Latest news with #InternationalDarkSkyPark
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
8 family-friendly things to do in Joshua Tree National Park
Keeping kids engaged and entertained at Joshua Tree National Park is often a matter of simple pleasures like camping in the desert, watching the heavens through a microscope, or scrambling between giant boulders at Skull Rock, Heart Rock, and other stony outcrops. Here are 10 things to do in Joshua Tree with kids. Hiking is one of the easiest activities for families to dive into. Unless you're going to hike at dusk or dawn, it's advisable to avoid marching the kids through the park's triple-digit summer heat. Be sure to sync the hike's length and difficulty level with their age and trekking experience. Among the park's kid-friendly short hikes are Cholla Cactus Garden, the Oasis of Mara, Keys View with its mile-high panoramic views of the Coachella Valley, the slot canyons of the Hall of Horrors, and the weird rock formations of the uber-popular Skull Rock Loop. Barker Dam Trail is a good trail for young hikers. The looping trail is just over a mile long, and the terrain is fairly flat, with no more than 65 feet of elevation gain. Along the way are interpretive exhibits on the area's human and natural history, and there's even an ancient rock art gallery. The landscape is a mix of Joshua trees and giant boulders (a few of which you have to scramble over), and there's a public restroom beside the parking lot. As none of the park's paved roads have dedicated bike lanes—and because motor traffic is often heavy on weekends and holidays—it's best to cycle backroads. Queen Valley boasts more than 13 miles of dirt roads, many are flat and easy to navigate. By combining bike riding with short hikes, families can reach Barker Dam, the rusting above-ground remnants of Desert Queen Mine, the ruins of Wonderland Ranch, and the Wall Street gold mill. Bikes are not allowed on single-track trails in the park. (Everything to you need to know about Joshua Tree National Park) Stargazing in Joshua Tree is out of this world because it's a certified International Dark Sky Park. Four parking lots are designated stargazing spots: Hidden Valley, Cap Rock, Quail Springs, and Ryan Mountain. If you don't have your own telescope, check the park calendar for ranger programs or visit Joshua Tree National Park during the Night Sky Festival in October. Private concessionaires render other ways to discover Joshua Tree. Stone Adventures organizes customized family rock climbing sessions that last from four to eight hours. Kids who are one year old and up can fit into the provided climbing equipment, and they toss in a coloring book on Joshua Tree plants and animals. Adventure Hummer uses open-top or enclosed SUVs on its four-hour offroad tours departing from the Yucca Valley Welcome Center. (A complete guide to hiking in Joshua Tree National Park) If you're thinking about bringing your dog, be aware that pets are not allowed on hiking trails, park buildings, or anywhere in the backcountry. They are only allowed within 100 feet of roads, parking areas, and campgrounds but must always remain on a leash. Service dogs are allowed anywhere that human visitors can go in the park. However, emotional support, therapy, and companion animals are not considered service animals. (The best places to stay at Joshua Tree National Park.) Scattered across the Mojave along the northern edge of the national park are desert towns with numerous sleeping and eating options, and some of California's strangest attractions. Located at the park entrance on Park Boulevard in Joshua Tree town, the official Joshua Tree Visitor Center provides maps, brochures, and the latest info on the road and weather inside the park, as well as signing up for the park's Junior Ranger program. Across Park Boulevard, a tiny green building houses the World Famous Crochet Museum and hundreds of crocheted animals. The town's offbeat retail offerings include the Joshua Tree Rock Shop and sci-fi-saturated Space Cowboy Books. Just north of town is the Noah Purifoy Outdoor Desert Art Museum. Made from discarded televisions, toilets, washing machines, tires, hubcaps, and other found items, the collection's oddball sculptures (many with social justice messages) were created by Purifoy between 1989 and 2004 when he lived in Joshua Tree. Among the area's other eccentric art installations are the giant hands and face of the "Transmission" group by Daniel Popper. Despite its Wild West facades, Pioneertown isn't nearly as old as it looks, created in the 1940s as a backdrop for hundreds of Western movies and television shows. Although the town is still a working film set, Mane Street is open to the public and visitors are welcomed at Pioneertown Film Museum, the general store, the vintage bowling alley, and other attractions. After dark, catch the latest flicks at the Smith's Ranch Drive-In Movie Theater in Twentynine Palms. Opened in 1956, the drive-in serves classic movie fare like popcorn and hotdogs. And it's just 10 bucks per person to get in. Another after-dark activity in Twentynine Palms is stargazing at Sky's The Limit Observatory and Nature Center. The nonprofit facility hosts monthly night sky programs, occasional star parties, and events during the national park's October Night Sky Festival. It's just one of many family-friendly things to do outside of Joshua Tree. Eight-time Lowell Thomas Award winner Joe Yogerst has worked on more than 45 National Geographic books. He lives in With Nat Geo: Learn more about Joshua Tree National Park in the National Geographic Guide to National Parks of the United States Ninth Edition or National Geographic Complete National Parks of the United States Third Edition.
