2024 Solar Eclipse at National Parks (What Happened + Lessons Learned)

Editor’s Note (April 2026). The 2024 Total Solar Eclipse happened on April 8, 2024. This guide was originally published to help visitors plan their trips. We’re keeping it live as a reference for those curious about what the experience was like and as a planning template for the next total solar eclipse visible in the United States, which won’t happen until August 23, 2044. If you witnessed the 2024 eclipse at a national park, we’d love to hear about it at [email protected].

The 2024 Solar Eclipse will bring a brushstroke of darkness from Texas to Maine on April 8, with 43 million people in its path and millions more on the way. The prime destinations should be along a narrow line called the “Path of Totality.” Even just a few miles one way or another can limit the exceptional experience of totality.

You aren’t too late to start planning your 2024 eclipse trip, and we’re here to help you as we’ve been planning this adventure since just after the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse. Another total solar eclipse won’t cross the United States until 2044.

America’s public lands are some of the best viewing locations. First, they are preserved with plenty of space for everyone. Second, experts will be on hand to help maximize the experience. Thirdly, the two national parks in the path of totality have no entrance fees!

Where is the best viewing spot? How long will it last? Where can you get glasses to view the eclipse safely? And is the 2024 Solar Eclipse really worth it?

Let’s dive into the details.

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What is the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse?

It helps to understand how the Earth, Sun, and Moon orbit to wrap your head around the rarity of a solar eclipse. The moon rotates around the earth every 27 days or so while the Earth orbits the sun in a full cycle that spans 365 days.

The moon rotates with a 5° tilt, which is how we get different phases of the month throughout the year. That slight tilt means it takes a very particular set of circumstances to experience the rarest of all eclipses – a total solar eclipse.

The only hiccup was that the moon wasn’t close enough to Earth to cover the sun fully. The “Ring of Fire” was the overflow of the sun around the moon.

However, during a Total Solar Eclipse, the Moon – which is 400 times smaller than the Sun – also happens to be 400 times closer to Earth than the Sun. That’s why the sun and the moon look similar in size from your perspective. On the rare occasion when the moon can completely block the sun by being just close enough to the earth, we get the Total Solar Eclipse, as will happen on April 8, 2024.

The Moving Moon: The moon moves about 1.5 inches away from Earth every year. That means in the (very, very distant) future, a total solar eclipse won’t be possible.

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Best Cities to View 2024 Eclipse

Related: 6 National Parks for the 2023 Annular Solar Eclipse

Without getting too scientific on you, the axis tilt and evolving movement of the Moon and Earth means a short window for total darkness during an eclipse. The entire experience is 2-3 hours in length as the moon moves in front of the sun. During a few fleeting minutes, the moon’s shadow covers a narrow slice of land.

Anyone in the path of the eclipse will experience one of two shadows.

• The umbra is the darkest part of the shadow (total eclipse), where no light from the source can reach. It is located directly behind the object casting the shadow. The umbra is cone-shaped, with its apex at the object and its base expanding away from the object.
• The penumbra is the partially shaded region of the shadow (partial eclipse), where some light from the source can still reach. It surrounds the umbra and is less dark than the umbra. The penumbra is also cone-shaped, but its apex is wider than the apex of the umbra.

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Top 10 Cities for Longest Solar Eclipse Totality

The longest totality is 4 minutes and 23 seconds, with the shortest totality being 1 minute and 23 seconds.

City	Time Zone	Totality Length	Partial Eclipse Start to Finish	Totality Begins
Eagle Pass, Texas	CDT	4 minutes 23 seconds	12:10pm – 2:51pm	1:27pm
Kerrville, Texas	CDT	4 minutes 23 seconds	12:14pm – 2:55pm	1:32pm
Killeen, Texas	CDT	4 minutes 17 seconds	1:36pm – 2:59pm	2:59pm
Uvalde, Texas	CDT	4 minutes 16 seconds	12:12pm – 2:53pm	1:29pm
Poplar Bluff, Missouri	CDT	4 minutes 8 seconds	12:39pm – 3:15pm	1:56pm
Carbondale, Illinois	CDT	4 minutes 8 seconds	12:42pm – 3:18pm	1:59pm
Cape Girardeau, Missouri	CDT	4 minutes 6 seconds	12:41pm – 3:17pm	1:58pm
Wapakoneta, Ohio	EDT	3 minutes 55 seconds	1:54pm – 4:24pm	3:09pm
Cleveland, Ohio	EDT	3 minutes 50 seconds	1:59pm – 4:28pm	3:13pm
Indianapolis, Indiana	EDT	3 minutes 46 seconds	1:50pm – 4:23pm	3:13pm

Buy Solar Eclipse Glasses Now: Even the parks that offer free glasses are likely to run out and the closer we get to April 8, the more expensive and hard-to-find the glasses will become. We recommend these glasses as they meet all the NASA standards to protect your eyes.

