Utah's Dark Sky Parks on National Meteor Watch Day

Utah is known for its Dark Sky Parks which makes it the perfect place to view the epic night sky on National Meteor Watch Day.

June 30 is National Meteor Watch Day. The National Day Calendar said it “encourages us to look to the stars to witness one of the night sky’s most thrilling sights.”

When you see a shooting star in the sky, often times its actually a meteorite or a “flaming piece of space rock” as I like to call it. Oddly enough, meteors are from slightly larger “space rocks” and when they interact with earth’s atmosphere, the hot air makes it shoot like a star. They can range anywhere from the size of dust grains to small asteroids, NASA said.

So where is the BEST place to go stargazing in Utah? Well, there are over 20 parks in Utah dubbed “Dark Sky Parks” so, there are plenty of options to choose from. I’ll do the best in each region! For a full list visit https://www.visitutah.com/Places-To-Go/Dark-Sky-Parks

Dark Sky cities or areas are places where you can view the night sky in all its wonder without the haze of city lights and pollution.

Bryce Canyon State Park

Photo by Robert Hummel on Unsplash

Located in Southern Utah, Bryce Canyon offers beautiful open-sky views. There are hoodoo rock formations to see in the daylight but during the night it’s just absolutely stunning. It’s a great park to visit during its on season and is close for Southern Utah residents to head out for a day trip or a camping adventure.

Fremont Indian State Park

This Dark Sky Park is in Sevier, UT, and has some real “out west” vibes. During the day, visitors can check out petroglyphs and artifacts left behind by the Fremont Indians, the website said. You can camp at Castle Rock Campground or Sam Stowe Campground to see the stars.

Canyonlands National Park

Photo by Jasper Gronewold on Unsplash

This park literally has an “Island in the Sky” overlook which is perfect for both day and night panoramas. Canyonlands is one of the places in Utah (along with other state/national parks) that make it a mission to preserve the view of the night sky.

Natural Bridges Natural Monument

Natural Bridges Natural Monument is a state landmark just 50 miles outside of the Four Corners. There are three natural bridges that are in the monument. You can camp on site, but it’s first come, first served for spots.

Jordanelle State Park

Located up north in Heber, UT, this state park has water that will make for beautiful reflections from the night sky. During the day there are great places to recreate around the state park plus, it’s not one of the “big name parks”.

Steiner State Park

Technically, there are two locations for this UT state park, both the lake and the park itself. Located in Vernal, UT, there are a ton of sights to see. You can grab photos of the night sky with a desert backdrop and go fishing during the day. It’s a pretty cool spot.

Where is your favorite place to view the night sky in Utah? Let us know on our FB and social media!

Fall Meteor Showers That Will Light Up The Night Sky Over Maine

Fall is an active season for meteor showers. It's also the last few meteor showers you can view without freezing to the bone. Maine is a great place to see some of the best meteor showers of the year. It's not very hard to find dark areas away from light pollution to get a clear view of the night sky. Here's some fall meteor showers that will light up the night sky in the coming months.