This Dark Sky Park in Michigan’s U.P. Is a Hot Spot for Stargazing

If you're looking for an awesome spot for stargazing this summer, look to Keweenaw Dark Sky Park in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

According to The Detroit Free Press, Keweenaw Dark Sky Park is the first International Dark Sky Park in the Upper Peninsula and the third in Michigan, joining the Headlands International Dark Sky Park in northwest lower Michigan and Dr. T.K. Lawless International Dark Sky Park in southwest Michigan.

There are nearly 200 International Dark Sky Places in the world.

Dark Sky Parks are publicly- or privately-owned spaces protected for natural conservation that implement good outdoor lighting and provide dark sky programs for visitors.

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Living here in the Flint area I'm kind of screwed if I want to sit outside and look at the stars. It's just not ideal for stargazing due to all the light pollution.

There's nothing that I love more than sitting outside starring up at the night sky. When I was a kid, I lived out in the country which was perfect for stargazing, so I was always outside at night looking up. Now, if I want to stare at the night sky, I head north.

Ashley Wilson, IDA’s director of conservation:

Keweenaw Dark Sky Park offers a unique experience to stargazing in the Midwestern United States. The historic wilderness lodge allows visitors to view the magnificence of the night sky in a window of the pristine boreal landscape while also having the opportunity to further engage with the nocturnal environment with astrophotography and lighting management workshops.

My next stop will be Keweenaw Dark Sky Park in the U.P.