Miami Herald
4 days ago
- Miami Herald
Family travel 5: Dark Sky vacations bring new meaning to starstruck
Astrotourism is on the rise. Here are five places to sample a cosmic experience. Beaver Island, Michigan For super stargazing, make your way to this pristine island in the middle of northern Lake Michigan. Far away from city lights, visitors are treated to unparalleled views of meteor showers, comets, Zodiacal light and even the northern lights. Stargazers are captivated by the celestial wonders the 55 square-mile sanctuary makes possible. Recognized as a UNESCO Biosphere site, the island also provides crucial habitat for migratory birds. Ferries depart the mainland town of Charlevoix, carrying passengers and cars, for the day or for longer stays. The two-hour trip is best reserved in advance. On the island, hotels, motels and small inns as well as restaurants and recreational boat rentals are available. For more: Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah Home to some of the darkest skies in the country, this scenic landscape was among the first to receive the International Dark Sky Park certification. Massive natural bridges, named Kachina, Owachomo and Sipapu, form star-filled windows through which you can observe the skies as the Pueblo people did some 800 years ago. Among the most spectacular sights is the river of Milky Way brilliance observed rising over Owachomo Bridge. The goal of this and other Dark Sky Parks is to educate the public about light pollution and how each of us can make a difference. For more: Colorado by night Colorado is home to eight International Dark Sky Parks and five International Dark Sky Communities. Check out Colorado's self-guided stargazing tour to craft your own curated, celestial tour. Westcliffe and Silver Cliff in the state's Wet Mountain Valley are considered among the highest elevation of all International Dark Sky Communities in the world. The valley sits between the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the west and the Wet Mountains to the east, providing dramatic views in every direction. Don't miss the Smokey Jack Observatory which boasts a retractable roof and 14-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain and 5-inch refractor telescopes with computer-guided pointing and tracking to view the majestic night sky. Ask about the free public star parties held throughout the year. Check out Westcliffe's Main Street Planet Walk, an interpretive, self-guided walking adventure of a 4 billion-to-one scale model of the entire Solar System. For more: Lago Titicaca, Peru The Andean Altiplano may be among the best places for stargazing in the Southern Hemisphere. Geographical factors such as its isolation, high altitude and dry climate all come together to offer pristine clear skies, where visitors can revel in the wonder of the constellations even with a naked eye. Stargazing in Peru offers more than an indulgence in the beauty of the cosmos. It's an opportunity to learn more about the ancient Incan civilization. The Incas - one of the most advanced civilizations in ancient times - had great faith in the stars and an unwavering devotion to astronomical events. Lake Titicaca holds spiritual significance for the ancient Inca and modern Quechua. Thus, a stargazing experience in Titicaca offers a textured multicultural adventure. For more: Flagstaff, Arizona Expect stellar stargazing as well as the chance to tour the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, the first to be designated a Dark Sky City by the International Dark-Sky Association. See the telescope via which Pluto was discovered in the 1930s and peer through the century-old Clark Telescope. Ask about the small group private stargazing option to experience the universe up-close with the museum's state-of-the-art 24-inch Dyer Telescope. Located just 80 miles from the Grand Canyon and close to seven other parks and monuments, this college town offers a long list of options for family travelers. At 7,000 feet, you'll enjoy a full range of sports by day including hiking and biking amid ponderosa pines. Tap into the history that combines the nostalgia of Route 66, the historic 'Mother Road' that bisects the town, as well as the rich legacy of the old west and the Native American culture. For more: ___________ Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Forbes
16-05-2025
- Science
- Forbes
Anholt Joins Denmark's Dark Sky Places With New Designation
The milky way stretches over an expanse of "The Desert" on Denmark's Anholt island. Tucked between Denmark and Sweden in the Kattegat Strait, the remote island of Anholt has just been designated with the prestigious status of International Dark Sky Park, a recognition granted by DarkSky International. With this new designation, Anholt becomes the fourth certified Dark Sky Place in Denmark, and a compelling example of how small communities can make a big impact in protecting natural nighttime darkness. Best known for its vast dune landscapes and fragile ecosystems, Anholt spans just 22 square kilometers. Nearly 85% of it is a protected area known simply as 'The Desert,' a wild expanse of shifting sands, low juniper hills, and moraine mounds, free of artificial lighting and home to diverse species of bats, birds, insects, and seals. For stargazers and scientists alike, this absence of light pollution creates an invaluable resource: a pristine, naturally dark sky. Achieving International Dark Sky Park certification is no small feat. It's the culmination of years of effort from local advocates, scientists, and municipal leaders, all working to raise awareness of light pollution and implement thoughtful, long-term solutions. Anne Dixgaard, Chairwoman of Dark Sky Anholt, said it best: 'We're so pleased, and proud, to have worked to get Denmark yet another place where people can re-orient themselves as inhabitants in this infinite universe and re-acquaint themselves with the darkness.' That re-acquaintance with darkness is more than poetic; it's ecological. Light pollution disrupts animal behavior, interrupts plant cycles, and affects human health. On Anholt, the push to reduce artificial light has had community-wide buy-in. Public lighting has been swapped for Dark Sky-compliant fixtures. Homeowners and business owners registered their lights and removed unnecessary ones. And crucially, the Desert remains completely unlit. Guided by Dan Oakley from DarkSky International, Anholt's application stood out in part due to that total darkness in the eastern preserve. But it also succeeded because of the island's cohesive, grassroots effort. 'The commitment shown by the local community was inspiring,' Oakley noted. 'Their engagement with private companies and public institutions to reduce light pollution demonstrates what's possible when people work together to protect the night.' Anholt Island in Denmark Anholt has long been a place where human history and the natural world intersect. From Stone Age artifacts to Viking outposts, from 300 documented shipwrecks to a modern maritime rescue station, the island's story stretches back millennia. Today, it draws modern adventurers – especially sailors and nature lovers – who seek peace, wildness, and increasingly, a sky full of stars. Dark Sky Anholt and the Municipality of Norddjurs now plan to build on this momentum with three core goals: protect biodiversity by maintaining low light levels, especially near the harbor; deepen public understanding through educational signage and events; and support astrotourism, especially in the quieter, darker months. For an island of just 123 year-round residents, the stars may prove to be a new kind of economic lifeline—one that preserves what makes Anholt so rare. As Dixgaard reflected: 'We're proud to contribute to more night-sky darkness becoming protected – for the benefit of Anholt's rich biodiversity, and the divinely dark sleep of both residents and guests.'
