West Virginia’s Watoga State Park is a stargazer’s paradise just a road trip away.
Satellite imaging of the US at dark shows the full easterly one-half of the country aglow . FromWichita , Kansas , to the Atlantic Coast , light sprays from every major metropolis , reaching even the skies of rural Appalachia . That is , except for one tiny dark maculation , where the constellations are clean-cut and nocturnal critters from bird of Minerva tofirefliesabound . That lilliputian spot isWatoga State Park , in Pocahontas County , West Virginia .
This 10,000 - acre oasis of erstwhile - development woods sit down under the darkest skies in the integral Mid - Atlantic . In 2021 , theInternational Dark Sky Association(IDA ) designate it and two nearby parks the first International Dark Sky Parks in the state and three ofonly 22 in the USthat are situated east of the Mississippi River .
Watoga is West Virginia ’s largest state park and one of its oldest , serving as a forest and wildlife preserve before opening to the public in 1937 . Its name , which it apportion with the circumvent community , is a Cherokee Word of God that translate to “ starry water . ” Since its Dark Sky identification , stargazing has become a big attractor for Watoga State Park , bringing together seasoned astronomer and budding night - sky admirers for virtuoso parties , expert programs , and more .
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What it means to be an International Dark Sky Park
Even though the Appalachian Mountains naturally shield Watoga from the stilted glow of its good metropolises , it take in nearly three years for the park to raise it is dark enough forInternational Dark Sky condition . begin in 2019 , with little backing and help from the community , the park began measuring abstemious contamination and modifying 98 % of exterior wakeful fixtures to meet the IDA ’s rigorous standards .
To be eligible for Dark Sky designation , all out-of-door lights emitting 500 or more initial lamp lumens must be shield , so that the luminance is train at the solid ground and not the sky . The guidelines res publica that the Milky Way must be “ readily seeable to the unaided optic , ” that “ there are no nearby contrived light sources yielding significant glare , ” and that “ any light domes present are dip , restricted in extent , and close to the horizon . ” The park must also “ limit a leading example in the restoration of drab sky , ” mean it collaborates with other constitution and holds educational programme to broadcast awareness of the importance of swarthiness .
In an era of speedy universe increase and constant development , preserving dark skies is the only fashion to conserve habitats for nocturnal animals . According to theNational Park Service , “ Dark night skies are essential to the rhythm of life on Earth . ” One example is the lightning bug , a beloved symbolization of summer once widespread across the Midwest , East Coast , and Mid - Atlantic . Now , experts estimatethat one in three firefly species in the US and Canada is threatened with extinction , mostly due to habitat loss and light pollution . In 2019 , the first spring of Watoga ’s Dark Sky project , a rarefied species of synchronous firefly was identify in the park .
Photo by Jesse Thornton
Watoga State Park overseer Jody Spencer allege the Dark Sky designation of Watoga , along with nearby Calvin Price State Forest and Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park , has also boosted a remunerative industry for rural Pocahontas County , which is in the main jazz as the home plate of West Virginia ’s tumid ski refuge ( Snowshoe Mountain ) .
“ The Dark Sky movement and Watoga ’s involvement has 100 % increased touristry for the park and the arena , ” he says . “ Even though planned programme are prissy , it ’s still something that guests can plainly bask on their own . ” Oneastrophotographerwho frequent the parking lot , Jeff Ball , says it ’s special to have a protected Nox sky that ’s so accessible to much of the US population . “ The knowingness of dark sky so nigh to 1000000 on the East Coast is another huge welfare of Dark Sky status . ” Watoga is within a five - hour ride of thickly settled cities like Washington DC , Pittsburgh , Charlotte , and Richmond .
The best places to stargaze at Watoga State Park
Spencer says thebest spots for stargazingin Watoga are on the Watoga Lake Dam , right next to the park headquarters and gift shop , and the overlook at the Ann Bailey Trailhead , about a mile and a one-half from the headquarters . Both are open and mowed areas where you may set up stargazing and photography equipment . egg , who showcases hisastrophotographyatearthandskyphoto.com , pronounce his favorite views are around the lake . That ’s where you ’ll get awe-inspiring view of the Milky Way shine off the weewee .
Watoga State Park is also home to a campground and 34 cabins where you’re able to stargaze aright off your porch . If you do n’t stay inside the park , there ’s a 10 necropsy curfew , per statewide rule . Spencer say that stargazers are welcome in the parking lot after the curfew , but they should call the park office staff ahead of time to inform staff of when they ’ll be there and where they plan to be .
If you ’re newfangled to the hobby or do n’t bestow your own geared wheel , there are local resources available . The Watoga State Park Foundation has partner with Pocahontas County Libraries , the tourism federal agency , and nearby Green Bank Observatory to provide astronomy backpacks that are spare to borrow from the parking lot headquarters and all subroutine library locations throughout the county . You do n’t even have to be a occupier . visitant can get a temporary library notice from any ramification , permitting them to check out any item , include the backpacks , from that branch .
Photo courtesy of Pocahontas County CVB
The astronomy backpacks include 10x50 binoculars , a tripod and connector for steadying the binoculars , a guidebook on exploring the dark sky with binoculars , and two celestially inspired nipper ’s Word for families move around with kids .
The best times to stargaze at Watoga State Park
Any meter of twelvemonth is a good time for stargazing . Of course , the good time to visit Watoga might be during the warm months , when the trails are ripe for hike , the campground and consortium are undefendable , and visitors can rent kayaks and boat paddle around the lake . All summertime , there are star parties at Watoga and Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park , and Spencer says they also reserve programme for special celestial events like meteor exhibitioner .
That said , winter is the best time to stargaze in general . The sky is readable and soft to see without the haze of hot temperatures , and it gets non-white much earlier , repeat the time of day of night available in the summer . However , the conditions can be unpredictable , and the route to get to the Ann Bailey Trailhead , Park and Forest Route 819 , is fill up in the winter .
nut suggest a felicitous medium : “ Mark your schedule around leaping new moon to get under a dark sky and see the Milky Way cross the sky overnight , ” he says .
Photo courtesy of Pocahontas County CVB
Other things for stargazers to see and do in the area
few than 10 miles from the start of Watoga Park Road isDroop Mountain Battlefield , West Virginia ’s oldest country park and a landmark on the Civil War Discovery Trail . The highlight is a lookout tower , another stargazing hot spot a half - mile along the Lookout Trail from the park office . The third in Pocahontas County ’s Dark - Sky trifecta isCalvin Price State Forest , about 50 Roman mile from Watoga Park Road .
If you are fascinated enough by heavenly activity to drive an hour to hear about radio astronomy , theGreen Bank Observatoryis a unique side head trip . Located inside the 13,000 - hearty - Admiralty mile National Radio Quiet Zone , this lookout is plate to thelargest land objectthat world have ever built , a moving 2.3 - Akko dish thatlistensto outer space . you’re able to check all about it inside the Science Center , which offers minute - recollective bus tour of the solid ground four times a Clarence Shepard Day Jr. , every day of the calendar week .
Watoga itself is wonderfully isolated from touristed shops and restaurants , but when a break from campfire meals is in Holy Order , theGreenbrier Grille and Lodgein the lovely little riverbank townspeople of Marlinton , about 20 minutes away , has homey diner food and a flock of odd - breed duck .
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