only 0.0032% of light to pass through.
During the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse, the American Astronomical Society found that Amazon was flooded with counterfeit solar eclipse glasses claiming to be compliant. The AAS compiled a list of verified suppliers of safe and compliant solar eclipse glasses to combat the dangerously fake glasses.
All my recommendations for solar eclipse glasses, solar binoculars, and solar telescopes below are made by suppliers verified by the American Astronomical Society.
Here are a few options for certified solar eclipse glasses:
- American Paper Optics Eclipser HD Glasses are stylish and sturdy for long uses.
- Rainbow Symphony offers a variety of options like Solar Eclipse Glasses, Wrap-Around Goggles, and Clip-On Solar Eclipse Glasses.
- You can buy cardboard framed glasses from American Paper Optics or Rainbow Symphony in a pinch.
Read More: Solar Eclipse Glasses, Binoculars, and Camera Filters for Safely Viewing a Total Solar Eclipse
How to Choose a Viewing Location
Photographers, scientists, and avid eclipse chasers will flock to southwest Texas to see the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse. That’s because they are looking for the slightest chance of clouds, the longest duration of totality, and the easiest travel logistics. Their sole purpose for traveling is to view the eclipse. But they will see nothing if it’s cloudy on Eclipse Day.
That’s why I think you should use the eclipse as an excuse to travel and not just travel for the eclipse.
Instead of choosing a place based on the best eclipse conditions, choose an exciting travel destination that gives you something to do over the preceding weekend.
Here’s what I recommend you consider when choosing a viewing location:
- Travel destination. Does the place you want to visit have things to do, like local shopping, outdoor recreation, and great places to eat? If the destination has a tourism office, you’ll likely find things to do.
- Historical cloudiness and weather. AccuWeather says places in southwest Texas have the slightest chance of clouds in early April. The further north along the Path of Totality, the greater the chance of clouds. Places northeast of Illinois have the highest chance of clouds.
- Duration of Totality. The duration is longest along the Centerline in Texas. However, it’s only a minute shorter – and almost 3.5 minutes long – along the Centerline in Maine.
- Travel logistics. Fortunately, it’s remarkably easy to travel to almost any place in the Path of Totality.
Read More: How to Plan a Trip to See the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse
Essential Eclipse Articles
Browse these essential eclipse articles to learn more about planning a trip to see the eclipse, solar eclipse glasses and other things to pack, and how to find lodging for the eclipse.
Map of the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse
How to use this map | Click the icon in the top-left corner to open the Map Legend, then click on any of the legend items to display more information. If you have a Google account, click the (very faint) star at the end of the map’s name to save this map to your account, then access the map from your smartphone during your trip.
The National Park Sites in the Eclipse
There are 20 national park sites in the Path of Totality for the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse. Labels before the park’s name will indicate if it’s a good viewing location, tentatively recommended, not recommended, or closed during the eclipse.
Note About Eclipse Times
Times and durations can vary widely. For precise times while choosing a viewing location, use Xavier Jubier’s Interactive Map. On Eclipse Day, use the Solar Eclipse Timer app for precise times based on your location.
This list is in order by Start of Totality.
Best National Park Site
Amistad National Recreation Area in Texas
Partial Eclipse: 12:11 to 2:51 p.m. (CDT)
Start of Totality: 1:28:54 p.m. (CDT)
Duration of Totality: 2 minutes 45 seconds
Amistad National Recreation Area is an oasis surrounded by a desert in southwest Texas. Watching the eclipse from a boat will be a thrilling experience as darkness descends on the landscape. Spend the night at one of the campgrounds and enjoy a weekend of outdoor recreation before watching the eclipse.
Recommendation: Although Amistad National Recreation Area has a duration of totality of less than 3 minutes, the plentiful viewing locations on land and water make it suitable for many eclipse chasers.
Read More: 27 Best Places to See the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in Texas
Best National Park Site
Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park in Texas
Partial Eclipse: 12:15 to 2:56 p.m. (CDT)
Start of Totality: 1:33:25 p.m. (CDT)
Duration of Totality: 4 minutes 12 seconds
Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park preserves the 36th President’s Texas ranch and his final resting place. Visitors can explore his boyhood home, where Johnson lived from age five until his high school graduation, and take a guided tour of the Texas White House. The open fields of the ranch will be an excellent place to watch the total solar eclipse with over four minutes of totality.