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Can you see the Eta Aquarids meteor shower in Oregon? Time, what to know
This week, the Eta Aquarids annual meteor shower will reach its peak. The Eta Aquarids meteor shower began on April 20 and is known to peak in early May. This year, it will become most active beginning on the evening of May 5 and into the early morning on May 6. Here's what to know about the meteor shower and the best times to watch. This year, the Eta Aquarids are set to peak May 5-6 during the hours between midnight and dawn as Earth passes through the densest part of Halley's cosmic debris, according to the American Meteor Society. The Eta Aquarids meteors have an hourly rate of approximately 10 meteors and are known be seen as "Earthgrazers," or long meteors that appear to skim the surface of the Earth's horizon, according to NASA. The meteor shower is located in the Aquarius constellation and can be viewed in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. Between May 5-6, Oregon is predicted to have mostly clear skies, with a 1-28% chance of cloud cover beginning at 11 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. Oregon is home to seven dark sky places including: Oregon Outback, eastern Lake County - International Dark Sky Sanctuary Sisters - International Dark Sky Community Antelope - International Dark Sky Community Prineville Reservoir State Park - International Dark Sky Park Cottonwood Canyon State Park - International Dark Sky Park Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve: International Dark Sky Park Sunriver - International Dark Sky Development of Distinction Additionally, Crater Lake National Park was recently ranked the No.1 best national park in the United States for stargazing. Ginnie Sandoval is the Oregon Connect reporter for the Statesman Journal. Sandoval can be reached at GSandoval@ or on X at @GinnieSandoval. This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: When is the Eta Aquarids meteor shower in Oregon? Time, what to know
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Travel + Leisure
05-05-2025
- Travel + Leisure
This Colorado National Park Was Just Named a Grand Canyon Dupe—and It Has a Scenic 7-mile Drive, Steep Gorges, and Epic Stargazing
If you're concerned about the number of people that descend upon national parks each summer—especially as the parks face staffing shortages driven by the recent layoffs and hiring freezes—you may want to shift your trip to more underrated, less crowded destinations. And RVshare has a few data-backed suggestions. The RV rental platform created a list of 'crowd-free destination dupes' by analyzing geographic similarities (looking at landscape, rock formations, waterways, and unique natural features), visitor data, trail and space availability, and local insights and travel reports. From there, it matched some of the most popular national parks, including Grand Canyon National Park, with parks that offer a 'comparable yet quieter experience.' So instead of visiting the Grand Canyon, a park that had nearly 5 million visitors in 2024, consider making your way to western Colorado, home to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. In 2024, there were just 335,262 recorded visitors, but the park's steep cliffs, spires, gorges, and hiking trails are similar to those you'd find in Arizona. And instead of the Colorado River winding through the canyons, you have the Gunnison River, which, over millions of years, carved through volcanic deposits and rock to form the area we see today. The similarities don't end there, though. Both parks are split up into two main areas. Like the Grand Canyon, the Black Canyon's South Rim is easy to access, and therefore more popular, while the remote North Rim remains quieter. Instead of the Desert View Drive, the scenic road that begins near Grand Canyon Village, Colorado visitors can drive the South Rim Road. The seven-mile route has several viewpoints (like Gunnison Point and Painted Wall) and short hikes you can tackle on a day trip. The parks are also incredible for stargazing. In September 2015, the Black Canyon was certified as an International Dark Sky Park, a title the Grand Canyon received in June 2019. There are no closing hours at the Colorado park, so visitors can make their way to Chasm View Overlook, Dragon Point Overlook, or Sunset View Overlook on the South Rim; or Chasm View Nature Trail or Kneeling Camel Overlook on the North Rim to get a glimpse of the majestic night sky. To discover more national park 'dupes' and learn more about RVshare's methodology, head to
