Travel in city Powell, county Lake

As I exited Harry Reid International Airport on a bright March afternoon, my hand flew up to protect my eyes, which had grown accustomed to the dull light of a long, gray Tennessee winter. I’d headed west for the sun, but even more so for the night sky, so I was hoping for clear weather ahead. I climbed aboard a shuttle bus that would take me two hours east to Utah, where I planned to spend a starry night at Under Canvas Lake Powell-Grand Staircase.

In a landmark development for astrotourism, Under Canvas, a leader in upscale outdoor hospitality, has announced a significant achievement: all five of its Grand Circle camps across Utah and Arizona—Zion, Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon, Lake Powell-Grand Staircase, and Moab—have been certified as the world's first official DarkSky resorts. This recognition is not just a badge of honor; it represents a committed effort to preserve and appreciate the natural beauty of the night sky.

Be forewarned: Utah is a state of mind, and the state of mind you adopt will determine the books you will want to read. As Brigham Young, the Mormon colonizer, said, “This is the place.” That invites the follow-up question: The place for what?

Sleeping under the stars is a romantic notion but getting a really good look at them in today’s artificial-light-filled world can be challenging.

An Under Canvas property has been recognized by the International DarkSky Places (IDSP) program for its ‘stewardship of the night sky’. 

Scattered across the US are pockets of dark skies that offer some of the best stargazing experiences in the world. Within these often protected and designated areas luxury hotels are catering to the astro-tourism market with expert lead stargazing experiences. Situated in areas with low levels of light pollution and excellent air clarity, the night sky over these properties is so pristine you can enjoy it from the comfort of your hotel room or balcony. But these stargazing hotels have stepped it up by offering a range of astrological events, in-room telescopes and binoculars, outdoor skybeds, and even an on-site observatory. With a focus on the outdoors, these are not only some of the best resorts in the US, they run some of the top dark sky experiences in the nation.