Milky Way Galaxy as viewed from the Elk Creek Campground at Curecanti National Recreation Area/NPS, Troy Hunt

There's another Dark Sky Park in the National Park System to add to your must-visit list: Curecanti National Recreation Area in Colorado.

That certification by the International Dark-Sky Association recognizes the exceptional quality of Curecanti’s night skies and the opportunities to enhance visitor experiences through astronomy-based interpretive programming. Curecanti is the first National Recreation Area to be certified under this program, according to the National Park Service.

“There is a deep appreciation for dark skies in this community,” said Curecanti Superintendent Deanna Greco. “The National Park Service is strongly invested in their preservation, interpretation, and protection.”

Many partners supported Curecanti in the certification process, including the towns of Gunnison and Lake City, the Gunnison Valley Observatory, the Black Canyon Astronomical Society, Western Colorado University, and the Colorado Plateau Dark Sky Cooperative.

“This designation emphasizes how special the dark skies of the Gunnison Valley are and how important it is to preserve this natural resource,” said Dr. M. Suzanne Taylor, president of the Gunnison Valley Observatory Board of Directors. 

In support of dark sky conservation at Curecanti, park rangers present astronomy programs at the Elk Creek campground and the Gunnison Valley Observatory. Children are encouraged to participate in the junior ranger night explorer program from home or by obtaining a booklet at the Elk Creek Visitor Center.

Next-door neighbor Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park also has been certified as a dark sky park.

The International Dark Sky Places Program was founded in 2001 as a non-regulatory and voluntary program encouraging communities, parks, and protected areas around the world to preserve and protect dark sites through responsible lighting polices and public education. Each International Dark Sky Place follows a rigorous application process that demonstrates robust community support for dark sky certification. The first National Park Service unit to receive the certification was Utah's Natural Bridges National Monument in 2007. Today, Curecanti joins many other National Park Service units as an International Dark Sky Place.