Last updated: August 11, 2022
Place
Gates of Lodore Trail Stop 12
NPS Photo
Quick Facts
Amenities
1 listed
Scenic View/Photo Spot
“Soon I see a bright star that appears to rest on the very verge of the cliff overhead to the east. Slowly it seems to float from its resting place on the rock over the canyon. At first it appears like a jewel set on the brink of the cliff, but as it moves out from the rock I almost wonder that it does not fall.”
Dinosaur National Monument is one of the darkest places remaining in the contiguous United States. Because there is minimal impact from artificial lights, you can still see the stars of our Milky Way galaxy with startling clarity. The majority of residents of the United States live in places where the Milky Way is no longer visible, even on a moonless night. Night skies are a vanishing resource and increasing development, even in many rural areas, expands the impact of light pollution.
The skies above the monument are an important resource to enjoy and protect just like the fossils, stunning scenery, and wild rivers. Natural night skies also provide a important environment for animals and plants that require darkness. Due to isolation, night skies at Gates of Lodore still look similar to those that native peoples and early explorers experienced. When you gaze at the stars, whether with the naked eye or a telescope, not only are you looking into the distance, but also into the past.
-John Wesley Powell
Dinosaur National Monument is one of the darkest places remaining in the contiguous United States. Because there is minimal impact from artificial lights, you can still see the stars of our Milky Way galaxy with startling clarity. The majority of residents of the United States live in places where the Milky Way is no longer visible, even on a moonless night. Night skies are a vanishing resource and increasing development, even in many rural areas, expands the impact of light pollution.
The skies above the monument are an important resource to enjoy and protect just like the fossils, stunning scenery, and wild rivers. Natural night skies also provide a important environment for animals and plants that require darkness. Due to isolation, night skies at Gates of Lodore still look similar to those that native peoples and early explorers experienced. When you gaze at the stars, whether with the naked eye or a telescope, not only are you looking into the distance, but also into the past.