The Reserve includes portions of Blaine, Boise, Custer, and Elmore counties, the communities of Stanley, Lower Stanley, Smiley Creek, Ketchum, and Sun Valley.Īt its core, the Reserve has parts of three separate designated Wilderness areas and is situated in the spectacular scenery of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area (NRA). The Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve encompasses 906,000 acres (1,416 square miles) most of which is public lands within the Sawtooth National Forest. Whether you use your eyes, binoculars, or a telescope, you will find it is truly humbling to view the Milky Way, planets, meteors, comets, and even deep sky objects.Ĭentral Idaho constitutes one of the last large ‘pools’ of natural nighttime darkness left in the United States. The Reserve is the result of a collective commitment by communities, public land managers, and private landowners to support the dark sky experience

The Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve is a treasured resource for local residents and for all Idahoans and visitors from across the world that come to experience the wonder of the starry night sky.

Research shows the Milky Way is not visible to more than one-third of the world’s population. Across the country, more than 80% of the population resides in cities and urban areas where light pollution obscures their view of the stars. Here in the heart of central Idaho, we celebrate our pristine night sky as an essential part of our heritage and a treasure to be preserved into the future both for our own children and for subsequent generations. Welcome to the Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve

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