Night riding and trail camping
Riding into dusk and camping at the trailhead is part of the fun. Planning around light, the moon and the sky makes it safer and a lot more memorable. Every X4D area page includes a camp sky panel with these details for that location.
Plan around daylight
Sunset is not when it gets dark. Civil twilight, when there is still enough natural light to see terrain, lasts roughly 20 to 40 minutes after sunset in most of the US, longer in summer and at northern latitudes. X4D shows this as last usable light. In canyons and forests, shadows arrive well before sunset, so plan to be on easy terrain by then.
The moon
A full or nearly full moon lights up open desert and dunes enough to see the shape of the land, which makes camp tasks easier and night rides on familiar, easy routes more pleasant. A new moon means truly dark skies, which is best for stars but means relying entirely on your lights. The camp sky panel shows the moon's phase, how much of it is lit and when it rises and sets.
Lights and rules
- Lighting requirements for off-highway vehicles vary by state and by riding area, and some areas close at dusk. Check the rules before riding after dark.
- Carry a headlamp even on day rides, along with spare batteries.
- A red light setting preserves night vision around camp.
- Slow down after dark. Ruts, rocks and drop-offs that are obvious in daylight disappear at night.
Stargazing
Many riding areas are far from city lights, which makes them excellent places to see the Milky Way. The best nights combine clear skies and little or no moon. X4D rates stargazing for each area from the forecast cloud cover between 9 pm and 3 am and the moon's brightness.
Spotting the ISS
The International Space Station looks like a bright, steady star moving smoothly across the sky, with no blinking lights. It is only visible when your sky is dark and the station is still in sunlight, which happens shortly after sunset or before sunrise. The camp sky panel lists upcoming passes, when they start, how high they climb and which direction they cross. Passes marked visible are the ones worth stepping out of the tent for.
Aurora
During strong geomagnetic storms, the northern lights can be seen well into the United States. The planetary K index (Kp) measures storm strength from 0 to 9. In the northern states, aurora becomes possible around Kp 5 to 6; seeing it farther south takes Kp 7 or higher. Look north from a dark spot. Phone cameras often pick up aurora that is faint to the eye.