City of Rocks National Reserve is dedicated to protecting its stunning starry nights and the natural behaviors of nocturnal wildlife by actively reducing artificial light pollution. Within the Reserve boundaries, you’ll notice a distinct absence of artificial lighting. Even in administrative areas and visitor facilities just outside the Reserve, lighting is carefully chosen and installed with dark-sky principles in mind. These responsible outdoor lighting practices are essential to minimize light pollution and maintain the pristine nighttime environment that makes City of Rocks, Idaho so special.
Visitors to City of Rocks play a critical role in helping maintain this invaluable natural darkness. When camping or staying near City of Rocks, please be mindful of your light usage. It’s especially important to avoid bright, upward-facing lights that can disrupt the natural night cycle and impact fellow visitors’ enjoyment of the stars. To ensure everyone can experience the beauty of the “Dark Hours,” we kindly request that all unnecessary lights are turned off by 10 PM.
Key Principles of Dark-Sky Friendly Lighting at City of Rocks
1. Use Light Only Where and When Needed: Employ light solely for essential tasks and in specific areas where it’s absolutely necessary for safety or functionality. Think about using light only to navigate pathways or to perform a specific activity, rather than general area lighting.
2. Shield Lights and Direct Light Downwards: Never point lights directly upwards. Utilize shielding and carefully designed fixtures to direct light downwards, focusing illumination on the intended area only. This prevents light from scattering into the sky and causing unnecessary glare.
3. Employ the Minimum Light Level Required: Select light sources with the lowest lumen output appropriate for the task. Brighter lights are not always better, especially in a location like City of Rocks where preserving the natural night sky is a priority. Lower light levels are often sufficient and much less disruptive.
4. Install Motion Sensors and Timers for Outdoor Lights: Maximize energy efficiency and minimize light pollution by using motion detectors, switches, or timers to control outdoor lighting. This ensures lights are only active when needed, significantly reducing unnecessary light usage throughout the night.
5. Choose Warm-Colored Light Sources: Opt for light bulbs with a color temperature below 3000 Kelvin. These “warm white” or amber-toned lights emit less blue light, which is known to be more disruptive to both the natural environment, nocturnal wildlife, and human circadian rhythms. Reducing blue light is a key element in dark sky preservation efforts at City of Rocks and beyond.