Recommendation: This national park site has the second-longest duration of totality. The open fields around the ranch offer plenty of room for many eclipse chasers to experience totality comfortably.
Read More: 27 Best Places to See the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in Texas
Not Recommended
Waco Mammoth National Monument
Partial Eclipse: 12:20 to 3:00 p.m. (CDT)
Start of Totality: 1:38:03 p.m. (CDT)
Duration of Totality: 4 minutes 16 seconds
Waco Mammoth National Monument preserves an archaeological site where mammoth fossils have been recovered. The small site features a museum, a picnic area, and a short trail to the dig shelter.
Recommendation: This national monument has limited parking and a very small area with an unobstructed view of the eclipse. Despite experiencing over four minutes of totality, this is not a recommended place for seeing the eclipse.
Read More: 27 Best Places to See the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in Texas
Not Recommended
President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site
Partial Eclipse: 12:29 to 3:08 p.m. (CDT)
Start of Totality: 1:48:24 p.m. (CDT)
Duration of Totality: 1 minute 39 seconds
The President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site – a lengthy park name that is not the longest in the National Park Service – preserves the site of Clinton’s two-story childhood home. Visitors can explore the first-floor museum and take a guided tour of the president’s home.
Recommendation: This national historic site’s property only includes the historic house. There is not enough room for eclipse chasers camping on the lawn to watch the eclipse.
Read More: 9 Best Places to See the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in Arkansas
Not Recommended
Hot Springs National Park
Partial Eclipse: 12:32 to 3:10 p.m. (CDT)
Start of Totality: 1:49:27 p.m. (CDT)
Duration of Totality: 3 minutes 41 seconds
Hot Springs National Park preserves Bathhouse Row, a row of historic bathhouses built over ancient thermal springs. The 5,500-acre park includes hiking trails, scenic overlooks, and two functional bathhouses. Visit the park’s solar eclipse page to learn more.
Recommendation: Viewing locations in Hot Springs National Park are limited to a few scenic overlooks. The potential for traffic congestion will also make it difficult to get to one of the few scenic overlooks. Although it’s one of the two national parks in the path of the eclipse, this is not a good place for viewing the eclipse.
Read More: 9 Best Places to See the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in Arkansas
Tentatively Recommended
Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site
Partial Eclipse: 12:33 to 3:11 p.m. (CDT)
Start of Totality: 1:51:37 p.m. (CDT)
Duration of Totality: 2 minutes 26 seconds
Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site is a stunning architectural wonder and the site of a 1957 desegregation confrontation after the historic Brown v. Board of Education
decision. And – most surprisingly of all – it’s still a functional high school. The high school campus includes a visitor center and museum where visitors can book a guided ranger tour around, but not inside, the high school.
Recommendation: No plans have been formalized yet, but more than likely, the high school’s athletic fields will be public viewing locations for the eclipse. Check the park’s website for information on an Eclipse Day event.
Read More: 9 Best Places to See the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in Arkansas
Tentatively Recommended
Buffalo National River
Partial Eclipse: 12:34 to 3:11 p.m. (CDT)
Start of Totality: 1:52:00 p.m. (CDT)
Duration of Totality: 3 minutes 28 seconds
Buffalo National River flows freely for 135 miles between Buffalo City and Ponca, Arkansas. The linear park features hiking trails and historic sites to visit. But paddling the river is the most popular activity. The paddle season begins in spring. More than a dozen campgrounds are along the river, with about half offering limited amenities.
Recommendation: The park has not yet decided what, if any, event it will host. However, many portions of Buffalo National River are narrow and surrounded by cliffs and trees that would likely block the view of the eclipse from the water. I only recommend visiting this park if the National Park Service hosts an event.
Read More: 9 Best Places to See the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in Arkansas
Tentatively Recommended
Ozark National Scenic Riverways
Partial Eclipse: 12:39 to 3:15 p.m. (CDT)
Start of Totality: 1:55:50 p.m. (CDT)
Duration of Totality: 3 minutes 47 seconds
Ozark National Scenic Riverways protects 134 miles of the Current and Jacks Fork Rivers in Missouri’s Ozark Highlands. Floating the river in kayaks or canoes is the most popular activity. But you can also enjoy hiking trails and exploring caves along the scenic riverways. Six campgrounds with limited amenities offer a chance to spend the night.
