Today, June 3, the National Park Service and the International Dark Sky Association announced in a press release that Zion National Park is the newest International Dark Sky Park.
This new certification means that all five Utah national parks are now officially certified for their incredible night skies.
Zion joins other national parks like Glacier, Great Sand Dunes, Big Bend, Grand Canyon, Joshua Tree and, most recently, Mesa Verde, which are all famous for their uniquely dark night skies.
Zion National Park Is Now a Certified International Dark Sky Park
The International Dark Sky Park certification is an acknowledgment of Zion National Park’s high-quality night skies. It also opens up great opportunities for enhanced visitor experiences through astronomy-based interpretive programming, the National Park Service said in its statement.
“Zion National Park is committed to conserving the park’s night skies for all future generations and to educating visitors about the values of this important resource.”
Jeff Bradybaugh, Zion National Park Superintendent
The certification of Zion as a Dark Sky Park was supported by many local and regional partners. Those included the nearby towns of Springdale and Rockville, the Utah Division of Parks and Recreation, the Utah Office of Tourism, Zion National Park Forever Project and the Colorado Plateau Dark Sky Cooperative, among others.
Stanley Smith, the mayor of Springdale, which is the main gateway town to Zion National Park, was fully behind efforts to certify Zion as a Dark Sky Park.
“Situated just outside the entrance to Zion National Park, Springdale has long had an abiding mutual interest in helping to protect natural resources of this incredible public land. We value the beauty of our night sky and understand the need to protect it in a collaborate effort. We applaud and wholeheartedly support Zion’s efforts to preserve this ethereal gem.”
Stanley Smith, Mayor of Springdale
During the week of June 6 through 12, Zion National Park rangers will lead special programs focused on dark skies. Those will include kid-friendly programs like the Night Sky Explorer Junior Ranger Table and “Whoo’s Hooting at Zion.” Other ranger-led evening programs are “Science in the Sky”, “Second Star to the Right” and “From Dusk till Dawn.” You can find more information about these programs on the park’s website.
Along with in-person programs in the park, you can also partake in activities from home and on social media.
About the International Dark Sky Association
Founded in 2001, the International Dark Sky Association is a voluntary program meant to encourage parks, protected areas and communities across the entire world to protect and preserve dark skies. They can do this by using responsible lighting policies and offering education to the public.
The joint statement from the National Park Service and International Dark Sky Association says that every single certified International Dark Sky Park has had to go through a thorough application process. This also requires serious, dedicated support from local communities and organizations.
You can learn more about the International Dark Sky Association and its work on their website.
In 2007, Natural Bridges National Monument, which is also located in Utah, was the very first National Park Service site to receive dark sky certification. Now, Zion National Park joins a long list of National Park Service units, as well as a number of state parks in Utah as the newest International Dark Sky Park
To see which other national parks have International Dark Sky Park certifications, check out this blog post about the best national parks for stargazing!