A new resort complex will aim to draw in stargazers and other dark sky enthusiasts to southern Utah.
Dubbing it “America’s first and only glass-dome resort,” developers have announced the forthcoming opening of Clear Sky Resorts on lands adjacent to Bryce Canyon National Park. The company behind the project says the new resort will open its doors on August 1 this summer.
Dozens of glass-domed structures are being built in the southern Utah desert to serve as sort of ultra-modern cabins. Visual renderings of Bryce Canyon Clear Sky Resorts show these domes enclosing hotel-style accommodations with king-sized beds, lounging, and dining areas, and quasi-spiral staircases leading to lofts.
Sleeping quarters appear to be enclosed in clear glass to give guests an unobstructed view of the sky.
The developers appear hopeful to capitalize on Bryce Canyon National Park’s status as an International Dark Sky Park, a designation given to that park in 2019 by the nonprofit group Dark Sky International. The US National Park Service has been hosting special night sky programs at Bryce Canyon ever since the park was given the designation.
“Perfect for stargazing, the unique resort is nestled within its own private 80-acre canyon and will boast 62 Sky Domes with floor-to-ceiling panoramic glass,” Clear Sky Resorts boasts in a release. Co-founder Hal Feinberg says staying the night in one of the domed accommodations is like “sleeping in an aquarium of stars.”
The experience is not cheap, however,
Bryce Canyon Clear Sky Resorts’ online booking page shows standard rates starting at $500 per night, though early bookings can qualify for a 30% discount if guests book stays of three or more nights. Standard domes featuring a deck and firepit go for nearly $600 per night. The highest-class suite will cost visitors more than $1,100 per night.
The National Park Service says summer visitors to Bryce Canyon National Park can expect to pay $30 per night for a developed campsite.
The international dark sky movement is quickly gaining popularity and more visitors than ever are flocking to state, provincial, and national parks for their evening night sky-themed programs.
Bryce Canyon National Park is hardly alone in organizing programs that visitors can enjoy only at night. At least seven other national parks held night sky-themed events last summer, including Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, Badlands National Park in South Dakota, Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, and more. These special events will almost certainly be repeated this summer.
Astronomers and astrophysicists are frequently invited to parks’ dark sky events to give guest lectures or to lead programs in stargazing.
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Bryce Canyon National Park
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Utah, USA
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