Recommendation: Several access points have good places to view the eclipse. However, I would not recommend planning to experience the eclipse in this park unless you are familiar with the site.
Read More: 8 Best Places to See the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in Missouri
Not Recommended
Ste. Geneviève National Historical Park
Partial Eclipse: 12:42 to 3:17 p.m. (CDT)
Start of Totality: 1:59:00 p.m. (CDT)
Duration of Totality: 2 minutes 44 seconds
Ste. Geneviève National Historical Park preserves several historic houses in Ste. Geneviève, the oldest town in Missouri. Start at the welcome center to learn how to explore the park’s properties spread throughout the small town. Then, take guided tours inside the historic houses.
Recommendation: Most of this park’s properties are historic houses that don’t offer good locations for viewing the eclipse. Although the town may decide to hold a viewing party, this national park site is not a good place to be for the eclipse.
Read More: 8 Best Places to See the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in Missouri
Not Recommended
Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial
Partial Eclipse: 12:47 to 3:21 p.m. (CDT)
Start of Totality: 2:04:07 p.m. (CDT)
Duration of Totality: 2 minutes 6 seconds
Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial preserves the site where Lincoln grew up. An interesting bronze casting of a stone fireplace marks the site of his childhood cabin that no longer exists. Start at the Memorial Visitor Center, hike one of the trails, and visit the living history farm to learn about early frontier life.
Recommendation: There is a small open field along one of the trails near the living history farm. However, there is not ample room for many eclipse chasers to enjoy an unobstructed view of the eclipse.
Read More: 10 Best Places to See the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in Indiana
Best National Park Site
George Rogers Clark National Historical Park
Partial Eclipse: 1:46 to 4:20 p.m. (EDT)
Start of Totality: 3:02:52 p.m. (EDT)
Duration of Totality: 4 minutes 5 seconds
While most of the Revolutionary War was fought in the coastal states, George Rogers Clark formed a militia in Kentucky and captured British forts on the western frontier. George Rogers Clark National Historical Park features a monumental memorial to the unsung hero of the war for independence.
Recommendation: The large, open area surrounding the memorial along the Wabash River will be a great place to experience over 4 minutes of totality.
Read More: 10 Best Places to See the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in Indiana
Tentatively Recommended
Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park
Partial Eclipse: 1:53 to 4:25 p.m. (EDT)
Start of Totality: 3:09:27 p.m. (EDT)
Duration of Totality: 2 minutes 44 seconds
Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park preserves sites connected to the Wright brothers and Paul Laurence Dunbar. The visitor center complex includes a museum about historical figures, the intriguing Aviation Trail Parachute Museum, and the Wright Cycle Shop. Huffman Prairie Flying Field preserves the site where the Wright brothers flew their plane for the first time in Ohio.
Recommendation: If the National Park Service chooses to host an event, the Huffman Prairie Flying Field would be a wonderful place to experience totality. However, without an official event, visiting this site with limited parking at the end of a narrow road would be impossible.
Read More: 10 Best Places to See the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in Ohio
Closed for Renovations
Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument
Partial Eclipse: 1:53 to 4:25 p.m. (EDT)
Start of Totality: 3:10:35 p.m. (EDT)
Duration of Totality: 1 minute 20 seconds
Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument preserves the 60-acre home of Brigadier General Charles Young, an African American West Point graduate and famed commander of the Buffalo Soldiers.
Recommendation: The national monument and temporary visitor center have been closed for an extensive renovation of the historic house.
Read More: 10 Best Places to See the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in Ohio
Closed for the Season
Perry’s Victory & International Peace Memorial
Partial Eclipse: 1:57 to 4:27 p.m. (CDT)
Start of Totality: 3:12:35 p.m. (EDT)
Duration of Totality: 3 minutes 18 seconds
Perry’s Victory & International Peace Memorial is dedicated to the story of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry and the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812. The 25-acre park on Put-in-Bay island includes a visitor center, museum, and 352-foot monument that remains the world’s tallest Doric column.
Recommendation: Although Perry’s Victory & International Peace Memorial would have been a fantastic place to experience totality, it’s a moot point since the park does not open for the season until May 18.
