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This Is the First U.S. County to Be Fully Dark Sky Certified—and It Just Added the World's First Dark Sky Airport
In late April, Teton County—home to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Grand Teton National Park, and part of Yellowstone National Park—made history as the first county in the world to be certified as an International Dark Sky Community by DarkSky International. Just 10 days later, Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) followed suit, becoming the first airport ever to earn the designation as an International Dark Sky Place, a recognition typically reserved for parks, preserves, and remote communities.
But these "world's first" designations come as little surprise when you consider the data. Light pollution is the enemy of dark skies, and Teton County's small, low light-impact communities help keep night skies pristine. The town of Jackson, the county's largest population center, has just over 10,000 residents, while the tiny community of Kelly is home to only 254. Add to that the vast stretches of protected open space—including all of Grand Teton National Park, 40 percent of Yellowstone, parts of three U.S. National Forests, and the 24,700-acre National Elk Refuge—and it's clear why Teton County is leading the way in night sky conservation.
Similarly, the Jackson Hole Airport is the only commercial airport located within a national park, which incentivizes the airport to take care of the area's natural resources—dark skies included. 'JAC staff dedicated hundreds of hours to updating lighting fixtures and programming to adhere to responsible lighting practices," DarkSky International said in a release. "These measures will not only improve the stargazing experience, but they will also help protect the wildlife in Grand Teton National Park as well as surrounding areas that rely on the natural nocturnal environment to thrive.'
The state's journey towards these dark sky designations started in 2013 when Wyoming Stargazing began hosting weekly public stargazing programs.
'The stars are literally etched into our DNA,' said Samuel Singer, the executive director of Wyoming Stargazing, in a press release. 'If dark night skies ever disappear, we will have lost a part of what it means to be human.'
Teton County and Jackson Hole Airport's efforts to improve lighting policies not only improve the experience of every visitor that will come to its two national parks, but every creature living within them as well.
'This community commitment to ensuring future generations of park visitors and county residents all have access to the beauty Wyoming skies offer in the night is something we are all proud to be a part of,' said Chip Jenkins, a Grand Teton National Park superintendent, in a statement.
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Travel + Leisure
2 days ago
- Travel + Leisure
We Asked 7 Travel Experts Their Favorite U.S. Summer Destinations—and They All Picked the Same Region
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I stayed at Pelican Hill in a three-bedroom villa with ocean views, it's gated, private, and feels more like a Mediterranean village than a U.S. resort." Oregon It's not only the coastal cities that are worth the late-summer adventures. Adrian Gonzalez, the general manager of The Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park in El Paso, says Bend, Oregon, should be on your must-see list as well. As Gonzalez said, it offers great "weather, dining and wining, outdoor activities from kayaking to golfing to hiking to horseback riding and every other summer activity in between. Want something ultra-Oregonian? "The local craft beers are one of a kind, and of course, you are about a two-hour drive to Willamette Valley, the heart of Pinot Noir country." Alaska Those seeking remoteness in its most dramatic form should go all the way west and north this summer, right to Alaska. 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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Yellowstone Visitors Horrified After Tourist Walked Across Forbidden Off-Limits Zone in Flip-Flops
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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Yellowstone Visitors Horrified After Tourist Walked Across Forbidden Off-Limits Zone in Flip-Flops
Photos of the incident show the man casually walking across the park's delicate protected bacterial mats to collect fallen hatsNEED TO KNOW A man in flip-flops recently walked across a protected off-limits zone in Yellowstone National Park, per a July 30 post in a public Facebook group Photos of the incident show the man collecting hats that had blown onto the ground The man was trespassing on delicate bacterial mats near the park's Grand Prismatic Spring, an offense that is punishable by lawYellowstone visitors were shocked and horrified when an anonymous tourist walked across a protected off-limits zone in flip-flops. The incident occurred on July 28, according to a July 30 post in the public Facebook group 'Yellowstone: Invasion of the Idiots,' where park lovers can share incidents of visitors defying park rules and common-sense safety protocols. Photos of the incident included within the post show the unknown man stepping out onto a bacterial mat near the park's Grand Prismatic Spring. These mats are comprised of delicate living organisms and give the landscape its signature colorful appearance, per the National Park Service. The organisms — called thermophiles — grow and thrive in the intense heat of the park's thermal basin, and are incredibly sensitive to outside disturbances. The man, who appeared to be picking up hats that had blown onto the mats, was seen walking on the nearby boardwalk with a woman when he exited the boardwalk and 'illegally and repeatedly' walked 'all over the bacterial mats,' per the post. PEOPLE reached out to Yellowstone National Park for comment on Saturday, Aug. 2, but did not receive an immediate response. Walking on the mats is considered 'thermal trespassing,' and is punishable by fines, park bans and even jail time. In 2024, a 21-year-old tourist was sentenced to seven days in jail and was banned from the park for two years after he walked off a designated visitor area to get closer to Steamboat Geyser, the world's tallest active geyser, according to The New York Times. The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now! In 2020, two men were each sentenced to 10 days in jail, a fine of $540, five years of unsupervised probation and a five-year ban from the park for trespassing on the cone of Old Faithful Geyser, per a press release from the National Park Service. 'Visitors must realize that walking on thermal features is dangerous, damages the resource [is] and illegal,' Chief Ranger Sarah Davis said in a statement at the time, per the release. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 'Law enforcement officers take this violation seriously. Yellowstone National Park also appreciates the court for recognizing the impact thermal trespass can have on these amazing features,' Davis added. Read the original article on People
