ALMO, Idaho — The City of Rocks National Reserve has earned its Dark-Sky Park certification from the International Dark-Sky Association.
The mission of IDA is to preserve and protect the nighttime environment and our heritage of dark skies through environmentally responsible outdoor lighting.
Minimum qualification requirements to be eligible for Dark-Sky Park designation include being protected public land, having a Lighting Management Plan, demonstrating a commitment to dark skies and quality outdoor lighting, a commitment to public education and a slew of other considerations.
The certified areas of the City of Rocks National Reserve make up over 10,000 acres of both Federal and State owned land.
In addition to new education programs emphasizing the value of natural darkness, the park hosts star parties, dark sky junior ranger programs, constellation tours and telescope viewing opportunities.
Minimizing light pollution allows for visitors to experience today the same sky viewed by Shoshoneans and their ancestors and immigrants of the California Trail and early settlers.
"Experiencing the dark skies in City of Rocks if truly magical," says Acting Superintendent, City of Rocks National Reserve, Tara McClure-Cannon. "It brings the past to life in ways that you just can't experience during daylight hours."
City of Rocks joins other IDA certified areas in Idaho, including the community of Ketchum, Craters of the Moon National Monument and Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve located in the Sawtooth Mountains.
