Great Basin National Park: The Darkest And Brightest Place In Nevada

We live in a city - a whole state - that is known for having some of the biggest and brightest neon lights in the world. But we also have one of the darkest skies in the country.

In Nevada we also love our clear, dark skies, because there is nothing better than looking up at the night sky to see trillions - yes, trillions - of stars twinkling back at you. There’s even one specific destination in Nevada that’s been recognized for its extremely dark sky, and you definitely need to experience it for yourself at some point, because it's quite breathtaking.

Great Basin National Park is one of Nevada's greatest treasures. I was there once many years ago, and it's quite mesmerizing. I didn't know at the time, but it's actually considered one of the darkest places in the country. And the preserve was actually given that designation back in 2016 by the International Dark Sky Association (yes, there is one) and it's well-deserved.

Great Basin National Park isn't just any dark sky. I think it's probably the closest thing to what the night sky might've looked like before before Edison flipped the switch. It's a must see, because it's actually really hard to get a good photo of its beauty.

Great Basin is so dark because of its remote location. With a population of about 4,100, the town of Ely is the largest community within 100 miles of the preserve. Las Vegas is the closest major light source, and it's over three hours away.

Great Basin has many astronomy and stargazing programs. It now puts on over 100 programs a year that feature the preserve's dark skies, so If you have a couple days to do something really cool, there's no excuse to not see this place for yourself. It's in or own backyard.

Sadly, the mass layoffs across federal agencies, including Great Basin National Park, will have a significant impact on the park’s operations, and the local community. 20 percent of park staff has now been let go. Now the park, like so many others, will struggle to maintain services.

The layoffs are part of a review of federal spending, resulting in thousands of federal employees losing their jobs. And they have led to immediate effects on park operations at Great Basin, such as the cancellation of Lehman Cave tours - which are one of the most amazing sights in the country, and a hugely popular tour.

There are also safety concerns, because the emergency search and rescue unit has been reduced to just one member. Not good considering the park’s remote location.

The local economy is extremely reliant on tourism. Less people going to the park will affect local small businesses dramatically. Businesses that thrive on park visitors.

Travis Mason-Bushman, the park’s spokesman, publicly shared his disappointment over the layoffs on LinkedIn. He highlighted the essential roles that employees play, and questioned the rationale, and purpose behind the cuts.

The National Park Service and the Interior Department have not commented, and the White House deferred to the park service’s parent agency.

The layoffs have sparked nbigger questions about the direction of government spending cuts, particularly those led by the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency.

Whatever the savings, the cost could be devastating to cites, counties, and states that count on revenue from those parks.

Here's hoping something changes, because everyone needs to be able to enjoy and experience Great Basin National Park in Nevada.