Included In This Toolkit
In collaboration and celebration with Governor Cox declaring April 2023 Utah’s third official Dark Sky Month, the Utah Office of Tourism has updated its toolkit with dark sky-related resources and assets for our tourism industry partners to utilize and share throughout this month and beyond.

The Dark Skies Edition Toolkit includes the following resources:

• Beginners Guide to Dark Skies Exploration
• Astrotourism Industry Guide
• 2023 UOT Dark Sky Month Declaration Release
• Visit Utahs Social Tips for Dark Skies
• Shareable Dark Sky Digital Content from VisitUtah.com
• UOT’s Dark Sky Image Library

Utah Dark Sky Month Declaration – From the Office of Governor Spencer J. Cox
Governor Cox declared the month of April as Utah Dark Sky Month for the third consecutive year. The declaration encourages residents and visitors alike to celebrate this month by visiting one of Utah’s 24 accredited International Dark Sky Places – including all of the Mighty 5® national parks, 10 state parks, and two communities.

Celebrate International Dark Sky Week – April 15-22, 2023
Every year, the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) hosts International Dark Sky Week during the month of April in order to create greater awareness about light pollution and its negative consequences, the solutions, and simultaneously celebrate the night. This year, IDA is inviting everyone to discover the night during the week of April 15-22, 2023. This is an exciting opportunity to create interest and bring new people into the dark sky movement.

Utah State Parks – Dark Sky Events and Programming
Justina Parsons-Bernstein, Dark Sky Initiative ​Coordinator for Utah State Parks, has compiled a list of dark sky events and programming that occurs across the state throughout the year. Keep up to date with each park’s website and social media pages, linked in the document, for current scheduling.

Institute of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism – Collaboration of the Dark Sky Cooperatives
In January 2022, the Institute of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism at Utah State University became the home base for the Colorado Plateau and Basin and Range Dark Sky Cooperatives. Through this partnership, informational and educational resources of both organizations have been collated into the Gateway & Natural Amenity Region Initiative’s GNAR Dark Skies Toolkit. These tools can be used by individuals, communities, and planners to promote and protect natural night skies. 

Institute of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism – Dark Sky Passport Program
The Institute of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism at Utah State University has developed a fun, new way to experience Utah’s dark skies with the Dark Sky Passport. Order your passport then visit a Dark Sky Place where you can see the stars, enjoy the great outdoors at night, and connect with the cosmos. Complete the activities in the passport, get your passport stamped, and share your experience. You’ll then receive an official Dark Sky Passport Certificate you can proudly display. And make sure you visit the organization’s More Dark Sky Activities webpage for additional information and activities.

Resorts Can Now Become Dark-Sky Certified
Under Canvas Lake Powell-Grand Staircase was recently recognized as the first  DarkSky Approved Lodging location for its distinguished sky quality. Developed in partnership with Under Canvas, the DarkSky Lodging certification program sets a new standard in the travel industry, encouraging hospitality companies to join in DarkSky’s efforts to protect the night sky from light pollution. Read more about the program here.