Chimney Rock becomes Colorado’s 20th International Dark Sky place
DURANGO, Colo. — Chimney Rock National Monument became an International Dark Sky Park in December, joining a growing list of protected places recognized for preserving naturally dark night skies.
Dark Sky sites receive certification for limiting light pollution through responsible lighting, public education and ongoing conservation efforts to protect night skies for visitors and wildlife.
Colorado now has 20 certified International Dark Sky places, more than any other state. Nearly anyone in the state with reliable transportation can reach one within 90 minutes.
Located 17 miles west of Pagosa Springs along U.S. Highway 160, Chimney Rock is known for its towering stone pinnacles and deep cultural significance. More than 1,000 years ago, Ancestral Pueblo people built ceremonial structures there, and many scholars believe the site was intentionally designed to observe celestial events, including a rare lunar alignment when the moon rises precisely between the two rock pillars.
The San Juan National Forest initiated the effort to earn Chimney Rock’s Dark Sky status in 2023 with support from local partners, including the San Juan Stargazers astronomy club, the Pagosa Photography Club, the Chimney Rock Interpretive Association and the Weminuche Audubon Society.
To qualify, parks must meet strict criteria. The site must be legally protected, allow public nighttime access and demonstrate high-quality night skies where the Milky Way is visible on a typical night.
Chimney Rock’s location is advantageous for stargazing. When storms or clouds settle over Durango or Pagosa Springs, the monument often has clear skies, making it a reliable place for night-sky viewing, said Pat Hasenbuhler, a volunteer with the Chimney Rock Interpretive Association and a former astronomy teacher.
Howard Rowe, a volunteer photographer with the Chimney Rock Interpretive Association, has captured images of airglow — a faint, natural emission of light in Earth’s upper atmosphere. The phenomenon is rarely visible to the naked eye and requires extremely dark skies with no light pollution.
“There were times when the airglow appeared as a uniform green wash over the sky. Other times, you get ripples of green light across the sky. It’s…oh my goodness," Rowe said.
The benefits of dark skies extend beyond human enjoyment of nature. About 80% of North American bird species migrate at night, relying on the moon and stars to navigate. Artificial light can disorient birds, increasing the risk of collisions and disrupting migration patterns.
“Dark skies are an important part of this living, breathing, cultural landscape valued by wildlife, tribal communities and visitors alike,” a spokesperson for the U.S. Forest Service said in an email.
Chimney Rock offers public night-sky programs several times a year, including full-moon viewings, meteor shower events and cultural astronomy programs that connect modern science with Indigenous history.
“So many times that we get to see the sky and to be up there and just realize that a thousand years ago, people were doing probably the same thing, looking at the night sky and being impressed with what you see at night,” Hasenbuhler said.
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