Zion National Park is a place of towering cliffs and winding canyons—but when the sun sets, an entirely new landscape emerges. As one of the world’s International Dark Sky Parks, Zion preserves an increasingly rare resource: the chance to experience a truly dark night.
The Connecting Visitors to Zion Dark Skies project is about more than stargazing. “This isn’t just about stars,” says Charles Reed, Project Lead. “It’s about nocturnal life, natural rhythms, and helping people see what’s lost when the lights stay on.” In fact, Zion’s night skies don’t just wow visitors; they nurture ecosystems, from the bats flitting across the canyons to the lizards resting under the shelter of darkness.
As author Paul Bogard writes in The End of Night, “Our nights are growing brighter, but the magic of the dark is always there, waiting for us to remember it.” Through programs that immerse visitors in the beauty and importance of darkness, Zion rekindles that magic.
The project focuses on four major areas:
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Concrete to Canyons: Bringing telescopes and hands-on astronomy activities to field trips, showing young students the sky’s possibilities.
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Curriculum-Based Programs: Building educational resources that connect classrooms to Zion’s night sky.
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General Interpretive Programs: Hosting seasonal events to discuss nocturnal ecosystems, light pollution, and cultural stories tied to the night.
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Telescope Roves: Inviting visitors to gaze through telescopes at the Visitor Center Plaza, where rangers connect the dots between stargazing and stewardship.
With over 7,000 participants in 2024’s exploratory programming, the demand is clear. This final phase provides 834 hours of staff time, training, and equipment to make these offerings a permanent fixture. Supported by $28,226 from the Zion Forever Project, it ensures that Zion’s night skies continue to inspire.
Zion’s dark skies are more than a backdrop—they’re a vital part of the park’s story. With your help, we can preserve that story and share it with generations to come.
