Colorado State Parks Dark Sky Certification Mentor Program
Program Summary
The Colorado Tourism Office (CTO), Colorado Parks & Wildlife, and DarkSky Colorado have partnered together to support state parks interested in advancing strategies that help achieve International Dark Sky Place (IDSP) certification and enhance Colorado’s visitor experience.
In alignment with the CTO's newly unveiled Destination Stewardship Strategic Plan, the State Park Dark Sky Certification Mentor Program emphasizes sustainable travel practices that protect Colorado's natural resources and cultural heritage. By promoting dark sky preservation, this program supports the CTO’s commitment to balancing economic growth with environmental stewardship and enhancing the quality of life for both residents and visitors.
The program provides up to 15 hours of on-demand technical assistance on a first come first served rolling basis from September 2025 to June 2026. Additionally, a series of free webinars are available online and scheduled quarterly to support efforts to achieve IDSP certification.
Program objectives include:
- Preservation of night sky resource and cultural heritage.
- Enhanced visitor opportunities to experience and learn about natural night skies.
- Increased awareness of the value of natural night skies and their benefit to local wildlife and ecology.
- Provide long-term management and planning for IDSP certification.
- Increased number of IDSP certifications in Colorado.
Overview
Type: Technical assistance and certification
For: Colorado State Parks
OEDIT Division: Colorado Tourism Office
Any Colorado State Park is eligible for up to 15 hours of on-demand technical assistance from DarkSky Colorado. Example technical assistance support includes:
- Structure a successful application for IDSP park Certification.
- Develop and implement a sky quality monitoring plan.
- Assist and help guide proper installation of sky quality meters.
- Evaluate and choose outdoor lighting for dark sky compliance.
In addition to on-demand technical assistance hours, a series of free webinars will be hosted from August 2025 to May 2026 via Zoom. To register for each of the webinars, please click on the links below.
- September 10, 2025: Certification Resources and Toolkits
- November 5, 2025: Building a Stakeholder Steering Committee
- January 7, 2026: How to Use a Light Meter for Recording Color Temperature and Brightness
- March 4, 2026: Best Practices for Drafting a Lighting Management Plan
The following webinar recordings are available for all partners by clicking on the links below:
Up to 15 hours of on-demand technical assistance is available to Colorado State Parks on a first come first serve rolling basis. Colorado State Parks must meet the following criteria:
- Designated Colorado State Park with overnight visitation opportunities (day-use parks not eligible).
- Submitted request to join the DarkSky International’s designation pipeline (please note the $250 application fee to open a file).
Please complete this form if you are interested in up to 15 hours of on-demand technical assistance from DarkSky Colorado.