Secret National Parks: A Nevada Park That, At 77,000 Acres, Sneaks In Under The Tourist Radar

The past 12 months have been an exciting time for skywatchers and stargazers. In October 2023, the path of a “ring of fire” eclipse clipped southern Colorado, visible from Mesa Verde National Park and its neighbors. Next came the April solar eclipse, which revved up enthusiasm for astrotourism even more despite Colorado not being among the 15 lucky states in the path of totality. Now that the sky has your attention, there’s a lot more to marvel at in Colorado’s celestial theater: Helped by recent legislation to turn off the lights and make night skies as dark as possible, the Centennial State is vying to become a top astrotourism destination. In 2022, the state legislature signed a law awarding communities grants to help them darken their night skies. Colorado is home to 10 International Dark Sky Parks and five communities, many of which have been awarded designations in recent years. Sections of the state that are high elevation with low humidity have a natural edge regarding stellar stargazing. However, coalitions are working even more to obscure artificial city lights further and promote the idea that the park system stretches beyond land and into the sky. Colorado may soon be home to the planet’s largest dark sky preserve. The proposed Sangre de Cristo International Dark Sky Reserve, a swath of 4,200 square miles along the eponymous mountain range, would cover Salida down to the New Mexico border and stretch from Alamosa to LaVeta. Many small communities with star status celebrate with public stargazing parties throughout the summer. Here are seven staycation ideas for aspiring and expert stargazers alike. Trained Star Guides point to stars with laser pointers and talk about stars and dark skies during the “Public Star Party: The Awe of the Milky Way” event at the Smokey Jack Observatory at Bluff Park in Westcliffe on June 7, 2019.

Summer officially arrived on Thursday, as defined by the June solstice, which means fourteener season is fast approaching. For some hardy hikers, it has already begun. Inexperienced peak baggers would be wise to wait a while before venturing out. Patchy snow is being reported on many trails where microspikes or crampons are recommended.

Colorado film boosters on Thursday announced a plan to lure the world-renowned Sundance Film Festival to Boulder in 2027. The festival would help put Colorado on the map internationally as “the center of the film industry,” Gov. Jared Polis told The Denver Post on Thursday, joining other festivals in Telluride, Denver and Boulder.

It’s no secret that Colorado is an outdoor lover’s vacation hot spot. With four national parks, 42 state parks, access to eight national wildlife refuges, and over 300 state wildlife refuges, plenty of nature’s playground is available here for every kind of outdoor enthusiast. According to a report compiled by the Colorado Tourism Office, 60% of overnight visitors participate in some outdoor activity in the state.

Carrie Haverfield, of Boulder, took her first trip to Costa Rica a decade ago after researching destinations that were safe for solo travelers and that fit her budget. She swam in hot springs bordered by the jungle in the Arenal Volcano area and took hikes — one around the base of a volcano, another to the La Fortuna waterfall, which cascades down 230 feet into a refreshing pool.

Rocky Mountain National Park’s largest campground will remain closed this summer due to construction delays, park officials announced Thursday. The 244-site Moraine Park Campground was shut down last summer for a modernization project, and at the time, park officials said they hoped it would be finished in time to reopen this summer. “Production in the field did not match the anticipated schedule,” park officials announced Thursday with a news release.