Hiking Bob – Explore Colorado’s Dark Skies

By Bob Falcone

Welcome to Colorful Colorado,” greets everyone who enters the state on any of the major highways. The state’s colors inspired Katherine Lee Bates to write “America the Beautiful” after seeing the purple mountains majesty and amber waves of grain from the summit of Pikes Peak.

Colorado is indeed colorful, and likely much more than Bates even imagined after her visit to America’s Mountain. It is never truer than at this time of the year, when wildflowers are in bloom from the plains to the high mountains. Bates probably didn’t see the various colors – more than just the red/orange we are accustomed to seeing – of Indian Paintbrush that exist only in the high elevations, or the many varieties of blue, white, yellow, purple, red and everything in between of all the varieties of flora that proliferate throughout Colorado from spring through summer and then into fall when the aspens turn into quaking gold. As a photographer, I am in my element during this time of the year. Each hike I go on has the side goal of looking for colorful nature to shoot.

When the sun goes down and the heavens open up, there is a star-studded glory … – Bob Falcone

And as beautiful as Colorado is in full color, it is arguably more – or at least, just as – beautiful in black and white in the darkness of night. When the sun goes down and the heavens open up, there is a star-studded glory that people in many parts of the country, especially on either coast, don’t get to see. And, while the Milky Way is technically visible in the sky all year-round, its galactic core is only visible from late spring to early fall, and of course, the darker the sky, the more visible it is. Colorado’s dark skies make it a haven not only for people who just want to star-gaze, but also for photographers, either based here or who flock here, to capture images of the Milky Way over scenic spots.

According to Dark Sky Colorado, a branch of Dark Sky International, has awarded eighteen locations with “Dark Sky” certification. Of these, twelve are parks and six are small towns or communities. The closest Dark Sky Certified parks to Colorado Springs are Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument and Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, and the closest Dark Sky Certified towns are Westcliffe and Silvercliff. Currently, only one Colorado State Park, Jackson Lake, is certified, however earlier this year Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the Colorado Tourism Office announced they are working to certify 12 additional state parks, including the Pikes Peak region’s Mueller and Eleven Mile State Parks. Dark Sky certification means more than a place is dark; it also means that the park or town has taken measures to reduce light pollution and preserve the nighttime viewing environment.

Find out more at https://darkskycolorado.org/colorados-international-dark-sky-places/.

Of course, there are many dark places to take in the expansive night skies that have not achieved any kind of certification. So next time you are out and about in the darkness, whether hiking or camping, stop what you’re doing, turn off your head light and take a few minutes to look up. Take it in. Watch for passing satellites, imagine where the passengers in that passing airplane are going, look for a meteor sacrificing itself to the atmosphere, and the longer you look, the more stars you’ll see.

Maybe take a picture, too. It’s deceptively easy to shoot nice photos of the Milky Way, but you will need someone to show how. My recommendation is Mike Pach at 3PeaksPhoto.com, and one of his many nighttime photography workshops.

Be good. Do good things. Leave No Trace.

LUCKY YOU. YOU’RE IN COLORADO.

“You are in a very special place. 80% of Americans cannot see the type of night sky you have the privilege of viewing here. In recognition of our world-class views of the night sky, Colorado is home to a growing number of certified International Dark Sky Places where the natural night is protected and where residents and visitors can find programs, events, and other opportunities to connect with the night.” – Excerpt from the “Protect the Night” Poster included in the “Colorado Stargazing: Protect the Night” Media Kit

DarkSky Colorado invites residents and visitors to give back to the natural night by implementing efforts to restore and protect the night. The links below offer guidelines:

Colorado Stargazing: Protect the Night Media Kit

Colorado Stargazing: Protect the Night Videos

DarkSky Colorado Home

Become a Member of DarkSky!

River Camping Under the Night Sky

Milky Way Over the Yampa River
Milky Way Over the Yampa River, Colorado
Photo by Bettymaya Foott

By Martie Semmer, DarkSky Colorado

Nighttime is special on Colorado’s rivers. After a day of rafting, kayaking, or canoeing, the boats are secured for the night and it’s time to set up camp. You and your boating friends have practiced river safety and etiquette all day on the river. Nighttime safety and etiquette best practices are also important to the well-being of your river buddies, river runners camped upriver and down river, nocturnal wildlife, vegetation, and aquatic life.

Tips to enjoy and protect the night on the river when lighting is needed:

  • Shield and direct lighting for the intended task
  • Use headlamps/flashlights with warmer color options – such as red lighting
  • Avoid decorative and unnecessary lighting
  • Consider stargazing as an alternative to a campfire

River camping under the night sky with the moonlight, the stars, and/or the Milky Way dancing on the water offers a memorable experience beyond words.

Additional Resources:

How to Take Your Stargazing to the Next Level

A Surprising Effect of Light Pollution: It Disrupts Aquatic Insects

For more information:

DarkSky Colorado Home

Become a Member of DarkSky!

The Stars Can Lead You Home

Polaris, “the North Star,” is fixed in the northern heavens to people in the northern hemisphere.

By Deborah Price, IDA Colorado Board, 11/6/2022.

It’s often disorienting to be outside at night, but nature gives us a shining compass to provide direction. If you’re outside in winter and want to know which way is north, look up! On a clear night you can find Polaris, our North Star, and figure out other directions from there.

Polaris just happens to be above Earth’s North Pole. Earth spins once every 24 hours, keeping Polaris to the North. To find this guiding star, look for the Big Dipper.  The Big Dipper is part of the larger constellation Ursa Major (Big Bear) but the Big Dipper itself is very large in the sky.  The cup of the dipper is made up of four visible stars in a square-like pattern. The handle of the dipper extends out with three visible stars.  To find Polaris, look for the two stars in the cup that are farthest from the tip of the handle (the outer edge of the cup).  Draw an imaginary line from the bottom star through the top star straight out, and you will find Polaris.  It’s not a bright star–it just happens to be in the right place!

Another fun fact is that Polaris is the tip of the handle of the Little Dipper, which is much more difficult to see than the Big Dipper. If you keep that imaginary line going past Polaris, you’ll run into the constellation Cassiopeia, which looks like a big “W.”

Not only is it great to have this natural compass in the sky, but what a wonder it is to be able to see the stars! The less light pollution there is, the more you can see.

Turn off your lights, let your eyes adjust, and look up! 

Dark Sky Place Support Letter Policy

The Support Letter Policy lists several questions for people who are applying for IDA recognition as a Dark Sky Place. The information gathered will help an IDA Colorado member guide your project to a successful conclusion.

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Dark Sky Dashboard Re-launched

The Western Night Skies Council has re-launched the “Western Dark Sky Dashboard.” The new version covers all of the Western United States including Colorado, Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.  The Dashboard highlights all of the officially-recognized International Dark Sky Places in the Western U.S.  The Dashboard is meant to be more comprehensive and interactive.  It directs attention to the significant number of dark-sky conservation efforts throughout the Western States.

If you have questions about the Dashboard or its content please contact Aubrey Larsen, Colorado Plateau Dark Sky Cooperative Coordinator at [email protected]

The Western Dark Sky Dashboard
The Western Night Skies Council logo

CBS Denver features Colorado’s Dark Sky Places

CBS Denver featured a description of Colorado’s dark sky places.

Colorado Dark Sky Parks
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Dinosaur National Monument
Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve
Hovenweep National Monument
Jackson Lake State Park

Colorado Dark Sky Communities
Norwood
Ridgway
Westcliffe & Silver Cliff

Congratulations to all involved in helping recognize these places. 


CBS Denver story