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travel / adventure / guides / summer 2005
| Travel & Adventure Guides |
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By Christine Kulyk
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| Photo: Terrence Dickinson |
The Milky Way,
a meteor shower and the sight of a bright new comet are a
few of the natural wonders of the night sky. Unfortunately,
many star-filled nights are hopelessly washed out by the glow
from urban lighting. Increasingly sensitive to the effects
of light pollution, astronomy aficionados are creating dark-sky
preserves, which are protected areas for viewing the splendours
of the universe.
Take away light pollution, and the universe unfolds. At a
dark-sky site, a dazzling panorama of pinpoints is revealed
against an inky black sky. The colours of individual stars
and planets emerge, and many can be seen without optical aid.
They shine in dense clusters that reveal the discrete animal
and human shapes our ancestors identified when they looked
skyward centuries ago: the Great Bear, the Hunter, the Dragon.
Curtains of auroral light shimmer in their multi-hued glory.
During the Perseid meteor shower in August, you can see five
times the number of "falling stars" per minute as can be seen
from light-polluted locations. The planet Venus, even the
Milky Way, casts a shadow on the landscape, and in your moonlit
surroundings, you might see a rare moonbow.
This year, people travelling close to the forty-ninth parallel
will have stars in their eyes when they visit one of Canada's
designated dark-sky reserves. Far from city lights, these
reserves make great summer destinations, with plenty of activities
to entertain the whole family.
Torrance Barrens Conservation
and Dark Sky Reserve | Gordon's
Park
Cypress
Hills Dark-Sky Preserve | McDonald
Park Dark Sky Preserve
Torrance Barrens Conservation and Dark Sky Reserve is tucked
away in Muskoka's cottage country, just two hours' drive from
Toronto. The Ontario government made this 1,905-hectare wilderness
of Precambrian rock outcrops and wetlands Canada's first official
dark-sky preserve in 1999. The best-bet sites for unobstructed
sky views are near the southeast edge, off Southwood Road.
There is limited wilderness-style-only camping in the reserve,
so you'll need to bring all your own supplies, including water.
Serviced sites and bed and breakfasts are available in nearby
Gravenhurst, or you can book a room at the Bala Bay Inn.
During daylight hours, hike the trails through the Torrance
Barrens into blueberry patches, peatlands and rocky slopes
covered with lichens and moss. Along the way, you might view
rare species such as the southern bog lemming, massasauga
rattlesnake or the five-lined skink.
Telephone: (705) 645-7393
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Rita and Terry Gordon, who own Gordon's Park, on Manitoulin
Island in southern Ontario, have designated a four-hectare
section of their 108-hectare park a dark-sky sanctuary. Taking
the concept to heart, they have interpretive guides who operate
the small roll-off-roof observatory and show visitors the
delights of the night sky through the facility's powerful
telescope. Wide-field binoculars are also available for public
use. Gordon's Park is open year-round. In July and August,
Thursdays are astronomy nights, with guided introductions
to constellations and telescope use. The park also hosts an
event called Stargazing Manitoulin, from June 30 to July 4,
and the Manitoulin Star Party, from August 11 to 14. There
are numerous B&Bs on the island. Guests can also camp at Gordon's
Park — wilderness-style in the preserve or at serviced
sites in the main park. The island is home to pileated woodpeckers,
great grey owls, white-tailed deer, porcupine and flying squirrels,
plus poplar and leatherwood trees. The park offers wilderness
retreats and a roster of ecoactivities, including moonlight
hikes, wolf howls or owl prowls.
Telephone: (705) 859-2470
Website: www.gordonspark.com
A 40,000-hectare expanse of prairie parkland shared by southern
Alberta and Saskatchewan, Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park
is Canada's largest officially designated dark-sky preserve.
Cypress Park Resort Inn has cabin, hotel and condo-style accommodations,
or you can sleep at one of the bed-and-breakfast facilities
in nearby Maple Creek, Saskatchewan, or Elkwater, Alberta.
If you want a canopy of stars overhead, stay at one of the
numerous campsites, including the Meadows Campground in the
Centre Block, which is popular for its relatively unobstructed
sky views. In July and August, scheduled astronomy nights
begin with a slide talk, followed by sessions with telescopes.
August 4 to 7, The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada hosts
the Saskatchewan Summer Star Party
in the Meadows Campground. During daylight hours, hiking trails
and lookout points offer magnificent views. Pine and spruce
forests are home to calypso orchids and mountain shootingstars,
moose, antelope, coyotes and mountain bluebirds. Fort Walsh
National Historic Site commemorates the history of the North
West Mounted Police.
Toll-free: 1-800-205-7070 (mid-May to August)
Telephone: (306) 662-5411 (year-round).
Website: www.cypresshills.com
McDonald Park Dark Sky Preserve is a small patch of privately
run stargazer heaven. A stone's throw from Vancouver, the
preserve lies at the foot of Sumas Mountain between Abbotsford
and Chilliwack.
At night, there is restricted access to McDonald Park, which
is managed by members of the Fraser Valley Astronomers Society.
The society, however, hosts frequent weekend sessions and
special events, which are listed on its website. To attend,
you'll need to arrive in daylight and park your car just inside
the gate, which is locked at nightfall.
Fraser country is famous for its raptors, and during the
day, you can look for bald eagles, red-tailed hawks, owls
and ospreys. There is also the Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve
near Chilliwack.
Website: www.fvas.net/dsp.html
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