Read More: 10 Best Places to See the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in Ohio
Not Recommended
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Partial Eclipse: 1:59 to 4:29 p.m. (EDT)
Start of Totality: 3:13:59 p.m. (EDT)
Duration of Totality: 3 minutes 27 seconds
Cuyahoga Valley National Park is a 32,000-acre park preserving the 19.5-mile Ohio and Erie Canal. The park features unique and interesting places to visit, like The Ledges, Brandywine Falls, and the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad.
Recommendation: There are a few areas within Cuyahoga Valley National Park with an unobstructed view, like the Brandywine Ski Area, The Ledges, and Everett Covered Bridge. However, considering the 3.6 million people living around the “Urban National Park,” there are not enough viewing locations or parking lots to handle the influx of eclipse chasers.
Read More: 10 Best Places to See the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in Ohio
Not Recommended
James A. Garfield National Historic Site
Partial Eclipse: 2:00 to 4:29 p.m. (EDT)
Start of Totality: 3:14:21 p.m. (EDT)
Duration of Totality: 3 minutes 49 seconds
James A. Garfield National Historic Site preserves the home and inauguration site of the 20th President of the United States. After watching the 18-minute orientation film, visitors can take a guided tour of the house where Garfield campaigned on his front porch. The grounds are open for a self-guided cellphone tour.
Recommendation: This national historic site has a limited amount of parking and unobstructed views for the eclipse. It’s not a good place to experience the eclipse.
Read More: 10 Best Places to See the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in Ohio
Tentatively Recommended
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
Partial Eclipse: 2:04 to 4:32 p.m. (EDT)
Start of Totality: 3:18:22 p.m. (EDT)
Duration of Totality: 3 minutes 45 seconds
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site preserves the Ansley Wilcox Home, where Theodore Roosevelt was suddenly inaugurated as the 26th president after President William McKinley’s assassination. Guided tours take visitors into the house to learn about the lengthy history of the home and the fateful day when “TR” was inaugurated.
Recommendation: The national historic site has a very small lawn with an unobstructed view of the eclipse. With all the other viewing locations around Buffalo, it’s possible seeing the eclipse from this lawn could be a comfortable experience.
Read More: 10 Best Places to See the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in New York
Not Recommended
Women’s Rights National Historical Park
Partial Eclipse: 2:07 to 4:34 p.m. (EDT)
Start of Totality: 3:21:49 p.m. (EDT)
Duration of Totality: 2 minutes 10 seconds
Women’s Rights National Historical Park tells the story of the first Women’s Rights Convention that was held in Seneca Falls, New York, in 1848. The park’s visitor center and museum is in a small commercial building downtown. Other sites include historic houses within a few miles of the visitor center.
Recommendation: There are no good viewing locations on the national park site’s property for viewing an eclipse. However, there are several good viewing locations throughout town.
Read More: 10 Best Places to See the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in New York
Tentatively Recommended
Harriet Tubman National Historical Park
Partial Eclipse: 2:08 to 4:34 p.m. (EDT)
Start of Totality: 3:22:26 p.m. (EDT)
Duration of Totality: 1 minute 34 seconds
Harriet Tubman National Historical Park preserves three sites in New York, including the brick home the community in Auburn built for Tubman in 1882. Visitors can explore the Harriet Tubman Home, Thompson A.M.E. Zion Church, and Tubman’s gravesite at Fort Hill Cemetery.
Recommendation: There is ample room at the Harriet Tubman Home for visitors to experience the eclipse at the national historical park. But currently, the National Park Service has not announced any formal plans for a viewing event.
Read More: 10 Best Places to See the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in New York
Not Recommended
Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument
Partial Eclipse: 2:21 to 4:40 p.m. (EDT)
Start of Totality: 3:31:11 p.m. (EDT)
Duration of Totality: 3 minutes 22 seconds
Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument preserves 87,500 acres in Maine. The national monument borders Baxter State Park, where the Appalachian Trail ends on Mount Katahdin’s summit. The national monument is a haven for outdoor recreation, scenic drives, and stargazing.
Recommendation: Early spring in Maine is still very much part of the winter weather, with below-freezing overnight lows. The historically high chance of clouds and the remoteness of the national monument do not make it a good place to view the eclipse.
Read More: Best Places to See the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in Maine
