Cherry Springs State Park Night Sky Public Viewing Area

Cherry Springs State Park was my first ever International Dark Sky Park and it stole my heart, and I promise it will steal yours too. The park itself is very quaint, but don't let its size deter you! It's still as remote and wild as it was nearly two centuries ago, and that's nearly impossible to find east of the Mississippi anymore.

The park sits at around 2,300 feet above sea level, surrounded by the 262,000-acre Susquehannock State Forest, and it's now best known for its dark skies. A dark night sky is a natural resource, just like plants, waterways and wildlife. Recognizing that this unique resource needed to be managed and protected, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources declared Cherry Springs the first Dark Sky Park in 2000, and it was later designated an International Dark Sky Park in 2008. It's one of the best places on the eastern seaboard for stargazing.

The easiest way to experience it is the Night Sky Public Viewing Area. It's free, with parking, restrooms and an amphitheater area protected from passing car headlights, so you can pull in, lay out a blanket and look up. It's meant for a few hours of stargazing, not overnight stays. If you're bringing a telescope or want to stay up all night, the park also has an Overnight Astronomy Observation Field with an excellent 360-degree view of the sky. That field requires registration and a fee, and only red or fully shielded lights are allowed. Check the park's page on the Pennsylvania DCNR website for current details.

When you go, there are some important things to remember! It takes a minimum of 15 minutes outside in the dark for your eyes to adapt, so be careful not to look at any bright lights. Use a red light. Many headlamps have a red option built in, or you can cover a flashlight with red cellophane. Red light won't lessen your night vision (or your fellow stargazers') and doesn't affect any of the nocturnal wildlife nearby.

The best viewing is during a new moon, so if you want to catch a glimpse of the Milky Way, check the lunar calendar and plan around the moon's phases. Star maps and charts will help you learn where the major stars and constellations sit at different times of the year. Many can be seen with the naked eye, and the charts are easy to print and take with you. Meteor showers are also an excellent time to visit, adding the excitement of "falling stars." The park offers a program for the Perseid Meteor Shower each August, along with other programs on its calendar of events that I highly recommend checking out.

Want to make a weekend of it? The park's 30-site campground is open from the second week of April through November, and the 1-mile Cherry Springs Interpretive Trail and the 85-mile Susquehannock Trail are right nearby for daytime hiking.

In daylight the forest is a magical place, but it's even more captivating and full of life when lit only by starlight. Check out Cherry Springs if you're feeling adventurous, or even if you're just looking for some solace among the stars.