Canyonlands National Park was certified as a Gold-Tier International Dark Sky Park in 2015.

Efforts to preserve natural darkness at Canyonlands began several years ago with a focused effort to revamp and replace park lighting with “night-sky friendly” bulbs and fixtures.

Though thousands of lights create light pollution, this problem can be resolved one light at a time. When an outdoor light burns out, it becomes an opportunity to install a lower intensity bulb or replace the fixture with one that is more night-friendly.

Shielding that directs light downward produces less glare and improves security. Today nearly 100 percent of the lights in Canyonlands National Park are “night-sky friendly.”

As long as people still care about the night sky, we can make a difference.

Canyonlands National Park is supported by its member organization, Canyonlands Natural History Association (CNHA).

Photo credit: The Milky Way over The Doll House | NPS Photo by Kait Thomas