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States and Cities in 2024 Solar Eclipse Path

The eclipse goes through 13 states after entering from Mexico into Texas and before exiting Maine into Canada.

Those states are:

1. Texas
2. Oklahoma
3. Arkansas
4. Missouri
5. Illinois
6. Kentucky
7. Indiana
8. Ohio
9. Pennsylvania
10. New York
11. Vermont
12. New Hampshire
13. Maine

As you can see in the map below, only narrow slices of those states are included. The number of major metropolitan areas is whittled down to just a handful. Knowing these cities might also help with your air travel plans.

• Dallas, Texas
• Fort Worth, Texas
• Cleveland, Ohio
• Indianapolis, Indiana
• Little Rock, Arkansas
• Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse, New York

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Solar Eclipse 2024 Interactive Map

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National Parks in 2024 Eclipse Path

Choosing to view the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse at a National Park or National Park Service site makes sense since there’s a lot of space and a safe environment for families.

For the April 2024 Eclipse, just two National Parks are on the path, and they each bring something unique to explore beyond the celestial sights. However, I’ve put together a full list of National Park Sites and National Forests in the path.

Get your children involved by helping them become an Eclipse Explorer through the Junior Ranger Program.

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Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas

April 8, 2024, will mark the first time Arkansas has been in a Path of Totality since 1918. Located in the heart of Arkansas, the park encompasses over 5,500 acres of scenic landscapes.

One thing some visitors will like is that the park doesn’t feel like a traditional national park since it’s technically an “urban” park. That means downtown Hot Springs and Bathhouse Row will also be brimming with eclipse activities.

Best Views in Hot Springs National Park

Hot Springs National Park offers 26 miles of hiking trails and some scenic drives that lead to seven great overlooks. The spacious skies from these overlooks in Hot Springs National Park will make ideal viewing for the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse.

• Hot Springs Mountain Lookout Point: Stunning views of the city of Hot Springs with the Ouachita Mountains.
• Goat Rock Overlook: A view above the Zigzag Mountains and Silver Mountain.
• West Mountain Lower Overlook: This is one of my favorite overlooks in the park. Bathhouse Row is below, and the view is straight across to the Hot Springs Mountain Tower Overlook.
• West Mountain Picnic Overlook: Higher up that same mountain, a picnic area built in 1924 offers better views of downtown Hot Springs.
• West Mountain Loop Overlook: This is the top of West Mountain with 180° views of the Trap Mountains and Lake Hamilton.
• Hot Springs Mountain Tower Overlook: The best panoramic views in the park, the Mountain Tower stands nearly 1,300 feet above sea level.
• Balanced Rock Overlook: Located in one of the most remote park sections, this spur trail to Balanced Rock is off the Sunset Trail.

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Camping at Hot Springs National Park

The park has one campsite with 40 sites, but those were sold out quickly. We do have some helpful information we research to find campsites that might be available for you. Simply use this link to Recreation.gov, and you can see nearby available campsites. Keep in mind that “nearby” might be liberal when it comes to finding a site for this busy event.

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Best Places Near Hot Springs National Park to See the Eclipse

You can make a long weekend of the 2024 Solar Eclipse experience because the town hosts several locations with activities beginning on Friday, April 5.

We’ve gathered up local events and activities across the Arkansas 2024 Solar Eclipse path of totality to help expand your trip options.

• Attractions Near Hot Springs
• Jonesboro
• Little Rock
• Mountain Home
• Texarkana

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Best Views for 2024 Solar Eclipse in Cuyahoga Valley National Park

The park regularly offers night sky activities, and we’re tapping into those locations as the best spots to see the 2024 Solar Eclipse in Ohio. We’re breaking this down by the direction of the sky you’ll see. The path of totality moves from southwest to northeast.

Western Sky Views

As noted above, many communities are planning weekend events since the eclipse happens on a Monday. In fact, many schools on the path of totality across Ohio are closed for the 2024 Solar Eclipse.

