Pennsylvania invests $5 million in its popular ‘dark sky’ state park
The small state park is designated as an International Dark Sky Park.
In an area of Pennsylvania known as “God’s Country,” hours from the glowing lights of Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Buffalo, Cherry Springs State Park is a refuge for stargazers.
On Thursday, Gov. Josh Shapiro announced the completion of $5.2 million in improvements there, everything from new parking to a larger amphitheater, and “headlight-blocking mounds to prevent light shining into the astronomy field.”
Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, in a press release, said the goal of the project was to redesign how visitors “moved through the park at night, reduced artificial light, and expanded facilities to support astronomy, education, and large events.”
The small state park in Coudersport, Potter County, some 250 miles northwest of Philadelphia, is designated as an International Dark Sky Park by DarkSky International, a nonprofit that claims to be the “worldwide authority combating light pollution.”
Despite being relatively small at 82 acres and far from cities — it’s almost four hours from Pittsburgh and a bit more from Philadelphia — the park has become wildly popular with astronomers, campers, and social media influencers. The campground is generally booked out every season, with professional and amateur stargazers alike staring up at the Milky Way, particularly on moonless nights.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, when parks and other outdoor spaces were inundated with visitors, Cherry Springs saw the biggest crowds. Between March and September of 2020, the park saw 26,745 visitors, a 231% increase over the same time period a year earlier.
Potter County has just 16,453 residents, and the economy there relies heavily on tourism, much of it during the spring, summer, and fall for camping, stargazing, leaf peeping, and hunting.
The county has taken steps to keep things dark too, urging home and business owners to implement downward-casting lights, timers, and low-wattage bulbs to preserve the stargazing opportunities.
Cherry Springs has multiple stargazing events in October.
