2024 Eclipse State Parks Statistics

2017 Solar Eclipse Solar Eclipse Planning 2024 eclipse state parks 2024 Eclipse Astronomy Public Lands 2045 Solar Eclipse 2045 Largest Cities North America
2017 Eclipse Taken By Konstantin

In preparation for the April 8th, 2024 Total Solar Eclipse that is going to cross the US, we decided to put together a list of State Parks for viewing the eclipse for US states that have at least 90% totality or greater viewing for at least 1 of their state parks. As the table below, the following is the breakdown for what we found, as this is all original research.

Based upon our experience with the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse in the Pacific Northwest, trying to find the perfect location to camp at and maximize totality became a challenge. Plus, with the expertise we have acquired with the unique astronomy sites, we decided to put this same format and research to use to provide others with this resource for the 2024 eclipse.

StatisticNumber
Number Of US States with At Least 1 State Park > 90% Totality28 states
How Many US States With At Least 1 Park With 100% Totality13 states
Time Zones For States2 Timezones (Eastern and Central)
Population of 90% Totality States~192 million people
Population of 100% Totality States~113.6 million people

We wrote 28 articles, 1 for each state that have state parks above 90%, for those who cannot make it to a state park that has totality. For those 15 states that do contain totality at their state parks, the following tables provides a nice breakdown, with the first table showing the number of state parks that have 100% totality, broken down by state which is a great place to start looking for where to view the eclipse.

How Many State Parks With 100% Totality In Each State

Total: 308 State Parks

StateNumber Of Parks
Arkansas25
Illinois32
Indiana14
Kentucky29
Maine5
Missouri20
New Hampshire10
New York80
Ohio38
Oklahoma7
Pennsylvania5
Texas33
Vermont29

In these 13 states, Texas, Ohio, and New York account for 153 of the 308 state parks in totality or 49.67% of the available state parks. However, just because Ohio and New York have a lot of state parks in the path of totality, it does not mean that these states have the most totality time, as the graph shows below.

Greatest Totality Times

StateMaximum Totality Time
Arkansas4 minutes, 19 seconds
Illinois4 minutes, 9 seconds
Indiana4 minutes, 1 second
Kentucky2 minutes, 49 seconds
Maine3 minutes, 24 seconds
Missouri4 minutes, 12 seconds
New Hampshire3 minutes, 22 seconds
New York3 minutes, 43 seconds
Ohio3 minutes, 58 seconds
Oklahoma4 minutes, 15 seconds
Pennsylvania3 minutes, 45 seconds
Texas4 minutes, 27 seconds
Vermont3 minutes, 34 seconds

As this shows, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Illinois all have more than 4 minutes of totality, which is a lot of totality time for visibility. Therefore, always look at totality times as well.

Average Totality Times (Average of 100% Totality Sites)

When choosing a state park to go, not all state parks are made equal and not every state park in Texas has 4 minutes of totality. For every state park that is in totality, here is the average time for each state park.

StateAverage Time Of Totality Per Park
Arkansas196.72 seconds/3 minutes and 16.72 seconds
Illinois201.48 seconds/3 minutes and 21.48 seconds
Indiana181.64 seconds/3 minutes and 1.64 seconds
Kentucky141 seconds/2 minutes and 21 seconds
Maine158.33 seconds/2 minutes and 38.33 seconds
Missouri156.7 seconds/2 minutes and 36.7 seconds
New Hampshire128.6 seconds/2 minutes and 8.6 seconds
New York177.33 seconds/2 minutes and 57.33 seconds
Ohio185.52 seconds/3 minutes and 5.52 seconds
Oklahoma166.83 seconds/2 minutes and 46.83 seconds
Pennsylvania177.4 seconds/2 minutes 57.4 seconds
Texas222.42 seconds/3 minutes and 42.42 seconds
Vermont152.793 seconds/2 minutes and 32.793 seconds

How Early Can State Park Camping Reservations Can Be Made?

It is important to know how far in advance camping can be made as it will be after most hotels will be full, as most hotels allow reservations to be made about 12 months in advance. But, to get camping spots, here are some opportunities to get these camping sites.

StateHow Early Can Reservations Be Made
Arkansas12 months
Illinois180 days
Indiana6 months
Kentucky6 months
MaineFebruary 2024
Missouri7:00 AM CT every morning for 12 months in advance
New Hampshire11 months
New York9 months
Ohio6 months
Oklahoma11 months
Pennsylvania11 months
Texas5 months
Vermont11 months

Campsites In 100% Totality

After looking at how early the applicable state parks open, it is important to know which state parks and how many are available. Therefore, here is a table providing that information of how many and which state parks inside 100% totality are available.

