Dark Sky Tourism is an in-demand, sustainable and, in some cases, regenerative tourism experience that serves the dual purposes of providing awe-inspiring opportunities for visitors and reducing the negative impacts of light pollution on people and wildlife. As travelers increasingly seek out stars, awareness of the many benefits of spending time under a dark sky has grown. And not a moment too soon—it’s estimated that 80% of Americans and nearly 33% of all humanity can no longer see the Milky Way from home. This is more than just a visual loss—light pollution is detrimental to human health, alters the behaviors of nocturnal animals and confuses migratory birds.
Unlike our neighbors to the north and south—and most other states in the U.S.—Oregon is fortunate to have an abundance of dark skies. In fact, much of Eastern Oregon comprises of the largest and most pristine dark sky zone in the contiguous United States. Efforts led by the tourism industry and dark sky advocate partners are ensuring we can protect Oregon’s starry sky heritage for generations to come while sharing it with a growing number of dark-sky-loving visitors.
Designating the World’s Largest International Dark Sky Sanctuary
Thanks to a collaboration led by the team at Travel Southern Oregon, a 2.5-million-acre area of southeastern Oregon was certified in March 2024 as the world’s largest International Dark Sky Sanctuary by Dark Sky International. To qualify as a Dark Sky Sanctuary, the area had to meet strict criteria for sky quality, commit to protecting the night sky through responsible lighting practices and provide public outreach.
The Oregon Outback Dark Sky Network (ODSN), a voluntary grassroots organization dedicated to dark sky conservation on a landscape scale, worked hand-in-hand for four years with partners such as the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, Tribes, businesses, ranchers, landowners and other stakeholders to develop a shared Lighting Management Plan (LMP) to achieve certification. With funding support from Travel Oregon and Travel Southern Oregon, a contractor, Dark Sky delegate Dawn Nilsson, was hired by ODSN to manage the application with Dark Sky International and the many elements required to see it to fruition.
“This four-year collaboration brings together so many of the elements we try to achieve in regenerative tourism,” said Bob Hackett, Executive Director of Travel Southern Oregon. “It not only elevates the destination experience for visitors to Lake County and opens up opportunities for local businesses, but it also helps agencies and residents steward their lands in ways that celebrate a legacy of starry night skies for generations to come.”
A Collaborative Process
Extensive industry and community engagement was critical to the success of the collaboration, which began with a Travel Oregon-led Outdoor Recreation Tourism Studio in Lakeview and included numerous conversations with residents and businesses in the region to gauge concerns and public support. This led to Travel Southern Oregon convening public land agencies, Tribes and other stakeholders in an ongoing, multi-year conversation. As ODSN convener, Travel Southern Oregon purchased three Sky Quality Meters to collect the necessary data to document darkness levels on partner-owned land including Hart Mountain Antelope Refuge, South Warner Mountains and PLAYA at Summer Lake. Throughout the nomination and subsequent adoption of the sanctuary’s Lighting Management Plan, stakeholders participated in night sky monitoring, lighting inventories and improvements, and retrofits as well as educational outreach efforts that included toolkits, video screenings, presentations, workshops, library programs and other community events and gatherings.
Economic Benefit of Dark Sky Tourism
The economic benefit of creating a destination asset in the remote South Central Oregon Outback is significant. By its very nature, tourism that takes place at night involves overnight stays.
Because dark sky tourism isn’t linked to any kind of seasonality, the experience is available any time of year, including during the historically less-traveled winter season. In fact, the quieter months are associated with longer nights, meaning dark sky tourism has the potential to increase visitor spend year-round, leading to a more efficient use of local community and tourism-related resources. Oregon Outback gateway communities energize these efforts by loaning Night Sky Adventure Kits in public libraries, renting stargazing equipment at outdoor gear shops, selling cosmic cocktails/coffee beverages, leading tours and hosting public star parties, events and film screenings.
As dark sky tourism grows, the model forged by the Oregon Outback Dark Sky Network and the unique public-private partnerships cultivated by ODSN can serve as a model for partnership-based destination stewardship efforts in the future.
Dark Sky Sanctuary to Grow
Designation of 2.5 million acres in Lake County as the Oregon Outback International Dark Sky Sanctuary is only the first phase of this effort. Phase 2 includes portions of Harney and Malheur counties as well. The area currently certified is about one-half the size of New Jersey, but when complete, the full Oregon Outback International Dark Sky Sanctuary will encompass more than 11.4 million acres of protected night skies. Only a few lighting inventories, retrofits and local approvals are still outstanding to expand the Dark Sky Sanctuary.
ADDITIONAL CASE STUDIES
Of course, a formal dark sky designation isn’t necessary to attract dark sky enthusiasts. Many businesses, towns and outfitters are getting creative when it comes to dark sky tourism products and offerings. Promoting dark sky tourism opportunities can support or complement other outdoor recreation offerings while enhancing property values, a community’s sense of pride and even reducing energy waste. A few examples:
Oregon Dark Sky Business Ventures
In the Bend area, dark sky enthusiasts are treated to two public observatories, community ordinances addressing dark sky friendly outdoor lighting, dark sky festivals, programs, guided nighttime cross-country skiing, hiking and boating tours and Worthy Brewing’s ”Hopservatory.” Some businesses offer adventures to experience other nighttime marvels. eNRG Kayaking of Oregon City leads full moon paddle tours near Willamette Falls just south of Portland. They also host evening concerts at Willamette Falls accessible to paddlers. In a win-win partnership with OMSI and volunteers from Rose City Astronomers (RCA), Willamette Valley wineries and Oregon breweries host star parties to attract potential new clients and make profitable use of their properties, while OMSI and Oregon’s largest astronomy club (the second largest in the nation) attend to their public outreach goals.
Dark Sky Promotion at Oregon Resorts
Large resorts, such as Sunriver, Black Butte Ranch and the soon-to-reopen Kahneeta Resort in Central Oregon, as well as in Eastern Oregon and Summer Lake Hot Springs in Southern Oregon, provide tourists comfortable accommodations that also provide an onsite nature experience. Keeping things as natural as possible, some degree of dark sky lighting practices are followed at these resorts to provide guests onsite stargazing opportunities as one of many site amenities. Smaller resorts, like Lake Simtustus Resort near Madras, are also incorporating dark sky friendly lighting into their business model to capture the added value of dark sky tourism.
Cities Highlighting Dark Sky Tourism
In eastern Oregon, the town of Antelope is currently working toward earning a Dark Sky Community designation. And on the Oregon Coast, towns such as Cannon Beach, Manzanita, Yachats and Bandon have long attracted tourists lured by the charms of a quaint community focused on protecting its natural amenities. Consistent with city codes that maintain an aesthetic and progressive community character, these cities also have outdoor lighting codes that address light pollution. Seaside, a developed coastal town, provides a fine example of adopting an outdoor lighting code that diminishes the effect of skyglow encroachment into surrounding areas of the coast. Dark sky ordinances are a proactive way for communities and counties to protect the night sky in and near their locales, while also providing opportunities to promote dark sky tourism.
Dark Sky Tourism at Parks and Monuments
Astronomical and wildlife nighttime programming at places such as L.L. Stubb Stewart; Silver Falls State Parks; Oregon Caves National Monument; Newberry Crater; and John Day Fossil Beds National Monuments benefit not only the parks and monuments themselves, but also the gateway communities near these public lands. Education regarding night sky amenities contributes to dark sky stewardship and promotes economic opportunities from dark sky tourism.
RESOURCES
For additional details, information or to schedule a free Dark Sky Tourism consultation with an expert, visit Travel Oregon’s Dark Sky Tourism resource page.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES