Dark Sky Festival coming to Death Valley March 1-3; free virtual event set for Feb. 29

Greg Haas
·2 min read

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The Death Valley Dark Sky Festival is March 1-3 this year with a full schedule of ranger programs, astronomy programs, an exploration fair and more.

The annual festival attracts visitors because of the ideal conditions for stargazing and night photography. Death Valley National Park is rated as a Gold Tier Dark Sky Park, which is the highest rating of darkness.

A black and white photo of the Milky Way taken in Death Valley over a playa with a rock seemingly moving across the ground with a track behind it. (Photo: D. Duriscoe / NPS)
A black and white photo of the Milky Way taken in Death Valley over a playa with a rock seemingly moving across the ground with a track behind it. (Photo: D. Duriscoe / NPS)

An hourlong virtual program called “Rock n’ Rover: Exploring Mars and Death Valley with Curiosity” will get things started at 6 p.m. PST on Thursday, Feb. 29. The free event will feature Dr. Lu Chou, NASA astrobiologist and organic geochemist, who will talk about parallels between Death Valley and Mars. “Discover stories of planetary exploration revealed by our robotic companion, the Curiosity rover, and celebrate the feat of human ingenuity as Curiosity guides us into the cosmos,” according to an event description on the park’s website. A live stream of the event will be shown in the Furnace Creek Auditorium.

(NPS photos)
(NPS photos)

Lighting in the park is designed to optimize night skies, eliminating light polution. The photo above shows how lighting was adjusted from 2012 to 2013 to reduce artificial light at night.

Spectacular photos of the Milky Way might not be your first thought when you go to the lowest point in North America, but the park actually makes a big deal of all the things you can do at night in Death Valley. A webpage is dedicated to information on night photography, full moon night hikes and ranger programs, with a list of tips on how to enjoy the park after dark.

The Milky Way is visible in this photo taken at the Harmony Borax Works in Death Valley National Park. (Photo: Kessler / NPS)
The Milky Way is visible in this photo taken at the Harmony Borax Works in Death Valley National Park. (Photo: Kessler / NPS)

And as far as shattering your image of Death Valley — you might even get photos of reflections off of Lake Manly — a lake in Badwater Basin resurrected by recent rains.

The Furnace Creek Airport will be closed while the Dark Sky Festival is running, scheduled to reopen on March 5.

Death Valley is about 130 miles west of Las Vegas.

Main roads in Death Valley National Park are mostly open after severe flooding in August devastated infrastructure. Roads began reopening in October 2023, and many back roads remain off limits. It is illegal to drive off the roadway. The park has seen many incidents where off-road travel has left long-lasting damage to dry lake beds. Drivers have been assessed heavy fines for disregarding the rules.

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