BRIAN HEAD – To celebrate and share the beauty of area dark night skies, Cedar Breaks National Monument is hosting two star parties at Brian Head, along with a series of guided snowshoe walks in the park, two of which will be at night during the full moon.
Snowshoe walks
Free guided daytime snowshoe walks are scheduled for various Saturdays in January, February and March. The walks are from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and require a reservation. On Feb. 10 and March 11, there will be full-moon
After making reservations, visitors meet park rangers at the Brian Head Town Hall/Visitors Center for a bathroom break before heading to the monument.
Rangers will then instruct visitors in snowshoe use and lead an interpretive walk from the junction of state Route 148 and state Route 143 to the winter ranger station, which is a yurt.
After enjoying hot cocoa provided by volunteers, rangers lead visitors back to their vehicles or encourage visitors to return at their own pace.
While the daytime hikes are open to anyone, the full-moon hikes are limited to those over 10 years old and recommended only for those with experience snowshoeing.
To make a reservation for a snowshoe walk, go to the Cedar Breaks National Monument reservation website.
Anyone experiencing problems with the reservation system can call 435-586-9451, ext. 4428. If no one picks up, please leave a message with your phone number, and park staff will call back.
Star parties
Star parties are set for Jan. 28 and Feb. 18. from 7-9 p.m.
Each star party is conducted by park staff and astronomy volunteers at the Navajo Lodge in Brian Head. Once the light fades, the party kicks off with a laser light tour of the constellations, followed by star viewing through several telescopes.
See swirling nebulae, twinkling star clusters, neighboring planets and distant galaxies. Learn about everything from constellation mythology to the structure of the universe, all in one night.
There is no need to make reservations; just show up at Brian Head’s Navajo lodge and dress warmly.
For more information contact the Cedar Breaks Administrative office by phone at 435-586-9451 ext. 4420, or through the Cedar Breaks website.
Event details
- What: Winter star parties
- When: Jan. 28 and Feb. 18 | 7-9 p.m.
- Where: Navajo Lodge in Brian Head
- Cost: Free
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