• Beaver Marsh: Located on the southern end of the park, try to score a spot on the walkway for the best viewing and photos.
• Jaite Meadows: Centrally located in the park, this is off the Red Lock Trailhead.

North and East Sky Views

• Pine Hollow: Pine Hollow offers amazing views to the north and is one of the best places in the park to see the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) when conditions are right. Check the Space Weather Conditions during your trip.
• Oak Hill Trailhead: While this spot offers the darkest night skies in the park, it’s also one of the prime viewing locations for the eclipse.

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Map of Best Solar Eclipse Locations in Cuyahoga Valley National Park

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Camping in Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Most importantly, there isn’t camping in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. You can consider other camping options within 50 miles of the park, but those will likely sell out quickly. We checked many of the closest ones to the park, and they are sold out well before the event.

We recommend starting with the campsites in the “Under 50 Miles” category, as there are openings as of late 2023.

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Places Near Cuyahoga Valley to See Total Solar Eclipse

You can use this link to find other parks and spaces within the 124-mile span of eclipse totality. Here are a few ideas to expand your Ohio 2024 Solar Eclipse trip to include nearby communities. We’ve made it easy for you to visit the tourist sites for each location.

• Akron
• Cleveland
• Findlay
• Mansfield
• Shores & Islands: Includes Cedar Point, Sandusky, and Put-In-Bay.
• Toledo

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All National Park Service Sites in Path of 2024 Eclipse

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National Forests in 2024 Solar Eclipse Path

If you’re looking to avoid the crowds of the national parks, consider the national forests under the Forest Service that are also in the path of totality. Finding last-minute Solar Eclipse 2024 camping options at these forests might be better than chasing down individual spots.

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What State is Least Likely to Have Cloud Cover for Eclipse 2024?

We crunched some data to help make an educated guess decision on where the clouds are most likely to be cloud-free on April 8, 2024.

Based on the average cloud cover, the states with the best chance of clear skies for a solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, are, from best to worst:

1. Texas
2. New Hampshire
3. Maine
4. Vermont
5. Arkansas
6. Oklahoma
7. Missouri
8. Ohio
9. Indiana
10. Illinois
11. Pennsylvania
12. New York
13. Kentucky

We tracked the weather on April 8, 2024. For example, Maine’s Houlton and Katahdin Woods & Waters had clear skies. Dallas had 30% cloud cover. Hot Springs was completely cloud-covered. Akron was dealing with severe thunderstorms and an EF-1 tornado nearby.

While just a matter of luck, it’s also important to realize other aspects of the weather in each region. For example, Maine is in the middle of what’s called “Mud Season” in April. That means many trails and roadways will be thick with mud or closed to protect the trails.

April is also known as Tornado Season from Texas to Ohio. Actually, the eclipse path looks a lot like what a severe thunderstorm path could be!

Places like Maine, Vermont, and New York could still get a big snowstorm in early April.

Keeping a close eye on the weather in the 10 days before the eclipse is important for viewing locations, but also for outdoor safety.

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Pin 2026 Eclipse in National Parks

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Helpful Related Links in 2024 Solar Eclipse States

Visiting Missouri?: Gateway Arch National Park

Show Me More Show Me State: 6 GREAT Missouri National Parks (Photos + Helpful Tips)

Viewing from Dallas?: 5 EPIC National Parks Near Dallas You’ll Love (Photos + Guide)

Headed to New Hampshire?: 15 MUST-SEE Historic Sites In New Hampshire (Guide + Photos)

More About Maine: 6 EPIC Maine National Parks Worth Visiting (Helpful Guide + Photos)

Vermont Visitors: 3 (EPIC) Vermont National Parks for Your Visit to the Green Mountain State

Little Rock Love: 6 EPIC National Parks Near Little Rock You’ll Love (Photos + Guide)

Oklahoma Is More Than OK: 026

Let’s Go Ohio!: 10 EPIC Ohio National Parks Worth Visiting (Helpful Guide + Photos)

Indiana Adventures: 5 Surprising National Parks Near Indianapolis You’ll Love (Guide)

Land of Lincoln: 5 EPIC Illinois National Parks (An Expert Guide + Photos)

Plan for Pennsylvania: 22 EPIC Pennsylvania National Parks Worth Visiting (Guide + Photos)

Know More About New York: 25 EPIC New York State National Parks to Visit (Helpful Guide + Photos)

Race Around Kentuck: 6 BEST Kentucky National Parks Worth Visiting (Guide + Photos)