StateHow Many ParksWhich Parks
Arkansas19Bull Shoals-White River State Park, Crowley’s Ridge State Park, Crater of Diamonds State Park, Cossatot River State Park-Natural Area, Daisy State Park, Davidsonville Historic State Park, DeGray Lake Resort State Park, Jacksonport State Park, Lake Catherine State Park, Lake Charles State Park, Lake Dardanelle State Park, Lake Frierson State Park, Lake Ouachita State Park, Millwood State Park, Mount Magazine State Park, Mount Nebo State Park, Petit Jean State Park, Queen Wilhelmina State Park, Woolly Hollow State Park
Illinois20Lincoln Trail State Park, Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area, Randolph County State Recreation Area, Washington County State Recreation Area, Dixon Springs State Park, Ferne Clyffe State Park, Fort Massac State Park, Giant City State Park, Hamilton County State Fish & Wildlife Area, Horseshoe Lake-Alexander State Fish & Wildlife Area, Lake Murphysboro State Park, Red Hills State Park, Sam Dale Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area, Sam Parr State Fish & Wildlife Area, Stephen A. Forbes State Recreation Area, Trail of Tears State Forest, Wayne Fitzgerrell State Recreation Area, Pyramid State Park
Indiana13Brown County State Park, Harmonie State Park, Lincoln State Park, McCormick’s Creek State Park, Mounds State Park, Ouabache State Park, Shades State Park, Shakamak State Park, Spring Mill State Park, Summit Lake State Park, Turkey Run State Park, Versailles State Park, Whitewater Memorial State Park
Kentucky2Columbus-Belmont State Park and John James Audubon State Park
Maine4Aroostook, Lily Bay, Peaks-Kenny, Rangeley Lake
Missouri7Sam A. Baker State Park, Echo Bluff State Park, Hawn State Park, Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park, Lake Wappapello State Park, St. Joe State Park, Trail of Tears State Park
New Hampshire5Deer Mountain Campground, Lake Francis State Park, Milan Hill State Park, Mollidgewock State Park, Umbagog Lake State Park
New York38Allegany State Park, Burnham Point State Park, Canoe-Picnic Point State Park, Cayuga Lake State Park, Cedar Island State Park, Cedar Point State Park, Coles Creek State Park, Cumberland Bay State Park, Darien Lakes State Park, Delta Lake State Park, Dewolf Point State Park, Eel Weir State Park, Evangola State Park, Fair Haven Beach State Park, Four Mile Creek State Park, Golden Hill State Park, Grass Point State Park, Green Lakes State Park, Hamlin Beach State Park, Higley Flow State Park, Jacques Cartier State Park, Keewaydin State Park, Kring Point State Park, Lake Erie State Park, Lakeside Beach State Park, Letchworth State Park, Macomb Reservation State Park, Mary Island State Park, Robert G. Wehle State Park, Robert Moses State Park – Thousand Islands, Sampson State Park, Selkirk Shores State Park, Southwick Beach State Park, Stony Brook State Park, Verona Beach State Park, Wellesley Island State Park, Westcott Beach State Park, Whetstone Gulf State Park
Ohio25Alum Creek State Park, Delaware State Park, Buck Creek State Park, Mt. Gilead State Park, Kiser Lake State Park, Pymatuning State Park, Punderson State Park, Mosquito Lake State Park, Geneva State Park, West Branch State Park, Maumee Bay State Park, Findley State Park, Hueston Woods State Park, East Harbor State Park, Mary Jane Thurston State Park, Kelleys Island State Park, Independence Dam State Park, South Bass Island State Park, Middle Bass Island State Park, Lake Loramie State Park, Grand Lake St. Marys State Park, Van Buren State Park, Malabar Farm State Park, Mohican State Park, Indian Lake State Park
Oklahoma6Beavers Bend State Park, Talimena State Park, Tenkiller State Park, Clayton Lake State Park, Lake Wister State Park, Raymond Gary State Park
Pennsylvania1Pymatuning State Park
Texas30Atlanta State Park, Blanco State Park, Bonham State Park, Cedar Hills State Park, Cleburne State Park, Colorado Bend State Park, Cooper Lake State Park, Daingerfield State Park, Devils River State Natural Area, Dinosaur Valley State Park, Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, Fairfield Lake State Park, Fort Parker State Park, Garner State Park, Government Canyon State Natural Area, Guadalupe River State Park, Hill Country State Natural Area, Inks Lake State Park, Kickapoo Cavern State Park, Lake Bob Sandlin State Park, Lake Tawakoni State Park, Lake Whitney State Park, Lost Maples State Natural Area, Mckinney Falls State Park, Meridian State Park, Mother Neff State Park, Pedernales Falls State Park, Purtis Creek State Park, South Llano River State Park, Tyler State Park  
Vermont23Big Deer State Park, Brighton State Park, Burton Island State Park, Button Bay State Park, Crystal Lake State Park, D.A.R. State Park, Elmore State Park, Grand Isle State Park, Green River Reservoir State Park, Kettle Pond State Park, Kingsland Bay State Park, Knight Island State Park, Knight Point State Park, Lake Carmi State Park, Little River State Park, Maidstone State Park, Mount Philo State Park, New Discovery State Park, Ricker Pond State Park, Smugglers’ Notch State Park, Stillwater State Park, Underhill State Park, Woods Island State Park

If you want to know more about the 2024 solar eclipse, these state parks in totality, and other awesome space information, make sure to follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/cosmospnw, on Instagram at instagram.com/cosmospnw, and visit cosmospnw.com as we be posting more information shortly.

2 Comments on "2024 Eclipse State Parks Statistics"

  1. You forgot to add Pyramid SP Illinois (the largest state park in IL)

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