August 25 is the National Park Service’s birthday! Since 1916, the NPS has protected the places we love so we can roam, learn, and feel small under big skies. That mission still fires us up—because night skies are part of that legacy, too.
Dark Sky parks shine bright
Light pollution steals the Milky Way. Dark Sky Parks give it back. Colorado is stacked with standouts—Great Sand Dunes, Mesa Verde, and Black Canyon of the Gunnison—each certified for exceptional night skies and smart lighting. They’re your front-row seat to meteor showers, constellations, and that gasp when the galaxy finally pops. By keeping, and growing, as many Dark Sky certified parks as possible, we give ourselves and future generations a chance to look up and marvel at the beauty.
Why we built stargazing camping tents 🏕️
Most “stargazing tents” block the sky the moment a rainfly goes on. If you search for “stargazing camping tents” online, you almost always see a tent with the campers under a rainfly while the stars put on an unforgettable show overhead. That’s not a stargazing camping tent in our opinion. So we set out to change that. We engineered Sky View Tents from the ground up for the night using ultra-clear mesh, nearly 360° visibility, and a patent-pending internal rainfly you can deploy from inside when weather turns. No midnight scramble to set up a rainfly. No more sleeping in nature with a veritable roof overhead. Sky View Tents gives you the stars, the sounds of nature, and a cool breeze.
Designed for Dark Sky adventures ☄️🪐
Our A-frame geometry is simple, strong, and fast to pitch. The Sky View XL stargazing camping tent is purpose-built for nature-lovers, astrophotographers, families with astro-curious kids, Scouts on camping trips, and anyone who wants the night sky to be part of their outdoor experience. Once you sleep with the cosmos shining brilliantly overhead, there’s no going back.
Dark Sky Certified National Parks in Colorado
Celebrating the National Park Service Day is best done in a DarkSky certified park. Fortunately here in Colorado we have three world-class Dark Sky national parks to choose from:
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Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve (link) – High, dry, and famously dark. Roll your fly from inside when the breeze kicks up and keep the Milky Way in view.
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Mesa Verde National Park (link) – Archaeology by day, ancestral star stories by night in the 100th certified Dark Sky Park.
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Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (link) – A deep cut of basalt and some of Colorado’s inkiest skies. Ranger astronomy programs are legendary.
And don’t forget state and local parks. Small places can have big skies—perfect for quick star parties and first-time campers.
How to celebrate NPS Day, the Sky View Tents way 🏕️
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Pick a Dark Sky park. Aim for a new moon weekend if you can as the stars will be brighter overhead.
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Bring red-light headlamps. Protect night vision.
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Pack layers, a thermos, and a plan. Temps drop when the stars come out, especially in the mountains.
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Pitch a stargazing tent that keeps the sky in play all night. Internal-fly = instant weather protection without sacrificing the view.
The bigger picture
Dark Sky places preserve more than scenery. They protect wildlife rhythms, cultural connections, and our sense of wonder. The NPS guards those values by day and by night. We’re proud to build gear that matches that mission—letting you celebrate Founders Day the best way we know: outside, eyes up. A portion of Sky View Tent’s profits go towards supporting DarkSky Colorado. We hope you will support them too!
Ready to see what you’ve been missing?
Start by visiting us at skyviewtents.com to meet the Sky View tent lineup, read our stargazing articles, and plan a trip that treats the night like the main event, not background noise. Then head for Colorado’s Dark Sky parks, zip the door, and let the universe do the rest.
Happy Birthday, NPS. Thanks for keeping the stars within reach. 🌟🏕️ 🌗
[Picture from NPS]
