Protecting your and others’ night vision is crucial to maximizing your enjoyment of a dark sky. The human eye can perceive an amazing amount of star light if you let it adapt to the darkness for at least ten to twenty minutes. Avoid using or looking at any bright white or blueish lights. If you must illuminate your surroundings, use a red lamp if you have one; or, carry your light down by your side aimed strictly at the ground. (You can even put a few fingers over the face to narrow the beam to just what you need.) Preserving a park’s natural soundscape further enhances the experience of a nighttime visit. Instead of listening to music, try listening for the sounds of nocturnal critters scurrying about their “day’s work.”

Light-painting is a photography technique involving illuminating a subject while taking a long exposure photograph. The result shows a well-lit subject (around here, typically a rock feature) in the foreground with a star-filled sky behind. The technique can create stunning, even mesmerizing images, which feel like they capture the natural grandeur of the setting until you realize that the lighting effect could only occur unnaturally. This technique is prohibited in Arches and Canyonlands national parks, among other places.

Regulations vary a lot from place to place; you can’t assume that an activity allowed at one park is allowed everywhere. It’s a good idea to check each park’s website before visiting even if you’ve been there before; regulations can change. For national park units, you’ll usually find a page called “Park Regulations” within the section called “Plan Your Visit.” These pages help you plan what to pack and what to do (and not do) there. You might also learn something about the place you are about to experience, which can deepen your understanding and enjoyment.

Click here for the full article from the Colorado Plateau Dark Sky Cooperative

On Friday September 24, CNHA hosted our federal partners on the plaza at the Moab Information Center for our annual Public Lands Day Celebration. Arches and Canyonlands National Parks were present along with Natural Bridges and Hovenweep National Monuments, the Moab District of the Manti La Sal National Forest and information provided by the Moab Field office of the BLM. Leave No Trace was in town for a special project at Arches National Park on Saturday and were a nice addition to the gathering. Smoky Bear made a special appearance and posed for photographs with attendees, age didn’t matter. The Dave Steward Quintet performed live music and concluded the celebration with a great rendition of their original song “Do it Like a Local”. The Moab Area Travel Council initiated the Do it Like a Local campaign as a fun way to educate visitors on how to take care of their public lands. It was a great way to end the celebration.

Christmas tree permits will be available to purchase online through recreation.gov beginning October 14, 2021. Details about designated cutting areas, dates and types of trees that may be cut may be found on recreation.gov.

Fourth graders with an Every Kid Outdoors pass are eligible for a free holiday tree permit through their local National Forest. To obtain a free holiday tree permit, visit recreation.gov to apply using the Every Kid Outdoors pass by checking the box indicating you have a pass and entering the pass or voucher number.

To purchase a Christmas Tree permit, click here. It is important to carefully read the overview and need-to-know information prior to purchasing the permit. Visitors will also need to set up or login to a recreation.gov account to complete the transaction.

Created in 2009, the CAIP program highlights the connection between local artists and the surrounding landscape, particularly Arches and Canyonlands national parks and Hovenweep and Natural Bridges national monuments. The selected artist spends a minimum of 24 hours each month, April through October, creating original works of art in the participating parks and sharing inspiration and the creative process with visitors from around the world. The artist’s work will also be sold at participating parks’ CNHA stores.

Community artists must be residents of Grand or San Juan counties in Utah, or Montezuma County in Colorado. For more program details and application information, visit the Community Artist page.

Interested artists may send questions and applications to Karen Garthwait at 435-719-2142 or via email to e-mail us. The deadline to submit applications is October 16, 2021.