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The Sumpter Valley dredge tailings located in the heart of Baker County has all the qualities expected for Dark Sky places. There is very little light, 1100 acres of wide-open space and a rich history known as the Sumpter Wildlife Area. The Baker County Parks Board voted unanimously on January 26 to work toward certification of that area as a Dark Sky Park.
Email hello@darkskyoregon.org and mention an interest to connect with the Baker County group.
Applegate After Dark (AAD) continues to grow community support for dark sky advocacy and action in southwest Oregon. Under the umbrella of the Applegate Partnership and Watershed Council, AAD recently received an innovation grant from "A Greater Applegate" to develop "rack cards" and to purchase dark sky compliant outdoor lightbulbs to distribute when we participate in local events. AAD is planning a binocular star party at a local winery later this spring. Visit our webpage for forthcoming details. https://www.applegatepartnership.org/applegateafterdark
Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument is working towards becoming an international dark sky park. Covering 144,000 acres of public land open year-round for stargazing, the monument boasts promising conditions for dark skies, supported by two years of SQM data. The Bureau of Land Management is enhancing this experience by replacing 45 exterior lights at the Hyatt Lake Recreation Area. Look for dark sky themed events at the monument in 2026!
Through Travel Oregon's Recreation Ready program, the Illinois Valley Chamber of Commerce has completed a Phase 1 Feasibility Report and is advancing the Gateway to the Stars initiative through Phase 2. There will be a strong focus on accessibility, community engagement, and partnership. We have secured an accessibility consultant to help guide inclusive design and have issued a Request for Quotes for a dark sky consultant to support best practices in night-sky stewardship. This phase will include robust community outreach and collaboration with key partners to ensure the project reflects shared priorities and delivers meaningful regional impact. Key partners include the City of Cave Junction, Main Street Cave Junction, Water League, Siskiyou Field Institute, and Travel Southern Oregon.
In 2026, we are aiming to become Dark Sky Lodging certified, and have already replaced all of our outdoor lights with dark sky compliant fixtures. We aim to develop Dark Sky programming, host star parties, and simply encourage dark sky lovers to stay here at the field station as a favorite spot for sky-watching.
We have very dark skies and affordable public lodging options with vast, open access to the stars. We are in the process of renovating many of our units, as well as our main building too. All lodges include heat, potable water, full kitchens, and high-speed Wi-Fi.
If you or your group would like to visit, develop a recreational or educational program, or bring a star party out to the field station, please reach out! Check out our website at http://www.malheurfieldstation.org. Email: malheurfieldstation@gmail.com | 541-493-2629
The Dark Skies over Eagle Crest (Redmond, OR) committee offers no-pressure outdoor lighting assessments to residents.
This year we will continue educational activities, as well as work with EC Management in response to the new outdoor lighting ordinance passed for Deschutes County unincorporated areas such as ours.
Email ds@ridgeowners.org to get in touch with the Eagle Crest group.
The newly formed Bend Night Sky Alliance (BNSA) is actively working to protect Bend's night sky through multiple initiatives, collaborating with city officials and Pacific Power to identify and replace malfunctioning purple streetlights, addressing light trespass issues with community members, and advocating for updates to the city's outdated 2004 lighting ordinance.
BNSA, a local sub-group of DarkSky Oregon, is dedicated to educating the community about dark sky issues and empowering residents with practical steps they can take to help preserve our night sky.
In-person meetings are held monthly.
Email hello@darkskyoregon.org and mention an interest to connect with BNSA.
Lincoln City installed three Sky Quality Meters in the city last fall and Explore Lincoln City has begun gathering official night sky measurements.
Phase 1 of our dark sky feasibility study will be completed shortly -- this includes: researching certification, reviewing city ordinances, community outreach and education, evaluating inventory of city lighting and partnering for events and programs. Explore Lincoln City will report that progress going forward.
Dark Skies Over Halfway has a community meeting on Sat. Feb. 28, from 7-8:30 pm at the Halfway Lions Hall in Halfway. We will have a program on “What are Dark Skies?”
Sign up on the Dark Skies Over Halfway Facebook page or email hello@darkskyoregon.org and mention an interest to connect with the Halfway dark skies group.
A local night-sky volunteer group is launching in Cove—and perhaps across the Grande Ronde Valley more broadly.
Local dark-sky supporter Ethan Shaw ran a table last Saturday (Jan 31st) at a climate-focused gathering at the Cove Community Center. That interaction focused on Northeast Oregon's night sky as a natural resource and preservation possibilities. It generated enthusiasm and great engagement among people attending.
Ethan will also present on DarkSky Oregon's mission and initiatives at a future meeting of the Cove Community Association. Meanwhile, Ethan has been managing a Sky Quality Meter in Cove, which is part of the Oregon Skyglow Measurement Network.
Email hello@darkskyoregon.org and mention an interest to connect with the Cove/Grande Ronde Valley group.
The Blue River Night Sky Alliance is an ad hoc group of local residents, community and business organizations, utilities and governmental agencies. Our goal is to restore and maintain the night skies of the McKenzie River Valley one light at a time.
Thanks to the efforts of Michael McKeag, a DarkSky Oregon Board Member, Blue River has completed its lighting inventory. We currently have the distinction of only one light in the entire town being DarkSky compliant! Doug Murkley, a local architect, is working with us to identify specific luminaires we can recommend that WILL meet the lighting and recreational goals of our rural community.
Support from local organizations and businesses such as the Chamber of Commerce and Lane Electric Coop are and will continue to be of primary importance as we move forward to achieve certification of Blue River as an International Dark Sky Community.
Email hello@darkskyoregon.org and mention an interest to connect with the Blue River Night Sky Alliance.
On Thursday January 29th Salemanders interested in the night sky gathered at Ike Box for an inaugural meeting of Dark Sky Salem. The event planners collected 11 email addresses to begin to organize regular meetings. Folks shared why they were attending and reasoning ranged from annoyed neighbors to wildlife conservation to social justice. We agreed on some sweeping goals including but not limited to trying for another International Dark Sky Week proclamation from the City (April 13-20th), table at a local environmental event, and work towards a star party.
The next Dark Sky Salem gathering is February 26th at 5:30pm once again at the Ike Box. We hope to see you there!
Alternatively, Email hello@darkskyoregon.org and mention an interest to connect with the Salem group.
A dark sky advocacy group in Wallowa County is beginning to come together. Their first meeting will be at the Wallowology Natural History Discovery Center in downtown Joseph (508 N Main St Slot 666, Joseph, OR 97846), Sunday, February 22, 3 - 5 pm. Tea and snacks will be provided.
Wallowa County has had a Sky Quality Meter at Wallowa Lake State Park for several years. We just added one at Grace Prairie, a very dark site north of Enterprise. One will be added soon at Enterprise High School.
Please RSVP for the meeting. Contact Joe Minato at joe.minato@darkskyoregon.org to RSVP, for more information, or with questions.
A family of 5th generation ranchers is working to convert an abandoned RV park and shuttered cafe in Antelope, Oregon into a world class, DarkSky Approved Lodge. Read about this exciting endeavor in "The Other Oregon, an article titled "Milky Way Dreams."
Sign up and get involved with Friends of the Portland Night Sky.
The December 2025 newsletter provides interesting reading and some entertainment.
Dark Skies Gorge is focused on the Columbia River Gorge. This group is actively spreading the dark skies message to about 160 monthly newsletter contacts. A key current focus is advocating for Dark Sky positive language in the outdoor lighting section of an in-work update to the City of Hood River’s development code. Here’s the Dark Skies Gorge January newsletter. A newsletter sign up link is at the bottom of the linked newsletter.